Podcasts about Iraq

Mission Accomplished: Rob O'Neill on SEAL Team Six, Leadership, and Life After the Battlefield.  In this week's episode, Marcus and Melanie Luttrell meet with one of the most highly decorated combat veterans of our time—Robert J. O'Neill. With an incredible 400+ combat missions under his belt, Rob's experiences span across Liberia, The Balkans, The Persian Gulf, Indian Ocean, Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. As a Navy SEAL, Rob served in SEAL Team Two, SEAL Team Four, and spent eight years with the legendary SEAL Team Six. Rob's heroic career is underscored by 53 decorations, including two Silver Stars for gallantry, four Bronze Stars with Valor for heroism, and a host of other prestigious commendations. His resume of skills includes elite qualifications like Military Free-Fall Jumpmaster, Naval Special Warfare Scout/Sniper, and Master Naval Parachutist, among many others. In this episode, we dive deep into Rob's role in some of the most significant military operations in recent history: Operation Red Wings, which saw the rescue of the Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell The lead jumper in the daring rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates Operation Neptune's Spear, the mission that brought down Osama bin Laden Beyond the battlefield, Rob is the co-founder of the Special Operators Transition Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping special operations veterans transition to successful careers in corporate America. He is also the author of the best-selling memoir, THE OPERATOR: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years as a SEAL Team Warrior. Throughout his post-military career, Rob has become a prominent public speaker, security consultant, and media contributor, sharing expert insights on military strategy and terrorism. Whether speaking to survivors of 9/11 or delivering keynote speeches to business leaders, Rob translates his elite training into actionable lessons on leadership, resilience, and success. Join us as we explore Rob O'Neill's incredible journey from the frontlines to the boardroom and hear his thoughts on leadership, transition, and how to thrive under pressure. Tune in to hear the untold stories and actionable advice from one of America's most decorated heroes! In This Episode You Will Hear: • I don't think I could beat Marcus at arm wrestling if I can't pick up a bowling ball. (1:58) • You do realize there's a thing called old man strength? (5:53) • [Rob O'Neil] I have a podcast as well, called “The Operator.” We're called The Operator because if you're doing anything, you're an operator. (6:18) • Having a big man to kick your ass and teach you wind a bobbin; you realize there is skill here. (9:59) • When people quit BUDS, it's not because “this is hard”. [It's because] I'm tired of the broken foot.; I'm tired of the shin splints; I'm tired of my dislocated shoulder; I'm tired. (21:20) • In BUDS, one of the biggest problems is eating too much. Like I want 5 cheeseburgers, but we have a 4-mile run afterwards. (26:35) • [Rob] and for everyone that doesn't know, can you explain what a SDV is? (39:20) [Marcus] Imagine a mini submarine and shrink it down. The difference is that a submarine is dry inside, and the SDV is completely full of water. (39:23) • Listen to Marcus discuss the details of being in an SDV for 8 hours. Talk about ultimate torture - If you have a deep freeze in your garage, fill that sucker full of water, crawl in there and sit down for 8 hours. (40:32) • The first time I got in there, I was terrified. (45:29) • [Marcus] There's stuff that happens to us out there. Sometimes safety gets in the way of it. (58:49) • [After falling down the mountain during Operation Red Wings] I could hear that stream running. I've got to get me water, but I kept thinking I can't drink out of it, because my buddies are in it. (81:07) • If you want to make God laugh, tell Him what your plan is. (92:04) • [Marcus] Bro, when you saw that son of a bitch's face [Osama Bin Laden], what was the first thing you saw? [Rob O'Neal] I saw his nose. He was skinny, wearing white – tall. (95:22 ) • My nickname was “Nisro” (Navy SEAL Rob O'Neal). When they asked “Who got him?” They go “Nisro,” and they said “Fuck! We're never gonna hear the end of it.” (97:30) Support Robert:   - IG: mchooyah - Host of The Operator Podcast Support TNQ   - IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13   -  https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit Sponsors:   - dripdrop.com/TNQ    -  cargurus.com/TNQ    - armslist.com/TNQ   - partnersinbuilding.com - Navyfederal.org        -    - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com    - WARFARE IN THEATERS APRIL 11th Watch Trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JER0Fkyy3tw First Look Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3DWuqiAUKg&t=3s    -   - PXGapparel.com/TNQ   - bruntworkwear.com/TNQ    - Selectquote.com/TNQ    - Groundnews.com/TNQ    - You can find Cremo's new line of antiperspirants and deodorants at Target or Target.com    - shipsticks.com/TNQ    - Robinhood.com/gold    - strawberry.me/TNQ    - stopboxusa.com {TNQ}    - ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]   -  kalshi.com/TNQ   -  joinbilt.com/TNQ    - Tonal.com [TNQ]   - greenlight.com/TNQ   - PDSDebt.com/TNQ   - drinkAG1.com/TNQ   - Shadyrays.com [TNQ]   - qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ]   - Hims.com/TNQ   - Shopify.com/TNQ   - Aura.com/TNQ   - Policygenius.com   - TAKELEAN.com [TNQ]   - usejoymode.com [TNQ]

Bill is joined by Caleb Weiss and Edmund Fitton Brown to analyze the UN's latest Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team report on the evolving threats posed by Al-Qaeda and ISIS — from their current state and leadership to the geopolitical influences at play and strategic significance of areas like Syria, Iraq, and Somalia.

Iraqê yekemîn partiya siyasî ya jinan bi navê Partiya el-Mewadde damezrand, di destpêşxeriyeke ku armanc dike hewildanên jinên ji civak û mezhebên cûda bike yek û rola wan di jiyana siyasî de zêde bike. Her weha roporta ji Hewlêrê behs li ser zêdebûna êrîşên bi dronan ên li ser avahiyên pêtrolê li Herêma Kurdistanê dibe ku bûye çavkaniyeke xeman ji bo rayedarên herêmî. Bi gelemperî tê bawerkirin ku komeke ji milîsan li paş van erîşanin.

We're joined by the fantastic A.M. Adair to discuss her novella Origin Story, translating fiction into different mediums, and diving headfirst into a character's frame of mind. We also get a sneak peek of Origin Story, representation of women in fiction, and the therapeutic benefits of creative outlets. A.M. Adair retired from active duty as a Chief Warrant Officer of the United States Navy, having spent over 21 years in the Intelligence Community, specializing in counterintelligence and human intelligence. She has been to numerous countries, including multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Her experiences have been unique and provided her imagination with a wealth of material to draw from to give her stories life. A lifelong fan of the genre, she is an International Thriller Writers associate member. Shadow Game was her debut novel and the first book in the Elle Anderson series. Her second novel, The Deeper Shadow, was a Distinguished Favorite in the 2021 NYC Big Book Awards thriller category. In 2023, her third novel, Shadow War, won in the Action/Adventure category of the Independent Press Awards and was a finalist for the 2023 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award. Her fourth novel, A New Game, won an Independent Press Award and NYC Big Book Award in 2024 for Action/Adventure, and it was a 2024 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion finalist. Her first novella, Origin Story, released at the end of 2024, became an Amazon bestseller. She lives in Tennessee with her husband Jake, daughter Arya, and son Finn.Dark Waters vol. 1 & 2 are available to order! To get acopy, head over to our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktree⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to submit your writing? Emaildarkwaterspodcast@gmail.comIntro/Outro music: www.bensound.comDisclaimer: Any and all opinions expressed are the opinionsof the participants and not of the organizations or institutions with which they are affiliated.

Send us a textIn this episode of The Route to Networking – Military Leavers Edition, host Louis Paratt is joined by Adam Pinchback, Director of Customer Solutions at Viasat and former member of the Royal Corps of Signals. From high-pressure deployments in Iraq to designing bespoke connectivity solutions for global clients, Adam's journey is one of grit, growth, and reinvention.He shares how his military training shaped his resilience, why authenticity matters in leadership, and what it really takes to transition successfully from service life into the satellite communications industry. Adam also opens up about the mistakes he made during resettlement—and the crucial lesson about knowing your worth in a new world.Now leading cutting-edge projects in connectivity, remote systems, and multi-orbit tech at Viasat, Adam brings a grounded yet visionary perspective on the future of satellite comms.Whether you're a veteran exploring civilian opportunities or a tech professional navigating change, Adam's story offers practical advice, powerful motivation, and a reminder that the next chapter is always yours to write.

In tonight's dead letter listener Henry, a marine, recounts his experiences on guard duty in Iraq, where his platoon was stationed at an abandoned hotel near the Jordanian border. During a late-night watch, he and another marine hear footsteps in the stairwell, but a search of the building yields nothing but an unsettling encounter with glowing eyes in the boiler room. The mystery deepens when a fellow marine suggests the presence of a skinwalker, leaving the group to ponder the true nature of what they encountered in the desolate hotel. Navajo Culture https://discovernavajo.com/navajo-culture/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navajo Skinwalkers (In the Context of Navajo Culture) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin-walker https://nativeappropriations.com/2016/03/magic-in-north-america-part-1-ugh.html The Monroe Institute https://www.monroeinstitute.org/ Jim Harold's Campfire https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jim-harolds-campfire/id310656913 Trebil, Iraq https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trebil https://web.archive.org/web/20050716034614/https://newstandardnews.net/content/index.cfm/items/2088 The Monte Vista Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona https://hotelmontevista.com/

Original Air Date: April 4, 2007. Oprah honors extraordinary everyday people who showed incredible courage in moments of crisis. She speaks with Rachel Supplee, who survived a bear attack, and her daughter Daphne, who fought the bear to save her. Alena Yokum recounts being trapped in a sinking car, and Larry Cummins shares how he risked his life to rescue her. Amy Hawkins, who was paralyzed after saving children during a tornado, appears with her husband Jerrod and their sons to share their family's powerful story of resilience. The episode ends with a moving surprise as Oprah reunites the Marines of the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion with their families after seven months in Iraq.

We face a special challenge in America.James Naughtie speaks to veteran US politician John Kerry about the state of American politics and his long career at the top of global affairs.As well as standing for president himself as the Democratic candidate in 2004, he served as Secretary of State in the Obama administration and as Joe Biden's climate envoy. Secretary Kerry was at the centre of some of the most significant global crises in recent history from Iraq to Iran and Syria. He still believes one of America's greatest foreign policy mistakes was invading Iraq in 2003 without first seeking formal approval from the US Congress.He is forthright in his views on America today, saying he has never seen anything like what the country is living through. He describes politics as defined by greed and insensitivity, and guided by the lowest aspirations. For his Democratic party to return to power once more, he challenges them to face and address the issues the American people care about, including immigration. Thank you to the Politically team for its help in making this programme. The Interview brings you conversations with people shaping our world, from all over the world. The best interviews from the BBC. You can listen on the BBC World Service, Mondays and Wednesdays at 0700 GMT. Or you can listen to The Interview as a podcast, out twice a week on BBC Sounds, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Presenter: James Naughtie Producers: Lucy Sheppard, Giles Edwards Editor: Nick HollandGet in touch with us on email TheInterview@bbc.co.uk and use the hashtag #TheInterviewBBC on social media.(Image: John Kerry. Credit: Reuters)

The reindustrialization movement is fully underway, and cities like Detroit are leading the charge. But how do we accelerate the timescale it takes to get America back to the ‘golden days' of manufacturing?The key, as you'll hear in this episode, isn't to keep looking back at the past. It's to use the tools and resources we have today with a healthy dose of industry collaboration.Joining this episode is Chris Nolte, Co-Founder of Bloom, an operations-as-a-service platform created in Detroit to help companies build, ship, and service products through a vetted network of service partners. You'll hear a bit about Chris' unique story as an Iraq war veteran who originally started in the business of selling electric bikes. But he noticed, as we all saw during COVID, that global supply chains are more delicate than we imagined. And that's why reshoring and reindustrialization in the US is gaining more traction.Chris shares his thoughts on how the US can accelerate manufacturing by saying “yes” more often, taking advantage of new technology, and collaborating across industries. You'll also hear about how Detroit's industrial background is making a comeback and even drawing in talent from the coasts to bolster American manufacturing.In this episode, find out:A little history lesson of Detroit and how reindustrialization has revitalized the areaHow COVID changed the public's perception of global supply chains and the need for a stronger industry in the USWhy Chris co-founded Bloom to help fill in some of the gaps needed for US manufacturers to thriveChris' take on how “custom at scale” can become more feasible in the USHow Chris went from serving in the military to starting an e-bike company before starting BloomWhat's holding back the US from becoming a manufacturing powerhouse like it was in the pastWhat the US can learn from China's approach to manufacturing and why the US needs to say “yes” moreThe culture change that's needed and why the next generation of workers is key to making that happenWhy we need to be open-minded and stop looking back at the past if we want to accelerate reindustrializationThe secrets behind Detroit's resurgence in manufacturing and why the Midwest needs to shout out about its successes Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going! Tweetable Quotes:“It's amazing that we're doing electric vehicles and solar panels and all these sorts of things, but if we're not making that stuff here, we're really missing the boat. We're missing so much of an opportunity.”“Don't get caught up in the past because the ingredients are very different today.”“Try to be open-minded because it's a very different world today and what we couldn't do yesterday, we potentially can do today and tomorrow because we have different resources.”Links & mentions:Bloom, an operations-as-a-service platform for hard tech innovatorsNewlab Detroit, a hub with state-of-the-art prototyping equipment, work spaces, and specially pitted pilot sitesEpisode 237 with Dr. John Liu of MIT, Manufacturing Happy Hour episode on how higher education is shaping the future of manufacturing

Five years ago, Jimmy Graham dreamed of walking the El Camino with his two daughters. This year, that dream came true. Join Jimmy and Brian Karch as they reflect on the powerful moments, lessons, and memories from their pilgrimage across Spain.   Who's Jimmy Graham? Jimmy spent over 15 years in the US Navy SEAL Teams earning the rank of Chief Petty Officer (E7). During that time, he earned certifications as a Sniper, Joint Tactical Air Controller, Range Safety Officer for Live Fire, Dynamic Movement and Master Training Specialist. He also served for 7 years as an Operator and Lead Instructor for an Elite Federal Government Protective Detail for High-Risk and Critical environments, to include; Kirkuk, Iraq, Kabul, Afghanistan, Beirut, Lebanon and Benghazi, Libya. During this time he earned his certification for Federal Firearms Instructor, Simunition Scenario Qualified Instructor and Certified Skills Facilitator. Jimmy has trained law enforcement on the Federal, State, and Local levels as well as Fire Department, EMS and Dispatch personnel. His passion is to train communities across the nation in order to enhance their level of readiness in response to active shooter situations.   Make sure you subscribe and stay tuned to everything we are doing. Want to get more training? - https://ableshepherd.com/ Need support? https://able-nation.org/ Follow us on: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ableshepherd Instagram - ​​https://www.instagram.com/ableshepherd/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ableshepherd

Frank Sobchak, a retired Special Forces colonel and author of "Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan," joins podcast editor Ron Granieri to discuss the complexities of security force assistance (SFA). Their conversation delves into the challenges of measuring success in advisory missions and avoiding deeper U.S. combat commitments. Frank's research, based on five case studies (El Salvador, the Philippines, Colombia, Iraq, and Afghanistan), identifies key variables influencing SFA success. He cites advisor language and cultural awareness, advisor-to-host nation ratio, consistency in advisor pairing, combat advising, and the ability to organize host nation units. He emphasized that while not all factors need to be perfectly aligned, a majority must be in place for a mission to succeed.

Send us a textWelcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, host Halsey Schider welcomes Kodey Bogart, a seasoned aviator whose journey spans military medevac missions to civilian instruction. Kodey shares how her passion for helicopters led to flying air medical missions, both in National Guard UH-60s in Iraq and civilian helicopters in the U.S. She offers real-world insights into safety management systems (SMS), drawing from her military and civilian experience to advocate for a just culture and systemic safety across all operations. Kodey also discusses her passion project, Helo Girls, a children's book series designed to inspire young readers—boys and girls alike—with accurate, safety-focused stories featuring female pilots. Join Halsey and Kodey for a conversation about resilience, practical safety, and inspiring the next generation.To learn more about Kodey's Safety Training and Consulting, visit: www.KBAviationSolutions.comTo learn more about Helo Girls and purchase your own copies, visit: www.HeloGirls.comThank you to our sponsors Airbus, Sellacopter and Vertical Magazine.Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Helicopter Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter!

Proxy wars are the modern state's perfect crime. They allow powerful nations to pursue strategic goals without the domestic consequences that traditionally forced wars to end. During Vietnam, American soldiers died in large numbers. Draft notices landed in every community, and the war's human cost was unavoidable. Protests carried weight because every household had skin in the game. My mother marched against that war with me still in her belly, and the United States eventually left because the nation could no longer stomach the blood price.Since then, the way the West fights has changed. Iraq and Afghanistan were the first hints of this evolution: long, grinding wars, but fought with an all-volunteer force. Without a draft, there was no nationwide grief, no flood of body bags to provoke outrage. The public was insulated, and the wars dragged on for decades. Even with thousands of American deaths, the pain was quarantined to military families while the rest of the country lived as if nothing was happening.Today, Ukraine represents the pinnacle of this strategy. NATO countries supply weapons, intelligence, and money, but not troops. Ukrainians and Russians die in staggering numbers, yet Western nations suffer no direct casualties. There are no folded flags on American porches, no soldiers at the door to deliver devastating news. Without domestic blood, there is no pressure to end the war. Western publics can support Ukraine indefinitely because the price they pay is financial, not human.Israel's war in Gaza follows a similar pattern, though with its own complexities. The casualties are overwhelmingly Palestinian, with significant Israeli losses, but again—Western nations bankroll the conflict and provide diplomatic cover while remaining physically untouched. Protests in the U.S. and Europe lack the force of Vietnam-era demonstrations because no American lives are on the line. Activists can be dismissed as naïve, fringe, or ideologically confused because they are not backed by a grieving nation.Proxy wars are insulated from democratic accountability. They avoid the political reckoning that comes when mothers bury their sons and fathers receive folded flags. They are fought with other people's sons, on other people's soil, and the societies funding them never feel the true cost. Even earlier efforts to shield the public from war—embedding journalists, hiding casualty numbers, relying on drones—only dulled the pain. Proxy warfare removes it completely.This is why these conflicts can persist for years. There is no shared sacrifice to unite or divide the home front, no mass protests to force leaders to justify the war's continuation. The suffering is exported, and the moral burden is outsourced. For the powers behind them, proxy wars achieve strategic goals while keeping domestic populations comfortably detached.Wars fought this way will never be won through hearts and minds because the hearts and minds of the countries pulling the strings are never truly engaged. The people who suffer most are those with no choice and no voice—the civilians and soldiers whose lives are consumed by a conflict they did not start. That is the cold, brutal efficiency of the modern proxy war: it achieves its ends without ever forcing the societies behind it to confront the real cost of their actions. In that sense, it is not just a strategy. It is, in the purest and darkest terms, the perfect crime.

From placing seventh in taekwondo at the Rio Olympics to boldly launching his own law firm, Hayder Shkara shares his anything but ordinary path into the legal profession. Speaking on a recent episode of The Protégé Podcast, host Grace Robbie speaks with Hayder Shkara, the principal of Justice Family Lawyers, who admits that while he has a fondness for the TV show, Suits, his true passion for law was inspired by his grandfather – a respected judge in Iraq who championed justice for the vulnerable. He shares how, at just 10 years old, watching the Sydney Olympic Games ignited a dream to one day represent his country on the world stage in taekwondo. He also reflects on the disappointment of falling short at the London 2012 Olympic Games but shares how that disappointment fuelled him to return stronger and place seventh at the Rio 2016 Games. He opens up on how he managed the demanding balance of completing his law degree while training full-time for the Olympics, recalls how, shortly after competing in Rio, he took the bold plunge into entrepreneurship by opening his own law firm, shares he was determined to do this to ensure he didn't face the post-Olympic slum that many athlete experiences, and reveals how he channelled his competitive mindset into his legal career, describing the transition as climbing a mountain. Shkara also candidly shares the toughest challenges he faced when first taking the lap to start his own law firm and how he overcame them, talks about his journey of expanding the firm through strategic acquisitions, discusses how this process has given him valuable insights into what works well in different practices, and equally important, what he doesn't want from his own firm, and offers valuable advice to law students – insights he wishes he had known at the very beginning of his legal career. To find out more about Justice Family Lawyer, click here.

In 1907, the men who would go on to lead the Russian Revolution met in London for a crucial congress.But the revolutionaries – including Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Leon Trotsky – were nearly stranded after running out of funds.The late British journalist Henry Brailsford played a key role in securing their fare home.In 1947, he told the BBC how the meeting marked a point of no return for the party's two warring factions – the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks – and ultimately led to the creation of the communist party.Produced and presented by Vicky Farncombe. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: A group of revolutionaries including Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin (centre) and Menshevik leader Julius Martov (on his right). Credit: Getty Images)

Ryan Woodruff shares his journey from a rootless childhood to finding purpose as CEO of Clear Path for Veterans, an organization dedicated to helping veterans transition from military to civilian life.• Moving frequently as a child created a desire for community and led to military enlistment at 17• Deployed to Iraq twice during Operation Iraqi Freedom, facing combat and losing fellow Marines• Military culture discouraged discussing mental health issues, leading to suppression and unhealthy coping• Struggled with alcoholism, isolation, and finding purpose after leaving the service• Found healing through community, spirituality, and Clear Path's service dog program• Service dogs provide unique support for veterans with PTSD by responding to anxiety signals• Dogs act as social facilitators, helping veterans connect with the community• Clear Path offers holistic support, including peer mentoring, career services, and nationally available programs• Now, as CEO, he focuses on creating stability for his children while expanding Clear Path's impactIf you're a veteran struggling with transition or know someone who is, reach out to Clear Path for Veterans. They offer programs nationally and are working to expand their digital presence to reach more veterans and their families in the USA.Let's enjoy Ryan's story.clearpath4vets.comhttps://www.instagram.com/clearpath4vetshttps://www.facebook.com/ClearPathForVeteransSend BEHAS a text.Support the showTo Share - Connect & Relate: Share Your Thoughts and Shape the Show! Tell me what you love about the podcast and what you want to hear more about. Please email me at behas.podcast@gmail.com and be part of the conversation! To be on the show Podmatch Profile Ordinary people, extraordinary experiences - Real voices, real moments - ​Human connection through stories - Live true storytelling podcast - Confessions - First person emotional narratives - Unscripted Life Stories. Thank you for listening - Hasta Pronto!

Human Costs of War: 21st Century Human (In)Security from 2003 Iraq to 2022 Ukraine (Taylor & Francis, 2024) documents and analyses the direct and indirect toll that war takes on civilians and their livelihoods, taking a human security approach exploring personal, economic, political and community security in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine, in the contexts of the War on Terror and the New Cold War. The book offers an understanding of war through the recording and comprehension of its civilian casualties and evaluates whether the force used has been proportionate to the threat that prompted it and the concern for human welfare. In the 21st century, the power of the USA has declined, while countries such as China and India become more powerful. The global power balance has been altered in a fundamental way towards a multi-polar world system, with the West no longer able to enforce its policies abroad. Regional and global governance are not assured, and devastating wars have taken a heavy toll in terms of death, poverty and displacement, which feed into the cycle of long-term insecurity. The authors argue that it is important for any conflict to be understood not only in terms of the perpetrators of violence, or of the political and economic reasons behind it, but also in terms of its impact on the civilian population and their security, focusing on conflicts in the Middle East which followed 9/11 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The book will be of interest to academics, the public, the media, security agencies and international organisations. It will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students of International Relations, International Law, Security, Politics, Policing, Human Rights, Ethics, Peace Studies, Eastern Europe, American Studies and the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Life with A Thousand Paper Cuts – What PTSD Feels Like with Cole GraceJune was Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) awareness month. And yes, even though it is now July, I am airing this interview with Cole Grace, who shares his story about what it feels like to have PTSD, and to recover and experience calm despite having a life going through chaos. Bio:Cole Grace had a difficult early childhood. His parents divorced when he was four years old. And although he was never physically or sexually abused, and never lost anyone tragically, he didn't think he had childhood trauma. Cole joined the Army National Guard and went to Iraq as a combat engineer responsible for IED route clearance and convoy security in 2005. He was attached to multiple units and low ranking because he got in trouble for smoking weed. So he got the worst of the worst jobs. Through this, Cole repressed his emotions in the moment, but later realized he had trauma from his childhood and his combat experience. Cole went back to school and ended up getting a high paying job for the government in 2012. He thought that meant that he was healed from the stomach episodes he suffered from while in Iraq, some of which led him to go to the emergency room after returning to the United States in 2006. When he worked for the government in 2012, it was in the midst of the opioid crisis. So that meant when he went to the hospital, many times they wouldn't give him pain medicine anymore. So he self medicated and eventually became addicted to opiates in 2015. Cole went to rehab in 2017 and learned about childhood trauma, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and started reading self-help books and books about trauma. He started trying different healing modalities and eventually putting together the outline for the book Internal to External - Calming the Chaos Within. “Your external world can change in an instant, but you can't take away the internal things.”Timestamps 7:30 Cole tells his story10:00 The Army / Combat Experience14:00 Radiation Exposure in Iraq16:20 “I just checked off this whole checklist and I still don't feel good.”19:10 “Unlearn your Pain and Depression” book by Howard Schubiner at https://unlearnyourpain.com/unlearn-your-pain-book/21:47 “The Body Keeps the Score” and “7 Habits for Highly Successful People” and other self-help books helped him connect to the subconscious 23:30 What Cole does to monitor his subconscious mind1. Awareness and Acceptance of Unhelpful Beliefs2. Reframing these beliefs into truthful / helpful ones3. Embracing more positivity4. Breathwork, affirmations and gratitude practices, personal mission statement27:00 Tracy says to focus on what's both truthful and helpful when reframing beliefs and doing affirmationsCole agrees…and adds, “What you say has to have the possibility of being truthful”28:33 Tracy's way of approaching Trauma with clients, and the benefits of addressing trauma that can benefit you in the long run29:36 Why should we even address trauma, anyway?31:32: “Between the stimulus and the response is a choice”Cole tells how he's done the work, and yet still has some challenges, he deals with them“Heal Your Body” book by Louise Hay https://www.amazon.com/Heal-Your-Body-Louise-Hay/dp/9394613846In his life, Cole had to push through a lot of fear, justifications, and excuses to publish this book. But he did it. He believes that the book is inspiring and that it gives practical ways and “tactics” to improve your quality of life without the expectation of perfection.“I do not have it all figured out, and I don't pretend to. So I believe that makes me more relatable than some other people that write on the subject of mental health and PTSD.” 39:40 Cole's Book...

Human Costs of War: 21st Century Human (In)Security from 2003 Iraq to 2022 Ukraine (Taylor & Francis, 2024) documents and analyses the direct and indirect toll that war takes on civilians and their livelihoods, taking a human security approach exploring personal, economic, political and community security in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine, in the contexts of the War on Terror and the New Cold War. The book offers an understanding of war through the recording and comprehension of its civilian casualties and evaluates whether the force used has been proportionate to the threat that prompted it and the concern for human welfare. In the 21st century, the power of the USA has declined, while countries such as China and India become more powerful. The global power balance has been altered in a fundamental way towards a multi-polar world system, with the West no longer able to enforce its policies abroad. Regional and global governance are not assured, and devastating wars have taken a heavy toll in terms of death, poverty and displacement, which feed into the cycle of long-term insecurity. The authors argue that it is important for any conflict to be understood not only in terms of the perpetrators of violence, or of the political and economic reasons behind it, but also in terms of its impact on the civilian population and their security, focusing on conflicts in the Middle East which followed 9/11 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The book will be of interest to academics, the public, the media, security agencies and international organisations. It will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students of International Relations, International Law, Security, Politics, Policing, Human Rights, Ethics, Peace Studies, Eastern Europe, American Studies and the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

We all have heard the proverb, "Like Father, Like Son." Patrick Naughton is a military historian and a combat veteran of the Global War on Terror. His father is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War. Patrick recently published his first book, in which he compares his father's experience in Vietnam to his own experience in Iraq.

Human Costs of War: 21st Century Human (In)Security from 2003 Iraq to 2022 Ukraine (Taylor & Francis, 2024) documents and analyses the direct and indirect toll that war takes on civilians and their livelihoods, taking a human security approach exploring personal, economic, political and community security in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine, in the contexts of the War on Terror and the New Cold War. The book offers an understanding of war through the recording and comprehension of its civilian casualties and evaluates whether the force used has been proportionate to the threat that prompted it and the concern for human welfare. In the 21st century, the power of the USA has declined, while countries such as China and India become more powerful. The global power balance has been altered in a fundamental way towards a multi-polar world system, with the West no longer able to enforce its policies abroad. Regional and global governance are not assured, and devastating wars have taken a heavy toll in terms of death, poverty and displacement, which feed into the cycle of long-term insecurity. The authors argue that it is important for any conflict to be understood not only in terms of the perpetrators of violence, or of the political and economic reasons behind it, but also in terms of its impact on the civilian population and their security, focusing on conflicts in the Middle East which followed 9/11 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The book will be of interest to academics, the public, the media, security agencies and international organisations. It will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students of International Relations, International Law, Security, Politics, Policing, Human Rights, Ethics, Peace Studies, Eastern Europe, American Studies and the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Human Costs of War: 21st Century Human (In)Security from 2003 Iraq to 2022 Ukraine (Taylor & Francis, 2024) documents and analyses the direct and indirect toll that war takes on civilians and their livelihoods, taking a human security approach exploring personal, economic, political and community security in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine, in the contexts of the War on Terror and the New Cold War. The book offers an understanding of war through the recording and comprehension of its civilian casualties and evaluates whether the force used has been proportionate to the threat that prompted it and the concern for human welfare. In the 21st century, the power of the USA has declined, while countries such as China and India become more powerful. The global power balance has been altered in a fundamental way towards a multi-polar world system, with the West no longer able to enforce its policies abroad. Regional and global governance are not assured, and devastating wars have taken a heavy toll in terms of death, poverty and displacement, which feed into the cycle of long-term insecurity. The authors argue that it is important for any conflict to be understood not only in terms of the perpetrators of violence, or of the political and economic reasons behind it, but also in terms of its impact on the civilian population and their security, focusing on conflicts in the Middle East which followed 9/11 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The book will be of interest to academics, the public, the media, security agencies and international organisations. It will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students of International Relations, International Law, Security, Politics, Policing, Human Rights, Ethics, Peace Studies, Eastern Europe, American Studies and the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Human Costs of War: 21st Century Human (In)Security from 2003 Iraq to 2022 Ukraine (Taylor & Francis, 2024) documents and analyses the direct and indirect toll that war takes on civilians and their livelihoods, taking a human security approach exploring personal, economic, political and community security in Afghanistan, Iraq and Ukraine, in the contexts of the War on Terror and the New Cold War. The book offers an understanding of war through the recording and comprehension of its civilian casualties and evaluates whether the force used has been proportionate to the threat that prompted it and the concern for human welfare. In the 21st century, the power of the USA has declined, while countries such as China and India become more powerful. The global power balance has been altered in a fundamental way towards a multi-polar world system, with the West no longer able to enforce its policies abroad. Regional and global governance are not assured, and devastating wars have taken a heavy toll in terms of death, poverty and displacement, which feed into the cycle of long-term insecurity. The authors argue that it is important for any conflict to be understood not only in terms of the perpetrators of violence, or of the political and economic reasons behind it, but also in terms of its impact on the civilian population and their security, focusing on conflicts in the Middle East which followed 9/11 and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The book will be of interest to academics, the public, the media, security agencies and international organisations. It will be useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students of International Relations, International Law, Security, Politics, Policing, Human Rights, Ethics, Peace Studies, Eastern Europe, American Studies and the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/national-security

I'm proud of Braxton he has been carrying the torch for public lands and has helped it to enter in to the mainstream conversation. I heard him recently on Tucker Carlson Made me think back to our podcast back in 2018    In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Days in the Wild, John Stallone sits down with combat veteran, author, and elk hunting guide Braxton McCoy. Braxton shares the harrowing story of surviving a suicide bombing in Iraq, enduring dozens of surgeries, and ultimately forging a new path in the wilderness as a guide and advocate for healing through the outdoors. From the battlefield to the backcountry, Braxton opens up about trauma, resilience, and the role hunting played in reclaiming his identity. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who believes in the restorative power of nature and the strength of the human spirit.

In this end of week news cast, I look at some of the news I found most most interesting to includes news from Cambodia, south China, Vietnam, Bolivia and the United States, among others.

A Hiking Accident brings Mark and Carrie Together.by T. Foxal. Listen to the ► Podcast at Connected.Mark and Carrie never met before, until an accident to Carrie, brought them together, and now maybe for good.Chapter 1.I'm Mark. 39 years old, single, a computer geek who is lucky enough that I can work from home, and make my own hours. I wasn't always like this. When I was 18, I had a choice, jail or join the service. I just made some bad decisions back then, doing drugs and getting in fights. So I opted for the Marines. I spent 15 years with them, and advanced to Master Sergeant, which is the fourth highest position an NCO can go. Served 3 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, which are true shit holes. Great thing about the service, besides 3 square meals a day and a place to sleep, you can be taught almost any useful job in the world, which is where I learned computer programing.Now I pretty much free-lance my abilities out and make a good wage. Most times I have jobs to do, but sometimes I don't and have lots of free time. If I do have jobs, I can make my own hours.I don't have a steady woman at this time, and I am  okay with that. Being deployed all the time, whether it was in the Middle East, or on some ship with a bunch of Squids, I really had no time for a relationship.I had been out almost a year this past August, when I decided I needed some down time. I decided I was going to the Adirondacks and do some hiking. I grew up outside of Syracuse NY., and have always wanted to go there. My one uncle owns a cabin up there and offered it to me when he heard I wanted to go hiking up there. He told me it had one bedroom, a bathroom, kitchen, and a living room with fireplace. It had running water and electricity. He warned me that I would need to turn on the hot water tank, since they shut it down last fall, after they used it last.I had decided that I would take two weeks to explore all the different mountain ranges this area had, finishing up at Mt. Marcy, the highest of them all. Since it was just after Labor Day, tourism should be at a low, with vacationers and school kids back into their routines. My plan was to hike daily, a different range, and if need be, camp out at night. Being a Marine, we are taught all types of survival skills, so this would be no problem for me. One thing my uncle did ask me to do, is stop at the Ranger station and let them know I would be occupying the cabin for a length of time. People sometimes like to use squatter rights and just use cabins, regardless if they are allowed, or not.I also like that the temperature doesn't get to warm up there either. I prefer cool nights and just warm days. Maybe it's because of my time in that hell hole of the middle east. My trip took almost 4 hours to get to where I wanted to go.Chapter 2.The skies were quite cloudy when I pulled into the Ranger Station. I got out of my truck and headed to the stations door, and when I opened it, a woman was coming out at the same time and we bumped into each other. We both apologized, then laughed, and then she continued on to her vehicle.After letting a ranger know where I was going and for how long, I exited the station and headed back to my truck. That's when I noticed her again. She was 5 '7, maybe 130 lbs., caramel colored skin, hair just past her shoulders, when she let it down. From the side, she did not look like she had very big boobs, they were smallish medium, just the way I actually like them. She was wearing camo style shorts, and a tan polo shirt. Boy, she had nice legs, long and muscular, very toned. If I had to guess her age, early 30's. Whoever was getting lucky with that, was one lucky son of a bitch. One thing I did notice, she was wearing white running shoes, and not hiking boots. Judging from the backpack she was attempting to put on, she was going hiking and camping out. Running shoes are not the smartest thing to wear hiking. No ankle support what so ever.As I drove off, I stole another look at her, as I drove by. Great looking ass. Bigger than a model would have, but smaller than many of the women I have seen in my lifetime. I exited the parking lot and started heading up Whiteface Mountain. My uncle's cabin is up about 4 miles from this point, on a long and windy road. If I had to guess, it would be about a third of the way up the mountain, and only because of the road, which I believed was cut out by a snake.Once I arrived, I unloaded everything into the cabin. Found the circuit breaker and turned them on, especially the hot water tank. Too many cold showers in my life, so no need to suffer this time now. One thing I did notice too, the temp was cooler up this high. It was around 70 down by the station, but I bet it dropped a good 10 degrees.Next, I unload my coolers, which had meats and eggs, butter, and all of the necessities needed to eat well. I had enough for 2 weeks, if not more. Also brought along two 12 packs of beer as well, and water. Man I love roughing it.After stowing away my gear and food, I checked the place out. Nice queen size bed, in the bedroom. They even had TV, which I could care less about. May to use for the weather is all I can see a use for it. I'm not one to sit and watch TV much, except for football and maybe playoff baseball.I then went and checked the area out. The back porch had a gas grill on it, plus what looked like a cord of wood. I figured if I used any, I could go into town and buy some to replenish, unless Unc had a chain saw, then I would do my own. I then went for a small hike just around the area.I did not want to venture to far today. It was already after 4pm, and the skies were really getting dark, so some rain, if not storms, were moving in soon. About a 1/4 mile into the woods, was a hiking trail, well used too. I wondered if that lady was on this trail, if she even made up this far yet. If she did, she better start preparing her campsite for the weather that was due in soon. I kept hiking for another 30 minutes before heading back to the cabin. I figured a good early start in the morning, may get me to the top by the afternoon, early evening.Chapter 3.I was now back from my little hike and relaxing, but also getting hungry. I settled on frying up some home fries and grill up some Polish kielbasa. I cooked up the potatoes first, and then set the pan in the oven and set it to warm. Then took the meat out to the porch and fired up the grill.It was a little after 6 now and the wind had really picked up and the skies hung low, full of rain that to start shortly. As I waited for the grill to heat up some, I thought I heard someone cry out. At first I thought it could be just the wind, but then I heard it again.I stepped off the porch and headed towards the trail, behind the cabin. As I got on the trail, I heard the cry again, but this time could make out the word Help. I yelled out for the person to keep yelling, so I could judge where it was actually coming from.Whoever it was, must have heard me because the Helps were coming more quickly. I was at least a good half mile now from the cabin when I came upon a woman, lying on the ground, holding her foot. It was the lady I saw down by the ranger station when I first arrived.When she saw me coming she said, "Oh Thank God. I wasn't sure anyone could hear me.""What happened?" I asked. "Oh stupid me wasn't watching where I stepped and then all of a sudden, I'm on the ground from twisting my ankle." she explained, then went on,"I tried walking on it, but damn, it hurts. I don't think it is broken." I kneeled in front of her and took off her shoe, then her wool sock, and could see the ankle was swollen and just starting to turn a little purplish. I'm no doctor, nor was I corpsman in the service, but I have had my share, and have seen many a sprained ankle, and this sure did look like one.After looking at it, I looked up at her face and could see the pain written all over her gorgeous face. I then gently removed her backpack, which had to weigh a good 25 to 30 pounds. "Christ, what the hell is she carrying in this.", I thought. Then I put the backpack on over my shoulders. Just then, the rain started. "Great, just what I needed", I thought."Oh damn. This isn't good. What are we going to do now?" she asked."First off, grab my arm and let's get you up, then we'll hike back down to my cabin, which I think is about a 1/2 mile from here." I said. "By the way, my name is Mark" She retorted back to me "Carolyn, or Carrie to my friends, which you are fast becoming."With my help, she stood up, using her good leg. Now I am not a tall man, 5' 10 175 lbs., and still in great shape, since I work out 4 times a week. I then asked her to put her right arm around my neck and I would hold her waist, and we would try and keep all the weight off of the foot.We did quite well actually, and she didn't complain one time. Only twice did we have to stop and rest a minute. That didn't matter, we were both soaked to our skin by now, and it was quite chilly out. What should have taken maybe 5 minutes to walk, turned into almost 25 minutes, by the time we got back to the porch of the cabin. At one point, I felt I should have just carried her fireman's style, just to speed this up.We then entered the cabin. Luckily it was still pretty warm in there, but I knew that wouldn't last long. I guided her over to a leather chair and had her sit. Then went and got some towels to at least dry off some of the rain.I then went into the bathroom and saw that my uncle had 2 inch wide medical tape and some gauze. I went into my pack and pulled out some Aleve. I came back out, got some water and then handed her the medicine. Then I knelt down and removed her shoe again, sans the sock, since we didn't put that back on. I carefully dried her foot and ankle, and then wrapped gauze around it, then taped it up.After I finished, I could see she was shaking from being cold now. Both of us were soaked to the skin. I went into my uncles dresser and looked around. My aunt had a set sweats in there. I hope they fit her. My aunt is only 5'4, but is big chested, so the top should be fine. I also pulled out some socks for her as well. I then looked in the closet, and in the back, found a pair of crutches. Uncle's family comes up here a lot to ski, so crutches would be a wise investment, especially for my one cousin Carol, she is a klutz.I came back into the living room and looked down at her. " How does that feel now Carrie""Still hurts, but not like it was, and thank you." she said. I extended a hand to her and told her to grab it, then pulled her up. "I got you some clothes to change into, and these crutches. The shower is down the hall. A good hot shower should help you warm up a bit . Also, take this baggie and wrap it around your foot and ankle and tape off the top, to keep it dry.""Oh My God, you are so nice. I am so sorry for being a pain in your ass, but thank you so much."She trudged down the hall to the bath. I couldn't help but look at her great legs and chubby ass as she went. I did notice she wore no wedding, or engagement ring, so that was a good thing. Just before she opened the bathroom door, I told her I was going to finish making dinner. She just grinned, but said nothing. Before I did that though, I pulled out some sweats. Both the top and the bottoms had the Marine logo on it. Those sweats last forever.I had to reheat the fried potatoes and then went and relit the grill. The kielbasa was done in about 10 minutes. So when I came back in, she was still not out of the shower. "Women", I thought. They take so friggin long to get clean. Although I did have some thoughts about how she looked in the shower.I had just finished setting the table, when she arrived back out in the living room. The sweat top was definitely too big for her, yet looked cute. The sweat pants were a little snug and stopped short about two inches from the top of her feet. She was like staring at me, but didn't speak."Is something wrong?" I asked. "No, not a thing, except for those Jarhead sweats you have on.""What? You don't like Marines?" She laughed and said, "They are okay, but to a Navy gal, they don't get my motor running""Oh shit. I helped a god damn Squid? Christ sakes", then laughed, and so did she. "Come on, let's eat"I asked her what she would like to drink, which was limited to beer or water. She chose a water, as I did too, and sat down to our little feast.Chapter 4.She was quiet at first, so I broke the silence and asked her "So Miss Carrie, and I presume Miss, what has you up here by yourself?"She chuckled then spoke " I love hiking and always wanted to come explore these mountains. And Yes, I am a miss. Divorced actually, 5 years now. I have a 20 year daughter too, who attends Syracuse University.“Good God” I interjected; “How the hell did you ly you way into the navy as a 10 year old? You can't be past your early thirties!”I spent 14 years in the Navy. I was also a Navy brat too. My dad and mom live in Pensacola, after he retired from the Navy as a Master Chief. I left the Navy 7 years ago, but that's another story."She took a drink of water, then continued. " I live right outside of Syracuse now, mostly to be close to my daughter. We adopted her when she was 3 years old. I couldn't have kids, and she was orphaned when her parents were killed in an auto accident in Norfolk. What about you Mr. Mark?"I smiled at her and looked her right in the eye, which were hazel in color. "Let's see, I spent 20 good years in the Navy, and then retired from it. I did pick up a good vocation, programming computers, so that's what I do now. Mostly free-lance myself out. I make a good wage doing it. My uncle owns this cabin and I needed a vacation, so I too, wanted to explore here. I took the next two weeks off and hope to finish up on Mt. Marcy. I grew up just east of Syracuse and moved back there. Both of my parents are deceased now, and I have one sister, who is two years older than me"She then asked, "What did you end up at?""An E8, Master Sergeant,” I answered. “and you?"She chuckled and said, "E8 as well, Senior Chief. How many deployments?""3 tours in the sandpit, then countless boat rides. Served on the George Washington and the Lincoln, and ended my career at Quantico.""Oh shit. My dad served on the Lincoln too, John Reynolds. Master Chief of the Boat."I laughed and said, "I know your old man. I served with him on the Lincoln for 6 months. At the time I was a E6 (Staff Sergeant), but I got to know him well. I even got to meet your mom too, when we got done at Norfolk. Beautiful lady and not being forward, I can see where you get your looks. Your old man had a way with the crew. They all respected him and did anything he told them to do. I can still remember his one saying, "Son. Don't fail me, or I will open a can of whoop ass on you.” Usually scared the shit out of some teenage kid"She laughed and said, "Yeah, he did have their respect, but at home he was a teddy bear, at least to me and mom. I remember in high school, any boy I would date, he would just stare at them, which usually scared the shit out of them"We laughed and told stories about our time in the service. Then I did the dishes up while I had her go relax on the couch. When I finished, I asked if she would like a beer now, which she gladly accepted. Before I came out with the beers, I wrote down my name, address and phone number, and handed it to her."What's this for?" I told her, "Look. You were injured and I would like you to call your family and tell them and that you will be staying here tonight. Plus give you peace of mind that you are not bunking with some crazy guy in the woods. So let them know that info, and all should be good."She chuckled then said, "Well, for one. all of you jarheads are crazy, so I am not too sure how safe I am with you, but so far, you haven't shown any craziness. But I will call my daughter and let her know."She then called her daughter and explained the situation to her. They chatted for about 10 minutes or so. Her daughter must have asked her if I was cute, because she softly spoke, "yeah. pretty cute" After that she hung up her phone and sat back on the couch."I want to thank you again for saving me from a very bad situation. I know I have to be a pain in the ass to you, and you weren't planning on someone screwing up your vacation like this." Carrie said."Number one, you are not a pain in the ass at all, and two, you haven't screwed anything up. I rather enjoy your company, if I am being honest here. Granted, I came up here alone, but now I have made a friend, or at least, an acquaintance, and if I may add a very beautiful one at that..Carrie blushed, "Thank you. I mean for a Gyrene, you are pretty nice, and a bonus, you can cook too. How come some pretty woman hasn't snatched you up?"I just chuckled at that, "Well, you know how it is in the service. Always deployed to some ungodly place, or never being able to put roots down in one place. That's not fair to anyone. Plus, there has been no one who really rocked my world. The closest I came was living with this one girl for like 6 months, but she opted out after seeing me off to Iraq, and just couldn't handle the unknown. When I got back 8 months later, she was long gone. Never heard a word from her either, except for the letter she left behind. So from that point on, I just dated here and there, nothing steady. And now, I haven't really looked. You say you are divorced, what happened there, if you don't mind telling."She smiled, and when she did, her whole face smiled. Her almond shaped eyes were to die for. A man could get lost in those eyes. I know I was. I also wondered if she had a special man in her life. If so, he was a complete idiot for letting her go on this by herself. Not to keep her safe, or anything like that, but just to be with her."We met at Pensacola when I was just 2 years into my first term. He was a Seal. So of course he hung the moon and stars. But growing up Navy, I knew what this entailed. We had a great marriage, at least I thought we did. Only when he got deployed, did I get scared. You know how it is with them, they are not going to some amusement park. When he got transferred to a base, I got one too, since I worked in procurement and distribution, it was no big deal."She took a swig of her beer and breathed out, then continued. "We tried having kids, but I came to find out that my tubes were closed and I couldn't have any. So we started looking at adoption and then about a year later we were informed about Jenny. Her parents killed in an auto accident and she had no living relatives. We took her in as a foster child and then about a year after, we adopted her. Things were going good for us. We both got transferred to Norfolk, and luckily, Dad was stationed there too, but as usual, out on a boat. Then Jack started to change. He became withdrawn and started drinking more."I put my hand on her shoulder and told her she didn't have to continue. I knew this story well, which was one of the reasons I never settled down. Seen to many start drinking, and relived the action in their heads, and shut out their loved ones."No. I'm good. Any ways, about 9 years ago, he went on deployment and was gone a month. Who knows where, but called the night before and said he'd be home around 1700 hours. I was excited, yet nervous too. So, and I can't believe I am telling you this, (chuckled), but I left work early that next day. I wanted to make it special for him. Jenny was going to stay with my mom. So I left around 2 and went home. When I got there, his car was already in the drive. We lived off base then. So I rushed from the car and went inside. I didn't see or hear him, so I thought he was upstairs. Oh God... (chuckling again), I stripped down and figured I would surprise him being nude. I walked silently up the stairs and saw the bedroom door closed. Then I heard muffled sounds, so I opened the door, and there he was, on the bed. But he wasn't alone. Our neighbor Joann, who lives two doors down, was there too. She was on top of him fucking him.""Oh shit Carrie, I am so sorry" This must have been bad for her, because tears were streaming down her face now. I didn't know what to do actually. I am not good with women crying, and since I hardly knew her, I knew not to reach out and try and hold her.She fought through it and smiled a little, "It's  okay, it really is. Joann was a divorcee and always flirted with the husbands around her. Lord knows how many time she and Jack fucked before I caught them. I shouted at them, which startled them both and I told her to get her skanky ass out of my bed. Then I told Jack to pack his things and get out. He did too, never saying a word to me as he did. About a month later, he was transferred to San Diego. I know in my heart, my dad had something to do with that. He had many big wig contacts. It took 2 years for the divorce to be finalized because he was never in the area. I had just ended my time in the service and wanted to get away from there. Dad and mom had already moved down to Florida, so I had really no one, so why stay. The next 5 years, I lived down near my parents, so I could give Jenny a new start, like me. Then she said in her senior year she got accepted to Syracuse. I was working for a big fabric company, in logistics and put in for a transfer, since they had a big distribution center up here. Another good thing is, my mom's mother still lives in Syracuse, and I have lots of cousins I never knew I had until now.""Wow", is all I could say at first. "Now you see why I never married? Could have easily happened to me, but I come home and find her sleeping with some asshole." Then I chuckled, which turned into a laugh. "What's so funny?""When I was aboard the Lincoln, I was hitting on this young petty officer. Your dad took notice and pulled me aside. "Son. One thing you never do is shit where you eat. So keep your cock in your pants and stay away from them broads. Remember, you knock one up and they'll throw you in Leavenworth for destroying government property." I took him to heart too, that, and the fact your old man scared the shit out of me."She sat there and laughed and laughed, "Yep, that's my dad. Gruff and to the point. He must have liked you, otherwise he'd let you screw up on your own and not say anything to you."It was now going on 10 pm, and she was getting real tired. I went into the bedroom and found a sheet and a blanket, and took one of the pillows off the bed. I came back out and threw them in a chair. I reached my hand out to her, so I could help her stand.  “okay Squid lady, you take the bunk in the bedroom and I'll be out here." She shook her head, "No way Mark. I'll sleep out here.""Please just take the bed. You'll be much more comfortable in there, than on this couch. I'll be fine. In the morning we'll have breakfast and see how your ankle is. Maybe you should take a couple more Aleve too.""See. I told Ya. I am a pain in the ass." and huffed, as she got her crutch and started moving towards the bedroom. I just stared at her ass as she hobbled away from me. "God damn, what an ass", I thought to myself.After she went to the bathroom, I heard the bedroom door shut. I got my area ready for sleep. As I lay there, I could just think how sexy she had to have looked coming into the bedroom naked, ready to fuck her husband silly too. My cock started growing then, just thinking how hot I bet she looks naked. But, there was no way I was going to pound one off now, with her just down the hall.Chapter 5.I awoke the next morning around 6 am, which is about normal for me now. It used to be 4:30am, when I was in the service. But I don't run and do workouts like that anymore. I still work out, but nothing crazy like that. After relieving myself, and getting rid of the piss hard, I went out to the kitchen and opened the back door. It was quite chilly out and still raining. Now that could put a damper on the day. I thought I should check the weather a little later, once Carrie got up.I was on my second cup of coffee, and had bacon in the oven when I heard the bedroom door squeak open. Then a few minutes later, the toilet flushed. So I got up and started the stove to cook some eggs. As I was preparing to cook, Carrie came into the kitchen. I turned when she said good morning, and was awe struck. All she was wearing was a red, plaid flannel shirt that came about mid-thigh on her. Of course my depraved mind wondered how sexy she looked without it, but I'll take this any day.One thing my mind did wonder about, was if she was wearing anything under it. When I went to pee last night before bed, she had draped her shirt, shorts and a black pair of thongs over the top of the shower curtain bar. Oh well, one thing to ponder over and never find out."Morning Squid. How did you sleep and how is the ankle?""I slept really well, actually. It throbbed at first, but this morning it feels so much better. Not even using the crutch. That bed is so comfy. Thank you again for letting me use it. And, thank you again for everything you have done for me. Even if you are a bonehead Jarhead.""Ouch. That hurts. And here, I thought you liked me", then chuckled. "Sit. Let me get you some coffee and the eggs will be done in a minute or so."We sat and ate, with little talk between us. Once we were finished, she made a remark about the weather looking quite shitty out. I agreed with her on that and told her I checked the weather channel, and it said it was going to rain all day today and finally move out this evening, then the next few days it would be clear and cool, up in the mountains."Well, I have another favor I am going to ask of you. Could you possibly drive me down to my car? Then I am going to rent a room for tonight and see how my ankle feels tomorrow. If all is well, I'll try and tackle this mountain again." she said.I looked up at her and smiled, "I was thinking." She laughed, "Now that will be a first. A Marine that thinks. No. Go on"I grinned at her, "I see you have your dad's wit too.... I was thinking, why don't we do this together. I mean, we get along well, and it would probably be more fun doing it together, than alone. Your virtue would be safe with me. And, not sure if you know this, but there are quite a few animals out there that don't really care for humans. Having a buddy around would make it safer."She sat and pondered for a moment, then after a bit, finally spoke. "You know, that isn't a bad idea really. But understand, I am not going to cook everything and do the cleaning, we share duties. As for my virtue, I think I am pretty safe with you. Plus, I have been around 41 years and done quite well, taking care of my own virtue. Plus, if I know Jenny, she was on the phone with dad and mom last night telling them everything that went on here. And daddy would hunt you down, if you hurt his little girl." then laughed at her remark.I started laughing, and shook my head. "What?" she asked. I calmed a bit and said, "Well, I should never try and do that age guessing game at carnivals. I'd lose big time." She grinned and asked what I thought she was. "When I saw you at the ranger station, I put you in your early 30's, not 40. Just a tad off I'd say."She laughed and said, "Yeah, just a little bit off, but thank you. I might like you more now."I told her the rest of my thoughts. After cleaning up and showering, we could go into Lake Placid. I need to get more tape and gauze, for her ankle. Some more food. And, she needed to buy some hiking boots, so her feet and ankles had better support. Depending on the time, maybe grab dinner down there too. Then pick up your car and drive it up here and we'll make this our base of operation. She laughed at the last statement and I asked what was so funny."Oh nothing, except, you can take the Jarhead out of the Marines, but you will never take the Marine out of the Jarhead, that's for sure. Base of operations? sheesh.", then laughed again.I started doing the dishes, and she joined me. Drying as I washed. I told her she didn't have to, but she said to shut up. I was beginning to like her more and more. I like a woman with spunk, and speaks her mind. Granted, I like a woman who is also feminine too, which I believe she is. There is 3 things I find so sexy in a woman. Her eyes. They hold the keys to her being. Next is her attitude. If she doesn't wilt when faced with conflict and then the sexiest is her ass and legs. If she has that, she is the total package to me. I just never found one yet. But now, I think I may have found one. Only time will tell.We decided to take off around noon, and about 20 minutes before we left, my phone chimed. It was a text coming through. Only a handful of people knew I was going up here, and any of the companies I was working with knew I was on vacation and wouldn't be available.I was sitting in the leather chair when I opened the text. It stated, "You fucking Devil Dog. Thank You for taking care of my baby girl. Just remember who her old man is and not take any liberties that I would not approve of." I sat there and started laughing. Carrie came out of the bathroom and asked what was so funny. So I showed her the text. She too started laughing."See. I told you Jenny would call them. She even gave them your number. Too funny."I texted him back. "You fucking OLD sea dog. Shock was an understatement when I found out who her old man was. Small world. We are going to tackle these mountains together. She'll be in good hands Sir." and I hit send.A minute later, the phone rang. Carrie laughed, then I answer it. "Sir? you fucking idiot. You save that for those weenie ass officers, who still need their mommy's to wipe their asses.""Aye Aye, Master Chief.""Mark. Not sure how you two stumbled onto each other, but actually I am glad. She's a tough girl, but knowing you are there makes my stomach calm a bit. I wasn't too keen on her doing this alone as it was. I know those woods. Lots of animals up there that don't take to humans, especially the cougars and bears. So please be careful.""We will Chief. No harm will come to either of us. Your daughter will be in good hands.""Now why'd you have to say that shithead. Remember what I told you back when you were eyeing up that young PO. It definitely goes for now (laughing). Seriously Mark. I know she is. Just keep my baby girl safe. And for now on, call me John. We served our time."  “okay John. I will. I'll let you speak to Carrie." and handed the phone to her. They chatted for a few minutes. I caught her rolling her eyes a few times, but she was also glad her dad had called.I wish I had a dad that care, like he did. Mine was a cruel SOB. I am not sure why my mom ever stayed with him. Hell, when he died, I did not even make an attempt to go home for the funeral. My sister did, but only because she wanted to be there for mom. I did go home for mom's, when she died a few years later.Carrie said her goodbye's, then handed the phone back to me. She just shook her head and then laughed. She kept on laughing then too. I was perplexed, as to what she found so funny.She calmed a bit, then said, "God Mark. When you answered the phone and heard his voice, you went parade dress attention. I bet you didn't even know you were doing it. It was so cute. But you know what, now that I really think of it, you are a lot like him in so many ways""Is that a bad thing?" I asked. "Hell no. Just funny though. He never liked Jack. Jack would never look him in the eye, and that bothered dad. Can't trust a man who won't look you in the eye, he used to say. Guess he was right. He must like you some, or he wouldn't have called you like that."Chapter 6.Carrie was dressed in tight jeans and a sweat shirt, This sweat shirt hugged her body nicely, and judging from the two peaks I saw, she wasn't wearing a bra either. Her ass was like a dream to me. Nice and full, and the way the seam disappeared into her as, just made me think of badly I would love to be those pants right now.We got the Lake Placid and found a sporting goods store. Inside, she tried on a few pairs of boot, until she found one she said really fit her nicely. Even the swollen ankle fit into it, which kind of surprised me. She also bought some socks. A couple of thin one's to use on her bad foot and some thicker woolen type socks. Of course they matched.Carrie also bought a new rain slicker, with hood, and I figured, what the hell, and bought one too. Mine was old and ragged looking. After our purchases, she sat down in a chair at the front of the store and put on her new socks and boots. She said she wanted to start breaking them in. Of course I asked how they felt around her injured ankle, and she said great, but who knows for sure.The rest of the afternoon, we did the basic sightseeing around town. Every once in a while, we found a place to sit, that was out of the weather, so she could rest her ankle. She said it felt fine, but never complained when I suggested a rest.By 5pm, we were both pretty hungry, so we started looking for a place to eat. We found this quaint little restaurant that served American flavor. I opted for a steak, and she did too. The girl could eat, but lord knows where it goes on her. We had a really good time while eating. We found out stuff about our early lives. Of course, hers was moving from base to base, and mine was not really giving a crap about school and getting into stupid trouble. She also found out how I detested my father when I was a teen.For me, this felt like a date. I usually am tongue tied during these events. But with her, I felt really at ease and conversations moved smoothly, like we have known each other our whole lives. One thing I did notice, that anytime her parents were mentions, she had this twinkle in her eye. She adored them, which was hard for me to understand. My parents weren't all that interested in what I did, and I pretty much gave up trying to get them to show me any affection or love when I hit 14, it just wasn't going to happen. To my mom, my sister was an angel, and I was the devil. For Carrie, she was their parents whole world, especially her dad.She had me in tears with some of the dumb things her dad used to do with her. Playing dress up and Barbies and such. If you knew her dad the way I know him, you would never think in a million years he would do things like this. For some reason, the more she talked, the more I was beginning to really like her, and I mean like in how a man wants to be with a woman. To share things with, and be with.We left the restaurant about an hour and a half later. The rain had stopped, so we decided to just walk around a little more. As we walked, she took my hand in hers, like two teens would do. Now I am not the type that shows public displays of affection. I never did that, only because I really never saw it from my parents when I was growing up. But, her hand in mine felt so good to me. Then she just leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.I looked at her with a questioning look. "Thank you again. My vacation could have been ruined, or even worse, still stuck up on that mountain side.""Actually" I said, "Maybe it is fate, we found each other. But I will say this. I really like being with you" She just looked at me and smiled, and gave my hand a little squeeze in acknowledgement."Mark? Weird question." she paused, then asked, "What's your perfect woman to be with?""Oh God" I said, "Actually, I don't want a perfect woman. I want one that when we are together, we can laugh, or cry, without feeling it's not right to do. I'd want one who is independent, and doesn't need me to keep her happy, but also, wants me in her life because I do make her happy, and she makes me happy too. She should be one with a strong mind and not afraid to speak her mind, or argue. But if we do argue, it is about something important in our lives, and not something petty, like I see so many do nowadays. When I commit to someone like that, I want that same commitment in return. It's either all or nothing, because I only want to do this once in my life, and as you can see, I have never found her, nor have I really looked all that hard either. And lastly, when we are apart, she is the only person I am thinking of, and wishing I was with her, even if it is occupying the same room with her...... What's your perfect man you want to be with ?"She laughed, then got a very serious look on her face. "To be honest, I am not sure anymore. I thought when I met, and then married Jack, he was the perfect man. Rugged, good looking, and always attentive, when he wasn't deployed. But as time wore on, he quit being attentive and acted like I was there to serve him. I felt as though I was raising two kids at times. I guess I want what you want, but in a man. I want it an equal partnership, and I base that on dad and mom, because they have that and always have, and it is what I grew up with. I want him on my mind 24 / 7 when we are apart, and when we are together, there is no one else alive that makes us happy, well except Jenny. I want to be able to look across the room at him and just make love with our eyes. I know, sounds corny, but that's what I want. As for love making, that's exactly what I want, love making. Pleasuring my man like no other woman can, and he pleasure me in the same way. To that end, it is a two way street. If you give 100%, expect to receive 100%. back. The last couple of years of marriage, now that I think back on it, it was mostly I gave, he took, and could care less about my needs at all, and I doubt highly he was even thinking of me then."With that, I just looked at her and said, "Well, sounds like we have some things in common again. As silly as this sounds, but this feels like a date we are on. But you know, it feels good. I'll be honest Carrie. I have never been in love before. I am not sure what that feels like. But I won't lie either, never have since being in the service, and I never will either, I like being with you.""Good to know Jarhead. I like being with you too. But, does my race bother you at all?""You're kidding right? I think you are one beautiful woman. And if I may be so bold, a very sexy one too. Granted, you have a better tan than me, but that's only because of my Irish blood. We don't tan well. All kidding aside, why would you ever think that it would bother me?""Oh Mark. I didn't mean it in a bad way but, when I was growing up, kids weren't so nice about, from both races. About 4 years ago, I was dating a guy and he met my parents. Even though mom comes from a mix race parents, she is darker than me, and when he saw that, he sort of just couldn't handle that. Since then, I haven't dated at all."I chuckled, then said, "Good thing I already know your parents and I like them. I definitely respect them even more. Back when they got together, and hell, even your grandparents, that was a lot harder to live with. People are so judgmental and mean. But No, your race means nothing to me. To me Squid, you are one Hot looking woman.""Keep talking like that Jarhead, and I just may let you stick around me another day or two."After driving back up to the cabin, our talk turned to our hike in the morning. We decided to look over the maps and see how we would tackle it and what to bring. I asked her if she minded sharing a tent with me. I told her it was a 4 man tent, and would lighten the load of the pack. She even agreed to that. My backpack was almost as big as the one I had in the service, which is called a rucksack. I will be able to get the tent and my sleeping bag in it, along with a small shovel and then a lighter, and food. If I pack right, I can get her sleeping bag into it and give her the lighter things like a coffee pot and water, and her carry the food. Just take enough for the day, and no more. Plenty of food bars and the such and canned stew. After eating M R Ees most of my life, canned stew is gourmet eating.Once we got back to the cabin, we laid out the map and plotted our course. Once that was done, I went and showered, then packed my pack. Carrie was showering then. I changed into just running shorts and a t-shirt. When Carrie finished, she came out wearing just a flannel shirt again. Last time she had it on, she had it buttoned all the way to the top, except for the last button. This time, the top 3 buttons were left undone. "Damn. She does look sexy like that." I thought.We packed up her backpack, with food and such, and even a change of clothes for the both of us. I recommended sweats for at night, since it will be chilly up there, but she also pack a flannel, which she said she prefers sleeping in. One thing I did pack in my pack, was my 9millimeter Glock. I have a permit for it, and I did inform the rangers that I was carrying it up there. Way too many wild animals that could prey on us. But, I did not tell Carrie this. Not sure how she would react. Hopefully, we'll never have to use it. One thing I did pack, was a roll of toilet paper. Carrie laughed at that one. But once you are in the field, like I have been on patrol, it's a comfort of home you want more than anything, and it beats leaves.After packing, we retired to the living room, where Carrie turned on the TV. Checking the weather first, then some sappy movie she liked. I got us some beers, to which she toasted, "To a great adventure tomorrow.", as we clinked bottles together. I then pulled out the ace bandage we bought earlier that day.As she sat on the couch, she placed her bad leg over her good one and let me take off the tape, It ankle was a bit swollen, but not like it was yesterday. It was very hard to keep my concentration on her foot, because of her sexy legs right there. "God, I wish we were lovers. I would love nothing more than to kiss my way to heaven right now." is all I could think about. But I pushed those thoughts aside, knowing my chances of that were quite slim, for now.Once I had her all wrapped up, I suggested she use the thinner of the socks tomorrow. She said her ankle feels really good wrapped like this. She then patted the couch seat next to her, for me to join her. She was sitting next to me with her legs folded under her. As we watched the movie, not much was said. We just enjoyed each other's company. I wondered if this how couples spent evenings together. I had never been in one before, and still am not in one, but this is close, I guess.I have never let a woman get that close, even the one I lived with. To her, I was a place to live and a fuck. And I viewed her pretty much the same way. We never got mushy or even showed PDA. We just existed together and pretty much fucked. Of course, back then, I was in my 20's and sex was all I had in mind. Not once was, I love you, ever spoken between us.... When the movie ended, Carrie stretched and said she was tired and needed some sleep."So Jarhead, you take the bunk tonight and I'll use the couch.""No. You take the bed. Please. I am fine out here. This couch is pretty comfortable actually." though I was lying through my teeth. The couch sucked. But I was raised with some manners, mostly obtained in the Marines."God. You Gyrene's are so bull headed. Next time, I take the couch."I don't know what possessed me, but I leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, and as I got close, she turn her face to me and it landed on her lips. It was a quick one, intended for her cheek.I stammered then saying, "Sorry. That was meant for your cheek. And thank you for a great day. I really like being with you"She giggled, then grabbed my face with both of her hands and kissed me on the lips."I prefer the lips to a cheek, any day of the week Grunt." then stood and walked towards the bedroom. I couldn't help but watch her fine looking legs and ass, as she disappeared down the hall, saying good night to me, softly.Chapter 7.I was up at 6am. I got coffee going and changed into jeans and a polo shirt. About an hour later, I heard the toilet flush, so I started breakfast, It was best to eat a big breakfast, since lunch would consist of power bars and water.Carrie came out in the same flannel that she had on the night before. "God this woman makes me crazy for her. " I thought. One thing I have noticed, she is not big with wearing make-up. She doesn't need too. She's one of those women who could easily go without it. I bet she is smoking hot when she is made up.After eating, I did the dishes up, and she went and changed. The weather called for a daytime temp of 70 and tonight in the 50's. But on the mountain top, it would be in the 40's.Carrie came back to the living room, dressed and ready to go. She had on a pair of khaki shorts, that hugged her frame nicely and a light green shirt, and judging from the way the nipples were poking through, no bra. This could be a long hike today. I must keep my mind out of the proverbial gutter.I asked how her ankle felt, and she said fine, just a little bit of stiffness. I told her we would rest as many times as she thought it was needed. It should take about 4 or 5 hours to get to the top. After putting on our gear, which included now, a thermal mat to put under the sleeping bags my uncle had, we left, making sure the cabin was secure.The trail we chose was not all that hard, compared to some of the places I had to climb in Afghanistan. Carrie was keeping up too without a problem, If her ankle hurt, she surely didn't say. Most times I would let her lead, and got to watch not only the scenery, but also her lovely ass and legs. Now that was picture perfect. Her body could put 20 something year olds to shame.We stopped for lunch about a mile and a half from the top. There was a clearing that overlooked a valley below, and the sight was breathtaking to say the least. Carrie was all giddy about this and took out her phone and started taking pictures, commenting how beautiful it was. I too, took a few photo's with my phone as well.After a brief rest period, we continued our trek up the mountain. The higher we climb, you could feel the air getting cooler, but not cold. That would come later this evening, but we were prepared for that.I was letting Carrie lead us this time, and I could not help but watch her body as she walked up the trail. She had asked the previous day, what my perfect woman would be. Well, if it was just the body, then hers would be it. Toned legs, and a great ass. Slim waist line, and a shocker to most, but small boobs. I have always preferred a woman with smaller chests. I just think they look incredibly sexy. So Carrie fit that build to a tee.Would I like to be her lover? Hell yes. Who wouldn't want too. But, there was no way I would ever make the first move. Not only out of respect for her, but also for her dad, who I respected a great deal. If sex was in the cards for us, she would have to initiate it. But in reality, any time you have sex with a woman, it is always her call, unless you are a complete asshole.As we continued our climb, a couple, not more than 25 I'd say, was descending from the top. They greeted us and told us what an awesome view we were to behold, once we made it to the top. We found out too, that they were on their honeymoon. They, like us, camped overnight up there and said it was the most romantic place on earth. They then departed after a short rest, and we wished them well on their journey down.Finally, around 3 in the afternoon, we were at the top. The air was cool, but not too bad actually. With the sun beating down, I would venture to say it was in the 50's. I saw a clearing and put my rucksack down, and took Carrie's from her. She ran up another 1000 feet to the top and a clearing. One thing about up here, it is a tourist attraction and has manmade lookout observatories, which takes away from the place. We are going to camp right by a wooded area, away from the trails.Chapter 8."Mark, Mark" she yelled. "Come up and see this."I dropped what I was doing and trekked up to her and she grabbed my hand, pulling me along faster. She was so excited, almost like a kid on Christmas morning. Once up there, we could see all around, and off in the distance, loomed Mt. Marcy, the tallest of these over 40 high peak mountains that made up this range. It was a majestic sight to behold.She skipped up and onto a rock formation to get a better view, and left me with another beautiful view, her. God she was intoxicating to look at."God. This is so awesome. What a beautiful site. Don't you think Mark?"I chuckled to myself, then said, "Yes. It is a gorgeous sight to behold" Now I was staring at her body, and had no thoughts of the surrounding area then.She turned her head, back towards me, and just smiled, and motioned me to join her. She was right, it was breathtaking to look out over the area. Ponds and streams below us. We could actually see a herd of Moose below, by one of the streams. We both took out our phones and took pictures. Carrie cursed herself for not bringing her digital camera. I don't own one, and thought may be when we got back down, we could go to a store and buy one.I suggested she explore a bit while I set up camp. One great thing about this place, it had bathrooms. One for men, and one for women. I figured they were outhouses, but was wrong when I went to relieve myself. Actual running toilets and sinks. I knew some of the other areas we were not going to be that lucky.About an hour later, she came strolling back to where I set up the tent. I had just finished laying out the pad, and placed the sleeping bags on top of it. I wasn't too sure how she would feel about being right next to me, but the pad was only so wide, like the width of a queen size bed.She came inside and looked around. "That looks cozy", then smiled at me. That made me feel a little better. I surely did not want her to get the wrong ideas, like I wanted to do something with her, even though I really did.I got us a fire going then and cooked up a scrumptious dinner of beef stew, and canned corn. We even had bread for dipping. We ate without complaint. In fact, it was quite good. Trust me, after eating M R Ees (meals ready to eat) in the service, your own boot would taste good.After cleaning up, which included taking our bowls, and the pan to the bathroom and washing them in the sink, I came back and made sure the fire stayed nice. We again sat and talked about our adventure so far."Mark. This has been so amazing today. I cannot believe the sights I have seen so far. And being totally honest. I am so glad to be spending this time with you. God. I love it up here.""I'm glad you feel that way. I am not sure I would find this as amazing as I do now, with you with me. What I am really looking forward too, is the night sky, with all the bright stars. It has to breath taking. Just like you."I think the comment just flew over her head, because she made no remark at all about it. Then said, "I bet sunset is really cool looking up here. Especially when it starts dipping behind these mountain peaks all around us."We finished cleaning up the area. No need for unwanted guest later. I suggested going back up to the top and watch the sunset. I was surprised because as we walked, she hardly limped at all. I figured with the rest we just had, her ankle would be screaming to her.We reached the summit again and surprisingly, no one was there, except for us. We sat on this crop of rocks and just marveled at the sight. The majestic mountains all around us, and the sun slowly setting in the west. A big orange ball.Carrie grabbed her phone again, turned it on and took a picture. Then she asked me to sit close to her and face away from the sun, so she could do a selfie of us, with the sun behind us. That took a good minute to set up, and get it just right in the picture.As we were doing this, a lady ranger just happened to be walking up our way. She was checking the area out, making sure all was fine up here."Would you guys like me to take the picture of you two, with this gorgeous sunset?" she asked."Oh God, would you please?" Carrie answered back.Carrie set the camera back to take normal pictures and handed it to her. The lady gladly took a couple for us, then asked, "How about you two love birds kiss while the sun is behind you. It's so romantic like that."I looked at Carrie, and she at me. I raised my eyebrows like Groucho Marx used to do in his movies. That made Carrie giggle, but then she leaned in and softly kissed me on the lips. I so wanted to part her lips and taste her tongue, but why ruin a good moment. The only lasted a few seconds, when we heard the ranger say she got it. But during that time, Carrie's hand rested on my one thigh. The kiss alone brought a strange sensation to me. One I have never felt before. Maybe it was fear if her dad found out we kissed up here. "Christ", I thought to myself, "I'm acting like some dumb teenager.When we broke away, she smiled a very bright smile. I smiled too, then thanked the ranger for helping us out. She did caution us on making sure we take care of the fire we had, and to make sure all food was secure, and away from our sleeping area.Her hand was still on my leg as the ranger walked back down the hill, towards her car. I looked back at Carrie and she sort of had her head down, like she was embarrassed. I surely wasn't. The kiss brought me alive actually, and if her hand was any closer to my crotch, she may notice that something else enjoyed her lips."Sorry about that" she said. "What. I found the kiss very nice. You have soft lips. Very kissable lips in fact. If given the opportunity again, I would jump at the chance." I boldly stated.We turned again and sat there and watched the sun start to sink behind the mountain tops. As it did, we just talked about our work lives, and things we did during the course of a normal day. Mine is pretty boring actually. I work a great deal. I don't go out much. I am not a bar type of person and have just a few select friends. It's been ages since I went out with a woman. Most that I do know are either married, or divorced with young kids. It's not that I don't like kids, I just don't relate well with them. The only two I get along with are my niece and nephew, but they are teens now and could care less about old Uncle Mark.To be continued, by T. Foxal.

The Jackwagon Train is steaming through JULY, and Talking Lead Podcast is unloading a full-auto barrage on the year's biggest duds! Lefty's got the Lead Head Brigade locked and loaded, joined by 2A titans Ton Jones (Firebird Targets, world-record airgun marksman), Ryan “Koup” Kuperus (USMC Force Recon, The Reason Outdoors), and Tommy (TNOUTDOORS9, YouTube ballistics guru). These pros shred posers and flops with the precision of a well-aimed shot, exposing betrayals that hit harder than a .308. From 2A hypocrites to Hollywood's woke misfires, here's the Jackwagon Train's hit list for July 2025. Catch the episode on Rumble, submit your own Jackwagons, and join us at the 2025 GOALS convention in Knoxville, TN, August 8-10! Jackwagon Lineup: The Worst of 2025 Shawn Ryan: The 2A Fumble Shawn Ryan, host of The Shawn Ryan Show, thought he'd score points gifting Gavin Newsom a Sig Sauer P365 XMACRO on July 14, 2025, but fumbled by letting Newsom's “I'm not anti-gun” claim slide. X users like @MrColionNoir roasted him for the softballs, and his bizarre “furbies” remark about trans kids sparked backlash (@BooRadleytoo called it a “PR disaster”). Lefty quips, ““Shawn's 2A cred imploded quicker than the Titan submersible". Gavin Newsom: The Slick Hypocrite California's "God Da*n" Governor Newsom grinned for the cameras, accepting Ryan's Sig Sauer while dodging his anti-2A record. His July 14, 2025, interview dodged lockdown questions and fumbled a Rogan jab with “Motherf**ker”. Koup says, “Newsom's ‘pro-gun' act is slicker than his hair gel!” A perfect Jackwagon for the Brigade's scorn. Tim Kennedy: Tall Tales & Fake Valor Tim Kennedy's Bronze Star with Valor claim crumbled on July 8, 2025, after veterans called out his Scars and Stripes exaggerations (like 50 hand grenades!). Black Rifle cut ties, and his website vanished. Lefty notes, “Tim fought more in his book than Iraq!” A betrayal the 2A crowd won't forgive. SilencerCo & Capitol Armory: NFA Cash Grabs SilencerCo's “Tax-Free Tease” (July 8, 2025) hyped the OBBB's $0 tax stamp but hiked prices 20% (a scam). Capitol Armory's $150 “Fast Pass” (July 10, 2025) promised ATF shortcuts but got lost in their deception. Ton snaps, “These cons hit 2A wallets harder than ATF knocking on your door!” A duo fleecing the faithful. Hollywood's Woke Flops: Marvel & Disney Misfires Marvel's Captain America: Brave New World (Feb 14, 2025) bored fans with a B- CinemaScore and 80% Popcornmeter, slammed for “empty” plots and “corny” vibes. Disney's Lilo & Stitch (May 23, 2025) and Skeleton Crew (June 17, 2025) flopped with DEI backlash and kiddie pandering. Lefty growls, “Hollywood's woke duds make a jammed mag look epic!” Why These Guests Rule the Roast Ton Jones, airgun sharpshooter, blasts overhyped gear like his Firebird Targets make a blast on the range. Koup Kuperus, Force Recon vet, snipes posers with tactical precision. Tommy, TNOUTDOORS9's ballistics king, dissects Hollywood's failures like a 9mm through ballistics gel. Their 2A cred makes this roast a Lead Head Brigade classic, exposing betrayals that sting worse than a misfire. Join the Fight! Catch TLP 578 on Rumble and join the Jackwagon Train! Submit your 2025 Jackwagons in the comments or on IG & X. Don't miss Lefty, Ton, and Koup at the 2025 GOALS convention (Knoxville, TN, August 8-10). Enter our Firebird Targets and Talking Lead rifle giveaway—only 100 challenge coins available! Fight for liberty and lead with the Brigade. Keep your loved ones close, and keep your firearms closer!

We're back with a wide-open Q&A episode and it gets real. You asked, we answered, nothing off-limits. We kick things off with a wild story about Tennessee Vols water towers spotted in Iraq (yep, really), then dive into the controversy around public land being sold off, and explore awesome ways to diversify your farm in today's chaotic ag economy. But we didn't stop there… Things got spicy as we debated good ol' T&A and where our preferences lie. Which is better?? Because what's a country podcast without a little fun? Plus, our Made in America spotlight features Plano, the legendary tackle box and gun case brand keeping it red, white, and rugged. Whether you're tuning in from the tractor or the tailgate, this episode hits all the right notes—agriculture, freedom, humor, and grit. Agzaga is the official sponsor of Talk Dirt to Me! It is the ultimate online farm store. American owned and operated. Go check out their site and get what you need. Be sure to use the code TalkDirt20 to get $20 off your order of $50 or more! Visit them at: https://agzaga.com 

JP Dinnell congratulates  @JockoPodcastOfficial  on episode 500 and tells the stories from his point of view. Plus in a Q&A he breaks down how to create a culture of Extreme Ownership. Get your free training from First In Nutrition: https://www.firstinnutrition.com/jppod More from JP Dinnell: https://www.jpdinnell.com/ Join the conversation on instagram JP Dinnell: http://instagram.com/jpdinnell/ Lucas Pinckard: https://www.instagram.com/lucaspinckard Bruiser Arms: https://www.instagram.com/bruiserarms Echelon Front: https://echelonfront.com/ Little Cattle Co: http://littlecattle.co On The Path Printing: https://www.instagram.com/onthepathprinting JP Dinnell is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and now a Leadership Instructor, Speaker and Strategic Advisor with Echelon Front, where he serves as Director of Experiential Leadership Training Programs. J.P. is also a pro team athlete and spokesperson for Origin Maine and Jocko Fuel, an American clothing and supplement company. J.P. has a signature Energy Drink flavor “Sour Apple Sniper” with Jocko Fuel. Jeremiah spent nearly a decade in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments. Sent to the violent terrorist stronghold of Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2006 with SEAL Team Three's Task Unit Bruiser, J.P. served as point man, machine gunner, and lead sniper for Delta Platoon opposite the American Sniper, Chris Kyle, who was in Charlie Platoon. For his leadership and courage under fire, JP was awarded a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars with Valor and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor helping Task Unit Bruiser to become the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. He worked closely with SEAL Officers Jocko Willink, his Task Unit Commander, and Leif Babin, and was the driving force on many of the daring combat operations Jocko and Leif wrote about in Extreme Ownership. Upon his return, J.P. again worked directly for Jocko as a training instructor at Naval Special Warfare Group One Training Detachment, where he orchestrated realistic and challenging training scenarios for Special Operations Urban Combat training and Close Quarters Combat training to better prepare SEAL units for the real-world battlefield. He also served as a Combatives Instructor, Marksmanship Instructor and earned his Master Trainer Specialist qualification while helping Jocko rebuild and enhance these training programs into the highly effective platforms they are today. J.P. brings exceptional experience and frontline leadership perspective from the winning mindset and culture of Task Unit Bruiser.

Send us a textWhen Jesus' disciples asked, "Lord, teach us to pray," they recognized how Jesus connected with the Divine. The prayer the disciples asked for wasn't about polished words. It was about relationship. In this episode, Melissa has a conversation with The Rev. Canon Salmoon Bashir about prayer and its power to transform our spiritual lives. Salmoon shares the story of how his mother instilled prayer as a non-negotiable daily practice in their family life. The conversation reveals how early formation in prayer creates patterns that sustain us through life's complexities.Prayer emerges not as a performance or obligation but as relationship-building with the divine. "The focus of prayer is to be like Jesus, love like Jesus, pray like Jesus, forgive like Jesus, welcome strangers like Jesus," Salmoon explains. This relational approach dismantles the anxiety many feel about "praying correctly," affirming that from ancient liturgical traditions to simple heartfelt words, there's no wrong way to pray. As Salmoon prepares to pass these prayer traditions to his four-month-old son by reading Psalms at bedtime, we're reminded that prayer forms not just our spiritual lives but the generations that follow. Listen in for the full conversation.Read For Faith, the companion devotional.The Rev. Canon Salmoon Bashir serves as the Canon for Liturgy and Ecumenism at the Cathedral of St. Philip. Originally from Pakistan, Salmoon brings over a decade of experience in offering compassionate and thoughtful leadership across multicultural, multi-faith contexts in the United States, Pakistan, Iraq, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Georgia.Before ordained ministry, Salmoon worked as a Project Engineer in the oil and gas industry in the Middle East. Responding to a vocational call, he joined the Community of St. Anselm at Lambeth Palace in London, serving alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury. He later moved to the Republic of Georgia, where he served as Assistant Pastor in a vibrant, multiethnic, and multidenominational church.Salmoon's call to the priesthood in The Episcopal Church led him to Atlanta, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree with a Certificate in Episcopal-Anglican Studies and a Chaplaincy concentration from Emory University's Candler School of Theology. In addition to his ministry, Salmoon serves on several academic, religious, and nonprofit boards. He is married to Mari, a fellow graduate of Candler School of Theology, who works with a faith-based nonprofit organization. Support the show Follow us on IG and FB at Bishop Rob Wright.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Patrick DeHeer, who shares his incredible 33-year journey in podiatry, from treating NBA players with the Indiana Pacers to performing life-changing surgeries in Haiti and the Philippines. We talk about innovation in podiatry, global medical missions, and why teaching the next generation keeps him inspired. We also explore leadership, international outreach, his invention of the Aquinas Brace, and why he's more excited than ever to lead the profession forward. If you're a podiatrist or healthcare professional looking for a dose of purpose, passion, and perspective, this one's a must-listen. “My goal is to leave the profession better than I found it.” If you're enjoying the Podiatry Legends Podcast, please tell your podiatry friend and consider subscribing.  If you're looking for a speaker for an upcoming event, please email me at tyson@podiatrylegends.com, and we can discuss the range of topics I cover. Don't forget to look at my UPCOMING EVENTS Do You Want A Little Business Guidance?  A podiatrist I spoke with in early 2024 earned an additional $40,000 by following my advice from a 30-minute free Zoom call.  Think about it: you have everything to gain and nothing to lose, and it's not a TRAP. I'm not out to get you, I'm here to help you.  Please follow the link below to my calendar and schedule a free 30-minute Zoom call. I guarantee that after we talk, you will have far more clarity on what is best for you, your business and your career. ONLINE CALENDAR Business Coaching I offer three coaching options: Monthly Scheduled Calls. Hourly Ad Hoc Sessions. On-Site TEAM Training Days around communication, leadership and marketing.   But let's have a chat first to see what best suits you. ONLINE CALENDAR Facebook Group: Podiatry Business Owners Club  Have you grabbed a copy of one of my books yet?  2014 – It's No Secret There's Money in Podiatry  2017 – It's No Secret There's Money in Small Business     (Un-Edited Podcast Transcript) Tyson E Franklin: [00:00:00] Hi, I am Tyson Franklin and welcome to this week's episode of the Podiatry Legends Podcast. With me today is Dr. Patrick Deheer, DPM from Indianapolis, Indiana. Now, if you recognise the name, 'cause it wasn't that many episodes ago, episode 373 when Patrick was on here with Ben Pearl, and Patrick Agnew. We were talking about Podiatry, student recruitment, research, and unity. So if you missed that episode. You need to go back and listen to it. But I picked up pretty early, , when I was talking to Patrick that he's had a pretty amazing Podiatrist career, which is why I wanted to get him back on the podcast. And when I looked through his bio and I saw how much you have actually done, I started to question how many podiatry lifetimes have you actually had? It's I'm looking through your BIO and I've gone. Where, how, where did you find the time to do all this? It's amazing. Patrick Deheer: Thank you. I get asked that question a lot, but I think it's just, I really love what I do and I have a hard time saying no. Tyson E Franklin: It has [00:01:00] to be because I picked that up when we were, did the other episode and you said that towards the end you said, I just love being a Podiatrist. Mm-hmm. And it was actually refreshing to hear someone say that, especially. How many years have you been a Podiatrist for now? Patrick Deheer: So I graduated from Podiatrist school at the Shoal College in 1990. I did a one year residency back then I'm from Indiana. I wanted to come back. All the residencies in Indiana were just one year. And then I did a fellowship with, which there weren't even fellowships after at that point, but I did a fellowship for a year after that. So I had two years of training and so I've been in practice for 33 years in total. Tyson E Franklin: Okay. I've gotta ask a question. Why Podiatrist? How did you get into Podiatrist in the first place? Patrick Deheer: Yeah, that's interesting. I went to Indiana University and I went to school as a pre-dental major and I was gonna be a dentist. And somewhere in my second year, I visited my dentist and I realised that was not a good choice [00:02:00] and, there were several things that didn't resonate with me, and at that point I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. So I was considering marine biology and some other things, and my counselor at IU actually recommended Podiatrist and I didn't know anything about it. And I was, had a, I was talking on the phone with my dad who played golf with a Podiatrist, and he said, well, I know Dr. Ralph Gibney, and he would, I'm sure you could visit him. I did and he loved his job. His patients loved him. He did surgery, had a normal lifestyle. I saw patients leave his office happy, like immediately feeling better. Yeah. He was very successful, just kind and generous and I was like, I can do, I could do that. That looks like a great career and I think. Being really involved with student recruitment, the secret sauce for sure is when a prospective student visits a Podiatrist, just like my experience was so many years ago. They see people who are happy, who love what they do, whose patients appreciate them, who they can help immediately. Feel better. And then, you have the [00:03:00] whole gamut of things you can do within Podiatrist, from diabetic limb salvage to sports medicine to pediatrics to total ankle replacements. So it really gives you a wide range of subspecialties within the profession. So you said you Tyson E Franklin: went Patrick Deheer: to Indiana University, is that right? Yes. Okay. Did you play basketball there as well? I didn't, my dad did. My dad was a very well known basketball player. I love basketball and I'm six foot five, but he was six foot 10 and oh geez, I'm not, I'm not as athletic as he was, but I love basketball. Basketball's been a big part of my life. And that's one of the reasons I was really excited to work with Indiana Pacers, which I was there team podiatrist for 30 years. Tyson E Franklin: I saw that. So you finished in 1990 and from 92 to 2022. You were the Podiatrist for the Indiana Pacers. Yes. How did you score that gig? Patrick Deheer: Well, there's a couple things that happened that led to that. One my mentor was Rick Lde, who was a really big name in [00:04:00] Podiatrist at that point in time nationally and internationally for that fact. He brought arthroscopy into Podiatrist. He was doing it unofficially. And then my dad, like I mentioned, was a big time basketball player. He was actually drafted by the Indiana Pacers in the late 1960s. Oh. And so they knew the name and they worked with Rick Lde and they wanted somebody in more of an official capacity than he had been doing it. And I was in the right place at the right time and I got along really well with the trainer, David Craig. And it just was a great relationship for 30 years. And I take it, you still go to the games? Occasionally. So, they made a change on the orthopedic whole team back in 2022 and they're like, well, we're gonna change everything. And I was like, okay, that's fine. I've done it for 30 years. That was enough. And they had a really nice on the court celebration for me where they recognised me before a game and gave me, I have a couple different jerseys that they've given me, but they gave me one with the number 30 on it to celebrate my 30 years. Oh, that's cool. It was really cool and [00:05:00] it was really fun working with professional athletes. There's a whole sort of nuance to that that I, a lot of people unfortunately don't get experience, but it is it can be challenging. It can be very hectic at times. There's, there can be a lot of pressure involved with it also but it's also incredibly rewarding. Tyson E Franklin: So as, as the Podiatrist for like. Uh, a basketball team at that level. What was it? Was it a a, a daily contact you had with them or was it something once a week you caught up with the players or they only came into your clinic when there was an issue? Patrick Deheer: More the latter, I would say, but I usually would see them at the beginning of the season, help with our orthotic prescriptions and evaluate them, and then as needed. Oftentimes the trainer would call me and ask me to either come to a game or practice and then occasionally they'd have the players would need something more urgent and they would come to my office. But it varied from year to year quite a bit on how much I did on just based on how much they needed me. Tyson E Franklin: Did you go along to the games when you [00:06:00] were the team Podiatrist at the time? Patrick Deheer: Yeah. Not all of them, but definitely some of them. And, they would, the Pacers are such a great organization. They actually had. Every medical specialty as part of their healthcare team and including like, pediatrics for the players kids. And so at the beginning of every year, they would have a a sort of a team doctor reception dinner, and then we would, they'd have a lottery for tickets for us for the games. They would have usually the general managers there and the coach and a player too. And we gotta interact with them and talk with 'em and hang out with 'em. It was just always really fun and the Pacers are just a first class organization and they were great to work with. Tyson E Franklin: What made you decide it was time to. Hang up the boots and not do that. Honestly, Patrick Deheer: it wasn't my decision. It was theirs. They were changing the whole orthopedic team, and yeah, and that's, that happens in sports and especially high levels like that. And initially I was a little bit caught off guard. I can't lie about that, but once I came to terms like, I've done this for a long time Tyson E Franklin: it's okay. [00:07:00] Yeah, I know because we have the Cairns Taipans where I live in the National Basketball League, and it was interesting when they first kicked off 20 something years ago, I was the Podiatrist for the team. Did that first two years. Then all of a sudden there was a change of coach. And they dropped us and just went with another. Podiatrist and we went, well, what the, and we're talking to the team doctor go, what happened there? He goes, oh, I had no control over it. This person knew this person and they've made that decision. I went, oh, okay. Anyway, it only lasted about five months, I think, with the other person. The next minute the coach was ringing up saying, please, we need you to come back. And I'm like, ah, I don't wanna do it now. And they're going, please. So we did, and we did it for the next 15 years. It was a long period of time, but we had a really good arrangement with them. Same thing, doing screens at the beginning of the year and we end up having a, like a corporate box at the game. So we were at every home game and we did a bit of a deal with them to actually get that, [00:08:00] which would be a lot cheaper in the NBL than in the NBAI bet. Yeah. Their budget would be a lot, a lot smaller too in the NBL over here than the NBA. It's crazy sports money over there. Yes it is. Had you worked with other sporting teams as well, or basketball was Patrick Deheer: the main sport you were involved in? Basketball? I worked with the women's. We have A-A-W-N-B-A team also, so I worked with them for a few years, not nearly as long as the Pacers but I worked with them. And then we have a college in Indianapolis called Butler University. I worked with 'em for a few years, but it was again, the basketball team. But I will say. Because of working with professional athletes, I do tend to get athletes from all different types of sports coming to my private office but now official capacity with another team. Tyson E Franklin: So with your career after you graduated and then you did your residency, which was one year back when you did it and you decided you were gonna stay in Indiana, what was the next stage of your career? Patrick Deheer: I've had a [00:09:00] interesting employment history. I worked, went to work for a large group where Rick Lundine, who was my mentor, was one of the owners, and then he left the group after about three years and then went to work for a hospital. So then I followed him and went to work for a hospital for a few years, and then we formed a multi-specialty group. Then I worked in that for a few years and I was like, I think I can do better on my own. So then I was out in practice private practice by myself for several years. And then about four and a half years ago or so the private equity involvement in medicine in the United States has really taken off. And it started in other specialties in medicine, but it hit, it was ha happening in Podiatrist then and still is for that matter. And I was approached by three or four different private equity firms that wanted to buy my practice and have me be involved with their company. And I enjoy, I sold my practice to Upper Line Health back then, and I've been part of that group since. Tyson E Franklin: With um, that transition into private practice, did you, did your practice cover all aspects of [00:10:00] Podiatrist or did you specialize in particular area? Patrick Deheer: I've done everything and I really enjoy all components of Podiatrist. My the things that I'm probably most known for. I'm a big reconstructive surgeon, so I do a lot of reconstructive surgery and I do a lot of pediatrics. Those are probably the two biggest things that I'm most, known for I'm also a residency director in at Ascension St. Vincent's, Indianapolis. And, but I've worked with residents my whole career. I've been a residency director for about six or seven years now. And but I've enjoyed teaching residents for, 33 years basically. And also you go to Haiti and do reconstructive surgery there. So, international medicine has been a big part of my career. I've been on 30 trips total around the world. I've been to several countries. The first one was in 2002. I went to Honduras. One of my former residents that I became really close to he was practicing in Little Rock, Arkansas in a large group there, asked him to go with them and he asked me if I [00:11:00] would join him. And so we went to Trujillo and which is on the eastern coast of Honduras. And, that was in 2002. It was a really kind of small hospital. There was about a hundred people on the, in the group that went there. Not all medical, but most medical we would actually take over the whole hospital. And it was something that just like, I just knew that was like me, like that was so, I just loved it so much and I had such an amazing experience that. I went back there twice and the third time I went, I actually brought with my daughter is my oldest child. She was in high school at the time and watching her go through that experience was probably one of my most favorite international trips. She worked in the eye clinic and just seeing her, see her experience and doing international medicine was really rewarding. Then I wanted to start to go to some other places, and then I stumbled on Haiti. And I really got involved with Haiti. I've been there by far the most, and started working in Haiti, [00:12:00] primarily doing Clubfoot. And in Haiti. I met Kay Wilkins, who was a pediatric orthopedic surgeon from Texas, San Antonio. We started working together on the Haitian Clubfoot project. I also, through my experience in Haiti, my first trip with one particular young man who I did surgery on. Who had a really difficult postoperative course. He was about a 12, 13, or 12-year-old boy who I did clubfoot surgery on. And after that first trip when I came back home, about a week later, I called down to the orthopedic surgeon who was covering our cases and taking care of the patients postoperatively. And we did several cases. I had my good friend Mike Baker, who's a Podiatrist residency director in Indianapolis also. And then we had an anesthesiologist from the. Hospital and Steve Offit, who's a Podiatrist who was a resident at the time, we went down together. So I called and asked how everybody was doing. We did maybe 30 surgeries or something, and they said Everybody's fine except for the kid. He had a really bad wound, dehiscence and infection we're gonna have to amputate his leg. And I said, well, [00:13:00] how long can you wait? And yeah, they said Could maybe wait a week or so. This young man, his name is Wilkin. He lived in the middle of Haiti and he had no paperwork, nothing. I was fortunate. I was in a fraternity at Indiana University and two of my fraternity brothers, their dad was our state senator, one of our state senators, and working through his office. In the Haitian embassy in the US we were able to get him a passport and visa. Within a week. There happened to be a group called the Timmy Foundation from Indianapolis and Porter Prince. They brought him up to Indianapolis. I got the hospital where I worked at that time to admit him. And I got a whole team of doctors involved, pediatricians, infectious disease, plastic surgeons, and we got his wound stabilized. Then one night we were going to do this big massive surgery on him and I fixed his other foot and then the plastic surgeons came in and they did a rectus abdominis flap from his stomach and connected it to fill in. He had a big [00:14:00] wound on his medial sort of heel area, and then they did a split thickness skin graft over that. We had to wait until all the regular surgeries were done 'cause everybody was doing it for and then he stayed in the hospital for about a month after that. And then there were some other people from a church who went with us too here. And one of them brought him into his home with his family and they took care of him for about three months while he rehab. And he was on the news, the story was on the news and in the newspaper. And then he some he became a little celebrity and, then some local people helped put him through a private school in Port-au-Prince, and he ended up healing both feet really well and moving on and living his life. And it was a long journey, but through that I really thought there has to be a better way of dealing with Clubfoot. So I started going to the University of Iowa and met Dr. Ponseti and I went out there several times and I got to know Dr. Ponseti pretty well. And I just loved working with him and learning from him. And he was the kind most kind, gentle man I've ever met [00:15:00] in my life. He was in his like 92, 93, somewhere early nineties. Oh, right. At that time, seeing patients and. A quick story. One of the most surreal nights of my life, the last time I was there, he invited me to his house for dinner, and his wife was equally famous in her profession. She, they were from Spain and she was a Spanish literature teacher, a professor. And so I go to their house and I'm having beer and pizza with these two 90 year olds who are incredibly famous respective professions. And it was just, I was just like, I cannot believe this. And then he asked me if I wanted to go up to his office and look at his original Deco Dega paintings. I'm like. Yes, let's go do that. That's, I mean, I still kind of get goosebumps thinking about that because , he is the biggest name in pediatric orthopedics, and being able to learn from him and spend as much time as I did with him was really influential in my career. And to still be performing at that age is incredible. That is incredible. Yeah. [00:16:00] His hands were arthritic at that point, but they were almost in the shape of the way he would mold the cast, the clubfoot cast on children. Yeah. 'cause he had done, the thing I loved about him is, he started. His technique in the fifties and everybody thought he was crazy and nobody understood it, and he just kept putting out research and research. In the sixties it was kites method. In the seventies it was posterior release in the eighties. Everybody's like, we don't know what to do now because none of this stuff works. Maybe we should look at that guy in Iowa. And they started looking at it as research. He just kept putting out research and they're like, this may be the answer. And now it's the standard of care according to the World Health Organization. And his story is just really amazing. I have other colleagues here in the US who spent time with him, like Mitzi Williams and learned from him. He didn't care about the initials after your name, if he wanted to help children and put in the effort to learn his technique and he wanted to teach you. And, he was such a kind gentleman. Like I mentioned before, I've never seen a [00:17:00] 90-year-old man get kissed by so many women in my life. People would just be so, I mean, these moms would be just overwhelmed with their appreciation for him and what he did for so many kids. So Tyson E Franklin: the young boy you were talking about before, who went through all that surgery and eventually you saved his limbs, did you ever catch up with him Patrick Deheer: later years? Yeah. I did. I went back several times and to the school he was at, and then the earthquake happened in 20 10 I think it was. I was, uh, I was signed up for this international mission board and I got called about a week after the earthquake in Porter Prince. And they said, you have to be at the airport and you have to bring your own food, your own water and clothes, and we don't know how long you're gonna be here. And so I had my family meet me at the airport and brought as much to as I could, and I flew from Indianapolis to Fort Lauderdale. And then I was in a small airport in Fort Lauderdale and I got on a private plane with two NBA basketball players in a famous football player [00:18:00] who were going down for the earthquake literally a week after. Desmond Howard Alonzo Morning in Samuel Dallen Bear. And so we went, we were on the same flight together and got into Porter Prince and the, there is like a filled hospital at the UN and a big tent. And I get there and they ask me what I do and I say, I'm a Podiatrist, foot and ankle surgeon. And they're like, what else can you do? And I'm like. I go, I can do wound care. And they're like, okay, you're in charge of wound care for the whole hospital. And so, and they're like, and these guys are gonna help you. And they had these Portuguese EMS guys who were there, there were people from all over the world there helping, and everybody was staying in the airport property, which was adjacent to where the UN was. And, they didn't speak any English. I didn't speak Portuguese. And but we would every day go around and premedicate all the patients in the hospital because they had really the, painful wounds, severe crush injuries, massive wounds all over. And then we'd go back through and I would do [00:19:00] wound debridement and do their dressing changes. And these guys helped me. We developed our own sort of way to communicate with each other. And I ended up being there for about eight days and sleeping on a cot with, no bathrooms available that, we just had to makeshift and eventually they got things set up for all the volunteers. And then I went home and through that I met, and one of my other heroes in medicine was John McDonald and he was. Down really the day after the earthquake from Florida. He was a retired cardiothoracic surgeon who got into wound care and he set up the wound care clinic that I took over. And then after I got back, John asked me if I would work in the wound care clinic that he was starting in Porter Prince and if I'd be in charge of the diabetic limb salvage part. And I said that, I said I would. So then I started working with him in Porter Prince at this Bernard Mes Hospital wound care center. So. Tyson E Franklin: Doing this overseas aid work, you must get a lot of enjoyment outta doing it. Patrick Deheer: I love it. I love it. It's not easy. My last trip last late fall was to the Philippines [00:20:00] and I had some travel issues. My total travel time to get to Manila was about 32 hours or so. And but you know, it made it worth it. The it was such a great experience Tyson E Franklin: do you normally go with a team of podiatrists when you. Go and visit Haiti. Do you have a group of podiatrists you go down with? Patrick Deheer: It varies from trip to trip. The more recent trips I've been on to Kenya and to the Philippines, I've gone with steps to walk, which Mark Myerson, who's a orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon, I've gotten to know real well from lecturing together and teaching together. And he started this nonprofit. And I think there, there aren't many podiatrists that are involved with it. There are a few. But he and I have really bonded and gotten to know each other and he asked me if I'd participate in, I really love how they set up their program 'cause it's very much educational based. And one of the things I learned from Kay Wilkins who I went to Haiti with is it's more about. Teaching and sharing your knowledge and experience instead of just what I call parachute medicine, where you go [00:21:00] in and you do 20 or 30 surgeries. It's really about teaching the teachers, especially if you can teach the teachers. Then it's gonna have a mushrooming effect. So you're gonna help, thousands of people instead of 10 or 20 people. Tyson E Franklin: So you are teaching other surgeons down there how to perform these procedures the right way, or? Patrick Deheer: Yes. Well, just, it's not so much that it's my experience in a lot of developing countries is. So for like, reconstructive type stuff, it's gonna be orthopedic surgeons. If it's more wound stuff, it'll be general surgeons. But it's, they just don't get the specialized training that we have. And so that's one of the things that we can bring is we have this knowledge base that they just haven't been exposed to. There are great, like orthopedic surgeons and do a lot of trauma for example, but they maybe don't do a lot of reconstructive flatfoot surgery or Yeah. Or any, yeah. Sarco or something like that where we can give them the, our share, our experience and knowledge and with steps to walk. I really love it [00:22:00] because there's usually five or so faculty and it's mostly foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons, and then myself and from all over the world. And the first day is. And it's all the orthopedic surgeons and residents from pretty much the whole country come in for this program. And so the first day there's a conference where we as faculty present the next day, they line up these patients for us to evaluate. So we evaluate them. They're actually interviewing us. Why we're evaluating, we're telling them what we think and what we would recommend, and then. The so that's on Tuesday. Then Wednesday and Thursday there are surgeries. And then Friday it's either like a cadaver lab or review the surgeries and it's just really great there for the surgeries, there's two faculty nurse, there's a lead surgeon and an assistant surgeon, and then usually two of the orthopedic residents are also on the case too. So there's usually four people on the case. It's really interesting since I have a strong background in pediatrics this year when we were in Manila, there were a lot of pediatric cases. More than half the cases were pediatrics. And the foot and [00:23:00] ankle orthopedic surgeons really don't do a lot of pediatric stuff. They're usually adults. They, usually it's the pediatric orthopedic surgeons who are doing the kids. And so they made meet the lead surgeon on all those cases which was really interesting. Tyson E Franklin: So are they different groups and organizations reaching out to you or are you searching for areas that you feel may need help? When Patrick Deheer: I first started, I was more me searching and trying to find opportunities. Now that I, my name is known people will approach me. For example, I've been working with a colleague in Barbados. She's a she graduated from Podiatrist school in England, and there are seven podiatrists in Barbados who are all non-surgical. And the country actually has a really high amputation rate. And one of the things that they determined, despite everything else that they're doing to try to help reduce that amputation rate, they just needed surgical Podiatrist to be part of it. And we talked at one of the APMA national meetings a couple years ago, and she asked me if I would come down to Barbados. And so I took two of my residents down a CO about. That was [00:24:00] about a year and a half ago and met with her and went to the hospital and I, I was like, yeah, we could definitely help here. There this things like, if a patient has a bunion, a diabetic patient has a bunion that nobody is fixing that, that then leads to an ulcer because it's such a bad bunion that could have been prevented. And. The problem, and this is pretty common in a lot of countries, is they really don't recognise surgical Podiatrist from a credentialing standpoint. And much so in countries like that, were under the English system, they have to change the law. So the government has to change the laws and a force in of nature. Simone McConney is her name, and she's been working with the government to try to give me an exemption so I can start coming down and demonstrating that we can influence the amputation rate and hopefully reduce that significantly. On that Tyson E Franklin: first trip that you just did, was that more of a reconnaissance trip? It was more to go down there and evaluate the area and what is [00:25:00] actually needed. You couldn't actually go down there and perform surgery. Patrick Deheer: Correct. We did see some, we did see patients at a diabetic center and did some minor things like some and things like that. But yeah, it was more, it's more about, and one of the things I've learned is and people ask me about international medicine all the time. It's not going down and saying, here's what I can do. It's about going somewhere and saying, how can I help? What do you need? And then if you can help fulfill the need. Then great. And really, and especially if that can be centered around teaching the local doctors and working with them. And again, it's not that I know anything that I'm a better surgeon than anybody there. It's just I have this really super sub-specialized training that they haven't been exposed to. And then I can share that with them. Tyson E Franklin: Yeah. I've had a few Podiatrist on the podcast who have done some overseas work and there was one Australian Podiatrist and he's been traveling through South America for the last couple of years. Not doing surgery, but just making up inserts or whatever he can get his hands on. And just [00:26:00] doing general routine foot care on people. Mm-hmm. And educating 'em about footwear and protecting their feet. And he's been doing it for a couple of years now and absolutely loves it. Patrick Deheer: I I mean, I've made some maybe not the best decisions. Like I went to Iraq twice in the middle of the Gulf War, for example. Not this. Up in the world. But and Haiti, I've been in Haiti at times when Haiti was in total civil unrest. But I love it so much that the risk is worth it for me to be able to make a difference in people's lives, but also to share the knowledge and experience that I have accumulated over my 35 years and to pay it forward. Tyson E Franklin: So over this period of time you've done a lot of work overseas and, but you've been on a number of different boards and associations. How important is it is it for you to actually be involved in the profession in that way? Patrick Deheer: Well, when I [00:27:00] finished my residency I was at our state meeting and I was complaining about the quality of the meeting and they were like, okay, that's fine. You can be on the CE committee now, the continuing education committee. I'm like, okay, I'll do that. But don't ask me to get involved in politics 'cause I'm never gonna be doing that. I'm gonna be more in the educational stuff. Look at me now. I'm President elective, at APMA and I've had several board positions and i've been on a million committees. And I will o once I got on the board for our state association and went through all those stages or positions on the state board I really started to enjoy the leadership part of that. I liked trying to help direct where the profession is going and in. My whole thing is to leave it better than I found it. My father-in-law was also a Podiatrist and he passed away about a year and a half ago and is mid eighties. He worked in my office until he is like 82 or 83 and I loved Podiatrist, but he really loved Podiatrist and people like [00:28:00] him. My mentor, Rick Lde. I can, Teddy Clark, who was the a president of APMA from Indiana. He was the first African American president of APMA Earl Kaplan, Dalton Glary, who just recently passed away. All those people paved the way for us who are practicing now, and it's our responsibility to pay for pave the way for those people following us and to continue to advance the profession. And I can really do that at a high level. Being involved in a national organization like APMA. Tyson E Franklin: With the national board in the United States, do you connect with associations in other countries a lot or you don't have much to do with them? Patrick Deheer: N not a lot, somewhat, but I do think there's opportunity. It's been interesting to lecture internationally, like at the International Federation for Podiatrist meetings the global health or the global Podiatrist meetings. Yeah, I'm gonna be the speaker next year for it. And, seeing Podiatrist [00:29:00] grow all throughout the world in the different stages that it's in, in different countries is really encouraging. But I think that we need to first work on the lexicon so everybody's usually in the same. Terminology and then start to, to set some like qualifications to what those things mean. I really think they're, the two terms that need to be used, especially on the international platform, are podiatrists and podiatric surgeons, because yeah they're totally different. And you know what the qualifications are for those, I have my own opinions about, but I think the standards need to be set. And then all the countries who want to see Podiatrist flourish within their country need to figure out a way to meet those standards that have been set. Uh, Feel free to share your opinion, tell us what, what, how you think it should be. Yeah, I mean, I think that to be a Podiatrist, it should be a graduate degree, not my, not an undergraduate degree. And then I think to be a pediatric surgeon, you should have a postgraduate medical educational experience, like a residency program. [00:30:00] And I think those are the two qualifiers. I think board certification should be part of that too to be a pediatric surgeon. But the word, podology is used a lot. Chiropodist has still used some in some places. Yeah. And some of 'em are just like almost a technical degree versus a graduate degree. So I think if everybody could start to agree on some standards and some terminology, then everybody can work towards a common goal and help each other. Tyson E Franklin: , Some part of that I agree. And other parts I can see how other people be going. It's gonna be so confusing to try and get it standardised everywhere. Yeah. It's even the UK system they've started introducing. And if there's anyone from the UK listening this, and if I'm wrong please let me know. But they've introduced like apprenticeships where you don't have to be at the university for the whole four years. You can be doing a lot of your education in the clinic itself, and you go to university at different times and they're calling it like an apprenticeship program. Which [00:31:00] is a completely different pathway again. Patrick Deheer: Right. And in, I think in Canada it's more like an undergraduate degree too. I don't know the speci remember the specifics, but I've lectured in Canada and I've talked to a lot of Canadian podiatrists over the years. But again, not a lot of Canadian podiatrists are doing surgery. Kind of varies from province to Tyson E Franklin: province. Well, in Australia we pretty much finish high school and it's an undergraduate degree. We just go straight in, do Podiatrist. Four years later you come out and you start working. Patrick Deheer: Yeah and may maybe that some sort of hybrid model of that would be great. I just think that. It's an evolving profession and it's such an impactful profession on the healthcare system for all these countries that can improve patients' quality of life, keep people walking, keep people active and healthy dealing with problems like. Diabetes and obesity that are gonna lead to foot problems and reducing the complications associated with those [00:32:00] systemic diseases can really impact the overall healthcare system for countries. So I think it's so important for Podiatrist to be part of that equation, but we, we need to establish what the standards are to really have an impact in those healthcare systems. Tyson E Franklin: Yeah, and even if everybody got together, had a big meeting and you're all agreed, it would still be. Generations for, yeah, for it to roll out completely, because you'd have people that are just graduating now, so they've got a 30, 40 year career ahead of them. Patrick Deheer: For sure. And I think the US has set the standard and I think that, people, something along that line with Australia and England and what you've done and Spain now too, looking at all those models and trying to find something that is everybody can say, okay, this is what it means to be a Podiatrist and this is mean, what it means to be a pediatric surgeon. And then. Work with the support the country's podiatric associations to try to work with their [00:33:00] government to, to make that happen. Tyson E Franklin: This is what I found interesting doing the podcast and what I've enjoyed a lot is where I've had Podiatrist from India, from the UEA, from Mauritius, uk, Canada, South Africa, so many different parts of the world. When you talk to 'em and you go through the processes, everyone goes through. There's a lot of similarities between a lot of countries and then, America is on its own in the way that they actually do things. Patrick Deheer: For sure. I mentioned I graduated from Podiatrist school in 1990. To see the evolution of Podiatrist in the United States, even during my career is really amazing. I'm really proud of where we've. Gotten to, we still have things ways to go to really get to where the profession should be, but I'm really proud of the progress our profession has made during my career. Tyson E Franklin: What would you say has been the biggest change you've seen over your 30 years? Patrick Deheer: I really think [00:34:00] that the diabetic limb salvage has integrated Podiatrist into hospital healthcare systems. And then that has expanded, into things like trauma and into reconstructive surgery. Even more so, I think like in the 1970s here in Indiana, there was only one hospital in the whole state that would let podiatrists operate in the hospital. And that was here in Indianapolis. And now to think that, we can admit our own patients and do total ankle replacements or take trauma call or I'm doing pediatric surgery it's just an amazing how far it's come and, to see that progress. I think a lot of it was led by the diabetic limb salvage component of the profession and integrating that, and that helped to integrate Podiatrist into just the healthcare system and it became a key player and amputation prevention. Tyson E Franklin: So it wasn't one significant moment in time where things changed. It was progression over that period of time. [00:35:00] Patrick Deheer: I think guys like Larry Harless David Armstrong, Larry Lavery Robert Feinberg, Lee Rogers. Those people have really help from a diabetic limb salvage part, integrate the whole profession, I think. Tyson E Franklin: I wanna move ahead a little bit. You invented a thing called the Aquinas Brace. Patrick Deheer: Yeah. So I was running to try to lose weight and I got poster tibial tendonitis and I didn't wanna stop running. And I was wearing orthotics. I was taking some steroid pills but it still was really hurting. And so I realised I had Aquinas like everybody. I needed to stretch, so I was wearing a night splint at night to try to stretch out my calf, and I woke up at two in the morning because they're uncomfortable to sleep in. I looked down, I'm sleeping on my side with my knee bent, and I'm like, this is a complete waste of time. Has to go above your knee, or this is doing nothing. And so that was the genesis of it. I realised the brace needed to go above the knee, and then I also realised the foot position mattered too, that you need to have the foot [00:36:00] supinated so that you can lock them in tarsal joint. And then all the force is gonna be in the hind foot. But also when you supinate the foot, you externally rotate the tibia, which locks the knee. You can't lock your knee into full extension unless your tibia externally rotates via the screw home mechanism. So, that's where the idea came from. I had a friend who was a sales rep. I told him about it and he goes, I know the guy that can help us make this come to reality. So the three of us formed a company called IQ Medical Ricky Heath and John Moore. And I. And then we got brought the brace to market. It was really a learning experience for all three of us. It, like anything took much longer than we thought and cost a lot more money than we thought it would, but it's pretty amazing to see something that you dreamed up in your head, come to life into a real thing. Did you use it on yourself and did you get back running? So this was, it took us about five years from, it really took about five years to get it actually in production. I kept [00:37:00] running though. So Tyson E Franklin: did you end up, being one of your own patients testing this out on yourself. Patrick Deheer: Oh, yeah, I was testing all the sort of different versions of it coming up on myself for sure. I have a size 14 shoe, so it's really pushing the limits on the size of the brace, but I was able to try 'em out as we were going through different ideations of it. Tyson E Franklin: And this is what I was talking about when I did the introduction with you. Where you've had a very successful Podiatrist career. You've been on so many boards and associations and held so many different positions. You're gonna be the next president of the APMA. You've done all this volunteer work overseas, you've invented the Aquinas Brace . with all that going on, what's next? You must have other things in the pipeline you're going, I'm gonna do. I've got more to do. Yeah. Patrick Deheer: I, my favorite thing that I do in Podiatrist is being a residency director. I love it. Okay. I have we have [00:38:00] 12 residents at our program, so we have four per year, or it's a three year residency, and I've become really close to the residents. We have a great program and I just love teaching. I, I love watching the residents develop. We just had a new group start a week ago. So watching 'em develop from July 1st when they start over three years to the June 30th of their third year when they graduate, and I've seen them out. We always have our graduation party in kind of mid-June and it's a kind of a running joke at our residency program that. I cannot get through my speech at their graduation party without getting very emotional because they become like my kids. And yeah I'm so close to them and I'm so proud of them, and I can see what they have to offer to not only their patients but the professional also going forward. And just, it really, it's really something that I love doing and I feel honored to be able to teach them. Tyson E Franklin: So when somebody does Podiatrist in United States, they go to Podiatrist [00:39:00] school, they finish? They get their degree. They've done an undergraduate degree beforehand, haven't they? Then they, yeah. Go to Podiatrist school. If somebody doesn't do residency, they can't work as a Podiatrist. Patrick Deheer: Right. They can't get licensed in the Tyson E Franklin: states Patrick Deheer: any longer Tyson E Franklin: without doing a residency. Yeah. So they do the Podiatrist school. Are there enough positions around the country residencies for everybody who graduates? Patrick Deheer: Yes. There are actually more residency spots now than students. Okay. That's good. Because I'd Tyson E Franklin: heard years ago that sometimes it was a struggle. People would finish and then it was difficult to try and find a residency. I mean, when I was going through it, that was the case. Yeah. And I take it all residencies are not equal. Some are better Patrick Deheer: reputation. Tyson E Franklin: Well, Patrick Deheer: they're all standardised. They're all three year residencies and they're all hold all accountable to the same standards by our governing organization, the Council in Podiatric Medical Education. With that being said, yes, there are some residency [00:40:00] programs that are the leading residency programs for sure. So you Tyson E Franklin: have 12 residencies spots in your program. So there'd be a lot of podiatrists if they really wanted to work with you. Do they contact you while they're in Podiatrist school and start reaching out that way? How do you actually select. He does nce. Yeah. So in, Patrick Deheer: in the US the, and the students during their fourth year rotate through different hospitals. Some, most of the time they're for one month rotations, some are for three month rotations. And it's a little bit of a getting to know each other. It's also part of their educational experience. So they're getting that practical experience and getting out of just the book experience from learning. So we have probably, around 50 to 60 students through the year coming through our residency program as externs. Somewhere between four and or so a month. And then the interviews for residency are always in January, mid-January. And then you rank the students how you like them and they rank the residency programs, how they like them. [00:41:00] And then there's a match that comes out in mid-May and then you find out who you match with. Tyson E Franklin: Okay, so it's not your decision on who actually gets the position. So it doesn't come down to anyone's personal preference that it's an external body that puts them all together. Patrick Deheer: Well, it's not so much an external body it's just you rank your top students and the students rank their top programs. If you pick student, a number one and student a picture, residency, number one, then you're gonna match and they're gonna be one of your residents. Tyson E Franklin: I get It's good to get some insight on how that process actually works, and it's also good knowing there's more residency spots than there are students Patrick Deheer: graduating. Yeah. And while they're here for a month, we get to know them, they get to know us. And then the interviews are part of the mix too. But really, while they're rotating is probably the most important part of it. Because I've had students who were number one in their class who wanted to do our residency, but. It wasn't necessarily a good fit from a culture [00:42:00] standpoint. We are very protective of our culture and sometimes maybe the, top students aren't the be the best fit. I've also had students who were number one in their class who are a great fit, who have been residents at our program too. But we are very protective over the culture. So we wanna look at the the perspective resident global, from a global standpoint and looking at them in the entirety of how they fit in the program. Tyson E Franklin: I think there's a fantastic point that anyone listening to this, even when you were just employing a team member, is you've gotta make sure they fit the culture of your business. Doesn't matter how qualified they are, doesn't matter how many other boxes they tick if they don't fit. It's always gonna be difficult, long term to make it work. Patrick Deheer: Absolutely. I talk to other residency directors and they talk about their challenges with certain, with residents. I never really have any issues with our residents. I think. Part of that is the culture we've established. And part of it is I have two chief residents that are in their third year. The third year residents, two of 'em are [00:43:00] chiefs. I rely really heavily on them. We work very closely. And then I have a program coordinator her name's Carrie and the four of us run the program together. And we all work together. And but everybody is part of it though. We're all, all, so. It would be 12 plus the program coordinator plus me, and we have a clinic, a Podiatrist who runs a clinic. So the 15 of us are all working together, plus we have about 50 podiatrists who are attending surgeons, who our residents work with. So we have a really. Big group of people that we work with, but our residents I, nothing really ever escalates to my level where I've gotta intervene. They just, they all work hard. They all come as willing, eager learners, and I always ask the new residents the same thing to leave the residency program better than they found it. Tyson E Franklin: Have you had anyone that's done the residency that it, they've got halfway through it and just went, this is not working out. We made a mistake. You're not the right fit. Patrick Deheer: Nope. [00:44:00] I, it's interesting I'm known for not being a big fan of fellowships. I think fellowships in the United States have needs to be reigned in. That's another year after training, after residency program are doing, and I think unfortunately, a lot of 'em have become, almost like a fourth year of residency. And fellowships really should be for really specific specialized training. Like if you wanna do diabetic limb salvage or you want to do pediatrics or whatever. But I tell our residents, if you think you need a fellowship because you didn't get adequate surgical training while you were at our residency program, that is my fault. I failed you. And so, in the case that you brought up, that would've been my responsibility. Not the problem of the resident. Tyson E Franklin: So before we wrap up, is there anything else you would like to talk about ? Patrick Deheer: Well, I think one of the other things you asked me about, what excites me now is I started, I invented a surgical a kit for Aquinas surgery for the bowel and gut. And I started a company with three of my sons. [00:45:00] So that's been really fun working with my sons. One of my sons also has a brace company where he sells AFOs and sells the Aquinas brace that I invented. But starting this company with my sons and working with family has been really fun. It some of my most cherished memories were working with my father-in-law when he was still alive and practicing. Even if he was just doing routine care, just hanging out in the office with him and talking shop over dinner and was fun. But I just, i'm really excited about the profession. It's been really great to me and that's why I feel a responsibility to pay it forward and to try to see that it's in a better place than when I entered it. And so that's why I put so much effort into it. I've been in charge of the student recruitment, which we talked about last time, which is another big, yeah. I'm working on right now and I'm really excited about that. And we're looking at expanding that into a branding campaign for the entire profession and getting all the key stakeholders in Podiatrist in the United States involved in that. And it's interesting 'cause osteopathic [00:46:00] medicine to that about. 15 years ago, and it had a really significant impact on osteopathic medicine. I think we can have the same impact on Podiatrist with a national branding campaign where we just elevate the awareness of Podiatrist so people understand what we do and understand that as a potential career for people who are in high school or undergraduate trying to figure out what they want to get into. And it's interesting, we work at a big, our residency's at a big teaching hospital and still their residents in general surgery or neurosurgery who don't really understand what we as podiatrists do, and our residents are interacting with them and say, yeah, oh yeah, we can work on that. And trying to save that limb from being amputated. And they're like, wow, you guys really do that? Tyson E Franklin: And that doesn't surprise me. 'cause nearly anyone I ever talk to when I tell 'em I was a podiatrist and you just explain. What you do, and they go, well, I didn't know you did that. That sounds really interesting. Patrick Deheer: Sure. And I do all parts of Podiatrist and I like all of it. I'm [00:47:00] not above trimming a 90-year-old lady's toenails. I mean, if I can trim a 90-year-old lady's toenails in a corn on her little toe and she walks outta my office and feels immediately better that's an honor for me to be able to help somebody like that. And I take that very seriously. Tyson E Franklin: Okay. Well, on that note, Patrick, I wanna thank you for coming back on the Podiatry Legends Podcast. Sharing part, Oh geez. You sharing part of your story. It's gonna be a smidgen of what you've done. You have done so much. This has been it's been a pleasure having you on here, so thank you very much. Patrick Deheer: It's been awesome having a conversation with You're such a great interviewer. Thank you for having me on. Well, thank you. I'm gonna take that, I'm gonna take, that's a big compliment. Thank you very much. You're really good.

Komeke ji parlamenterên Iraqî doz li Dadgeha Federal vekirin û xwestin ku statuya Helebçeyê wekî parêzgeha 19emîn betal bikin, lê, dadgeha federal doz red. Li alîkî din, çend endamên Parlamena Herêma Kurdistanê xwestin ku xula 6emîn a HHK betal bikin. Dadgeha Federal a Iraqê doz red kir û hîşt ku xula 6emîn a HHK di meriyetê de bimîne.

Shane ‘War Rhino' Krutchen has spent his life in combat . After fighting as a U.S. Marine in Iraq, he battled in the MMA Octagon. He's seen DEI kill masculinity, but says the U.S. military is still the 2-time defending World Champ.  Is there hope for “Generation Beta”? Do single men stand a chance against poor date reviews on the Tea App?  War Rhino is in your corner.

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WPLN's Rose Gilbert takes listeners on a journey — from Nashville all the way to northern Iraq and back again — to tell the story of one Kurdish family and its generations-long fight to exist. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In 1965, a new fibre was discovered by Polish American scientist Stephanie Kwolek. It was called Kevlar and it was found to be five times stronger than steel. Since that discovery it's been used to save thousands of lives through its use in bulletproof vests, but it's also used in hundreds of other products from aeroplanes to protective clothing for motorcyclists. Stephanie was one of the only female scientists working for the chemical firm DuPont and was passionate about encouraging more women and girls into the field of chemistry. Tim O'Callaghan has uses archive of Stephanie Kwolek from 1996 to tell the story of her discovery. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Stephanie with items which use Kevlar. Credit: Smithsonian Institute)

Jamie Winship is back—for the third time!—and it's no surprise why his previous interviews (Episodes 354 & 394) are among the most downloaded in Dream Think Do history.  In THIS powerful conversation, Mitch reconnects with the award-winning DC cop turned international peacemaker and identity expert to explore how real transformation happens—especially when stepping into a new season of life or leadership. Jamie started with a childhood dream of becoming a police officer—and went on to become a decorated officer… known for solving high-stakes cases and training others to do the same.  But as he pursued justice, he also began experimenting with ways to hear from God—unlocking what would become the Identity Method, a breakthrough process that helps people resolve inner conflict, dismantle false beliefs, and access new levels of creativity, courage, and peace. This identity-first approach led Jamie and his wife Donna into some of the most volatile, high-conflict zones in the world—including Indonesia, Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, and Israel—where they worked to bring reconciliation and healing across cultures and divides.  Now back in the U.S., they're walking this same process out with educators, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, government leaders, and divided communities across the country. Whether you're stepping into a new chapter—or a new chapter is being forced upon you—Jamie shares timeless strategies for navigating change without fear and for operating fully in your God-given identity. It's deep, it's practical, and it's filled with the kind of stories that stick with you. If you've heard Jamie before, you already know this one's a must-listen. And if this is your first time meeting him… buckle up. You're in for something special. Read The Full Show Notes Here:  https://mitchmatthews.com/424

Morgan Lerette didn't grow up dreaming about being a private military contractor. Like a lot of veterans, one thing led to another. He got pulled into Blackwater during the height of the Iraq War, rolling through Baghdad with no real rules of engagement, no clear mission beyond keeping people alive, and making more money than he ever thought possible. In this episode, Morgan talks openly about what contracting was really like. Driving armored SUVs through war zones, making split-second decisions, and dealing with the consequences afterward. He explains how contractors operated alongside the military, why so many signed up, and how the people of Iraq saw it all from their side. We also get into what happened after he left that world. Morgan shares what helped him figure out the next steps after war and contracting, how he finally built a steady life, and what advice he has for vets who are trying to do the same. This is the kind of honest conversation you only get from someone who's actually been there. Timestamps 00:02:00 - From Air National Guard to Blackwater by word of mouth 00:06:00 - Transitioning from contractor back to the Army 00:10:45 - Inside Blackwater culture and the "Guns, Girls, and Greed" mindset 00:19:00 - Why the government keeps using PMCs and the real costs 00:37:30 - Actionable advice for veterans finding their next step Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Follow Morgan Lerette on Instagram: https://instagram.com/blackwaterDude1 Follow Morgan Lerette on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/BlackwaterDude1 Follow Morgan Lerette on Twitter/X: https://x.com/blackwaterdude1 Follow Morgan Lerette on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/morgan-lerette-73b01352 Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

In this episode, we tear away the euphemisms and expose a grim reality: sanctions kill. Drawing on a 2025 study from The Lancet Global Health, we show how economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other powers are responsible for up to 777,000 deaths each year, with children and the elderly most at risk.We trace the history of sanctions from the League of Nations to Iraq, Venezuela, Iran, and beyond. We compare sanctions to siege warfare—and ask why a practice this deadly continues to be framed as humane diplomacy.We also confront the legal and moral implications: Could sanctions qualify as crimes against humanity? And if so, why is the international community silent?This episode is not about hypotheticals. It's about the numbers, the law, and the lives.*****STOP PRESS*****I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:Help the podcast to continue bringing you history each weekIf you enjoy the Explaining History podcast and its many years of content and would like to help the show continue, please consider supporting it in the following ways:If you want to go ad-free, you can take out a membership hereOrYou can support the podcast via Patreon hereOr you can just say some nice things about it here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Narrator: Thomas Jones

In January 1994, two presidents enjoyed a memorable night in the Czech Republic – ending with an impromptu jazz performance.Five years after the fall of communism, the US president Bill Clinton visited Prague to share his hopes for a new transatlantic alliance.Key to his vision was his friendship with the Czech president Vaclav Havel, a playwright who had been imprisoned for dissidence during the Cold War.During the visit, Havel arranged a series of surprises for Clinton including a reunion with the family he had stayed with on a visit to Prague in 1970.The final surprise took place at the city's famous Reduta jazz club. Havel presented Clinton with a saxophone and the two friends performed together on stage – a moment which came to symbolise the new partnership between East and West.Vicky Farncombe uses archive from the Vaclav Havel Center and the William J Clinton Presidential Library to relive the big night out.Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: Presidents perform at the Reduta jazz club. Credit: Office of the President of the Czech Republic)

When Britney Higgs went on a high-risk mission to northern Iraq, she met a group of women and girls who had just been rescued from trafficking by ISIS.As she looked into their eyes, they shared heartbreaking stories. Even though they were physically free, many of them wished they had died in captivity. Britney knew that couldn't be the end of their story.  That moment inspired Britney to create a nonprofit that helps survivors of human trafficking. Listen to more of Britney's personal journey of sexual abuse to helping others live in freedom on this episode of GPS: God. People Stories. Connect with us through email at gps@billygraham.org or on Facebook at Billy Graham Radio. If you'd like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, or deepening the faith you already have, visit FindPeacewithGod.net. If you'd like to pray with someone, call our Billy Graham 24/7 Prayer Line at 855-255-7729. 

In this podcast interview, Martin Armstrong provides a critical geopolitical analysis of current global tensions, focusing on the Russia-Ukraine conflict and potential escalation towards World War III. Armstrong argues that the 50-day deadline imposed by Trump is an unrealistic negotiation tactic that fundamentally misunderstands geopolitical dynamics. Armstrong suggests that Ukraine is on the verge of collapse and that NATO's interventionist strategies are deliberately provocative. He criticizes neoconservative influences, particularly figures like Lindsey Graham and John McCain, for consistently pushing for military confrontation without understanding the long-term consequences. He highlights how these interventions have historically failed, citing examples from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The discussion emphasizes the economic implications of ongoing tensions, with Armstrong predicting a steep recession lasting until 2028. He argues that sanctions against Russia have accelerated the formation of BRICS and are driving countries to seek alternative economic arrangements. The movement of gold and capital away from traditional Western financial centers is seen as a significant indicator of these shifts. Armstrong is particularly critical of European leadership, describing them as the "worst crop of world leaders" in history. He points out the economic challenges facing Germany and the broader European Union, including capital controls and increasing governmental restrictions on financial movements. Regarding potential conflict, Armstrong warns that Putin is unlikely to capitulate and that the current strategies risk escalating into a broader global confrontation. He suggests that the financial capital of the world will likely move to China after 2032, drawing parallels with the historical decline of Athens due to internal polarization and continuous warfare. The interview concludes with a stark warning about the potential for significant geopolitical and economic disruption, with Armstrong emphasizing that the current trajectory benefits no one and risks triggering a catastrophic global conflict.

Green Berets are America's best problem solvers. There's no challenge too great and no solution that cannot be found. This mentality exists in service and beyond. Ben Harrow solved complex challenges as a West Point Lacrosse star, leading soldiers in Iraq, and as he joined Special Forces to be a Green Beret in the Army. Today he's the President of PAM Jets solving aviation's largest logistical problems. But the biggest challenge Ben ever faced was when he stepped on a land mine. Ben is a double amputee who nearly lost his life in Afghanistan. From the sidelines of the 2024 Stars and Stripes Classic, the first ever lacrosse battle between Green Berets and Navy SEALs, Ben joined Fran Racioppi to share his story. After months of surgery and being told he would never walk again, he took his recovery into his own hands. Ben explains the meticulous research he conducted, the doctors he challenged and the method he developed to ensure he would walk and move on with life. He explains his resiliency mindset, how he applied it to becoming a Green Beret, solving his recovery challenge and how it drives him in entrepreneurship today.Most importantly, Ben shows us that there's nothing special about being Special Forces, you just have to want it more than anyone else. Watch, listen or read our conversation from Gillette Stadium and don't forget to check out the rest of our series from the inaugural Stars and Stripes Classic as we gear up for the round two on September 1, 2025.Highlights00:00 Introduction1:42 Welcome to Gillette Stadium2:42 We Met In Iraq7:40 Joining Special Forces9:25 What Separates a Green Beret12:27 Stepping on a Landmine17:23 The Rehabilitation Process21:05 Learning how to walk again27:55 The Most Challenging Part29:34 SF Guys Building a Business38:30 What's NextQuotes“As an athlete and competitive person, I've always wanted to be on the best teams.”“That special mindshift puts that special in front of forces.”“Special Operations in combat, if there was a board game, we're like chess masters and everyone else is checkers masters.”“My first thought when I stepped on that bomb was I got hit by a car.”“Part of the reason I think I was able to get out and start the process of figuring out how to walk again was I took myself off the pain meds so quick.” “I got injured as a 215 lb tactical athlete to waking up in the hospital bed weighing only like 130.”“The most challenging part was learning to have patience.”“As an entrepreneur, you try everything.”“That's the biggest thing as an entrepreneur, being able to solve ambiguous problems.”“It's better to execute an 80% plan at 100% than waiting to create a 100% plan and executing at 80%.”“My guidance to my team is consistently we don't do everything, but we can do anything.” The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by University of Health & Performance, providing our Veterans world class education and training as fitness and nutrition entrepreneurs. Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation.

IRAQ MILITIA  STATE WITHIN A STATE. JANATYN SAYEH, BRIDGET TOOMEY. BILL ROGGIO 1902

In this episode, we welcome Victor Marx back to the podcast. He is a high risk humanitarian, evangelist, author, speaker, filmmaker, and philanthropist. He has done humanitarian work in active war zones in Iraq, Syria, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. He is the Founder of All Things Possible Ministries and has the world record for fastest gun disarm. He has a new documentary out called “The Unseen War”. In this interview, we discuss why he decided to do a documentary about spiritual warfare, why most of us feel like spiritual warfare isn't real, how thoughts can be put in our minds by demons, the power of prayer in this fight, why Satan uses isolation especially with men, why Satan uses attacks on pastors as a “military tactic”, and much more. Let's get into it… Episode notes and links HERE. Donate to support our mission of equipping men to push back darkness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On 22 July 2005, an unarmed Brazilian man was shot dead by anti-terrorism police at Stockwell Tube station, in London.Jean Charles de Menezes was shot seven times in the head because he was mistaken for a terror suspect. The killing made headlines all over the world and his family demanded justice.Matt Pintus spoke to Jean Charles' cousin and best friend, Patricia da Silva, in 2022. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: A memorial for Jean Charles de Menezes outside Stockwell Tube station. Credit: Oli Scarff / Getty Images)

Simone Ledeen is a national security expert and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Middle East Policy, where she oversaw U.S. defense strategies for countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and others.  With an MBA and finance background, she served as an advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq and later as Executive Director at Standard Chartered Bank, leading the launch of its multi-national financial crime compliance program. Ledeen has held roles at the U.S. Treasury's Office of Intelligence and Analysis and is a Senior Fellow at the Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin.  Her expertise spans technology, special operations, intelligence, and geopolitical issues, as seen in her 2025 discussions on Israel-Iran conflicts. The daughter of historian Michael Ledeen, she advocates for innovative defense solutions and public-private partnerships to address global threats. Based in Austin, Texas, Ledeen consults through Maven Defense Solutions and Vantage ROI, focusing on strategic advisory in defense and finance. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://americanfinancing.net/srs NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://tryarmra.com/srs https://meetfabric.com/shawn https://shawnlikesgold.com https://ketone.com/srs Visit https://ketone.com/srs for 30% OFF your subscription order https://lumen.me/srs https://patriotmobile.com/srs https://rocketmoney.com/srs https://ROKA.com – USE CODE SRS https://USCCA.com/srs https://ziprecruiter.com/srs https://betterhelp.com/srs This episode is sponsored. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/srs and get on your way to being your best self. https://drinkhoist.com – USE CODE SRS Simone Ledeen Links:X - ⁠https://x.com/SimoneLedeen⁠  LI - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/simone-ledeen⁠   Website - ⁠www.simoneledeen.com⁠  Maven Defense - ⁠www.mavendefense.com⁠  Strauss Center Profile - ⁠https://www.strausscenter.org/person/simone-ledeen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices