Podcasts about United States Marine Corps

Bruce E. Cardenas journey spans from the United States Marine Corps (disabled veteran) to the LAPD, where he was awarded the highest award, the Police Medal for bravery. He still serves as a level one reserve for the LA County Sheriff's Department serving the citizens of the county. Bruce then embarked on his entrepreneurial path by founding a high-level personal protection business. Protecting some of the biggest names in entertainment & business over the past 30 years. All while serving as a police officer. A serendipitous meeting with the founders of Quest Nutrition led Bruce to become an intrapreneur within the startup, ultimately rising to Chief Communications Officer. He played an instrumental role in the billion-dollar sale of Quest Nutrition.   Bruce's journey now continues with Legendary Foods, where he leverages his expertise and passion. Legendary is on track to be another billion dollar brand! And at Legendary, we spend millions of dollars a year, looking for answers in cancer, heart, disease, neuropathy, and other metabolic diseases, We started our own Bio Shift research foundation, 501(c)(3), nonprofit as we continue this battle   Connect with Bruce Cardenas Website: brucecardenas.com (his book is available here) Social media: Bruce E. Cardenas Episode Summary: Bruce Cardenas grew up in a small New Jersey town of about 1,000 people, was held back in school, and dreamed of joining the local five-man police department. That path led him through the Marine Corps, the LAPD, and a 30-year career as a personal bodyguard for some of the biggest names in entertainment.   Key Takeaways: Bring value with no strings attached. Relationships and professionalism build a business. Think like an intrapreneur. Be obsessed with customers, not competitors. Keep it simple and consistent.   Episode Chapters: 00:00 Cold Open: Three Things You'll Learn Today 00:45 Welcome and Introducing Bruce Cardenas 01:54 Growing Up in High Bridge, NJ, and Joining the Marine Corps 05:01 From Camp Pendleton to the LAPD 06:08 Starting a Bodyguard Business While Working as a Cop 09:26 Meeting the Founders of Quest Nutrition 12:22 Becoming an Intrapreneur and Chief Communications Officer 13:44 The Billion-Dollar Cash Sale and Being Obsessed with Customers 14:45 What Is Legendary Foods? 16:10 Costly Mistakes at Quest and Why Consistency Wins 17:15 Leadership Lessons from Founder Ron Pena 18:16 The 85% Blockage That Changed Everything 19:41 $20 Million into Cancer and Heart Disease Research 21:32 Ron's Vision and Showing Up with Value 22:58 What Inspires Bruce: Money as a Facilitator 24:09 Legacy and Why He Wrote His Book 24:56 What's Next for Bruce and Legendary 26:05 Where to Find Bruce 26:19 Final Advice: Start Today 27:53 Closing Thoughts

Marine veteran Alex Hernandez survived an RPG blast while fighting in Fallujah, Iraq — an attack that severely wounded his tank commander and left Alex covered in shrapnel and blood.In this episode, Alex tells the story of going from a kid in East LA with no clear direction to joining the United States Marine Corps after 9/11, becoming an M1 Abrams tank mechanic, deploying to Iraq, and finding himself in some of the most intense fighting of Operation Iraqi Freedom.Alex remembers watching the aftermath of the Blackwater contractor killings before Marines were suddenly ordered outside the wire. What followed was hours of combat in Fallujah.Then, on April 7, everything changed.While moving through the city in an M1 Abrams, Alex spotted armed fighters appearing with RPGs and AK-47s. Moments later, an RPG struck the tank commander's hatch.His tank commander lost his right eye.Alex was hit by shrapnel and badly wounded in both hands.But surviving the battlefield was only the beginning.Alex also opens up about returning home, losing the career and identity he thought he would have, struggling with his mental health years after the war, seeking help, and eventually trying to rediscover a sense of purpose through service and teaching others.This is a story about war, brotherhood, injury, identity, and what happens when the fighting stops but the battle isn't necessarily over.CHAPTERS:00:00 — The RPG Attack in Fallujah01:10 — Growing Up in East LA06:16 — His Grandfather Inspires Him to Serve07:33 — 9/11 Changes Everything09:24 — Proving He Could Become a Marine11:12 — Injured During Boot Camp13:27 — The Marine Who Never Made It Home16:54 — Becoming an M1 Abrams Tank Mechanic19:07 — Arriving at 29 Palms22:21 — Preparing for War25:23 — Heading to Iraq28:42 — First Incoming Fire30:04 — Life Inside an Abrams Tank36:45 — Blackwater Killings and Fallujah38:09 — The Battle Begins40:46 — 13 Hours of Combat44:50 — April 7th45:30 — Watching an RPG Fly Toward the Tank47:04 — Drawing Fire Away From the Marines48:59 — RPG Strikes the Tank49:21 — “I'm Pissing Out Blood”50:47 — Escaping the Burning Tank51:31 — Surgery and Recovery53:57 — Returning to the Fight57:43 — His Wife Deploys to Iraq58:30 — Coming Home1:02:12 — Losing His Sense of Purpose1:04:29 — Mental Health Begins to Collapse1:06:33 — Calling the Crisis Line1:07:58 — Finally Finding the Right Help1:09:46 — Learning How to Move Forward1:11:27 — Finding Purpose Again1:12:14 — “Pick Your Head Up and Continue to March”

If you want to talk about standards, getting outside your comfort zone, finding your why, and taking ownership of your career, there was plenty to get into with Jeff.Jeff is an Engine Company Boss in Naples, Florida, now in his 11th year in the fire service after serving 10 years in the United States Marine Corps. He has continued to push himself through some of the most demanding training opportunities out there and now gives back as a cadre member and instructor with Proactive Rescue Operations (PRO).Just a few of the things we enjoyed digging into: what Jeff calls the “reset button,” getting comfortable being uncomfortable, and finding your “why.” What drives you to sign up for something difficult? What keeps you going when the voice in your head starts telling you to quit?We'll also talk about taking ownership of your career path — stepping outside the comfort of your own organization, putting yourself in situations where you're measured against a different standard, and being willing to find out where you really stand.And of course, LIVE audience.Episode 374 goes LIVE Tuesday, September 22nd with Jeff Colon and is made possible by our incredible sponsors:Fire Station FurnitureSnap-tite HoseUL Research Institutes' Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) — Visit the dedicated page created specifically for Weekly Scrap listeners, giving you access to some of the best firefighter research and training resources available at fsri.org/weeklyscrap.

Send us Fan MailWelcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this episode, Halsey Schider sits down with Beau Prine of Aviation Academy Louisiana to discuss a career shaped by military aviation, maintenance excellence, and a passion for developing the next generation of aviation professionals.Before entering aviation education, Beau served as a CH-53 crew chief in the United States Marine Corps, including two tours with HMX-1—the squadron responsible for presidential helicopter transport. He shares stories from his first presidential mission supporting President Obama, his return to the unit years later during President Trump's first term, and the professionalism, preparation, and attention to detail required to support some of the most visible aviation operations in the world.The conversation explores the critical role maintenance plays in aviation safety, lessons learned from the Marine Corps' CH-53 reset program, and the standards required to keep aircraft mission-ready after years of demanding operational use. Beau also reflects on leadership, personal accountability, and the pride that comes from mastering a craft and continually striving for excellence.From presidential support missions to aviation training, this episode offers an inside look at military helicopter operations and the lessons that continue to shape Beau's approach to aviation today. At its core, it's a conversation about professionalism, preparation, and the people behind the aircraft who make every mission possible.Thank you to this episode's sponsors, Hillsboro Heli Academy, Precision Aviation Group and Sellacopter.

Topping interviews Matt Bowman who is the Chief information officer for the USMC 3rd Marine Information Group. Tune in to hear Matt's unique story from joining the USMC and choosing the path of IT while serving our country for over 2 decades to starting his non profit to help kids not only academically but also in financial and nutritional ways. The Topping Show is sponsored by Topping TechnologiesFor all your business IT needs www.toppingtechnologies.comFree Flamethrower with every IT purchase https://toppingtechnologies.com/flamethrower

Brian talks with Pastor Andrew Fetzer of Alpha Baptist Church in Livonia, Michigan, about his path from conversion at 18 through four years in the United States Marine Corps before entering pastoral ministry, training under faithful churches in the Detroit area and continuing his education at Moody Theological Seminary. Andrew reflects on how the Marine Corps' emphasis on stripping away personal identity for the sake of a larger mission became unexpected preparation for a life of gospel service. He describes the DNA of his congregation — marked by hospitality, humble service, and a hunger for God's Word — and walks through the church's ministries, including expository preaching through the Gospel of Mark, new small fellowship groups replacing traditional midweek Bible study, an engaged young adult ministry, and the Alpha Family and Foster Closet, which serves foster and families in need throughout western Wayne County.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take to lead an organization of 2,100 people without losing sight of the individual? In this episode of Momentum Matters, host April Benetollo sits down with Chris Homewood, CEO of America's Thrift Stores and a longtime Momentum partner.Chris brings a unique, people-first perspective built on an impressive career spanning retail giants like Target, Ross Stores, Circuit City, and TriMark USA—as well as six and a half years as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. From the drill field to the executive suite, Chris shares how the Marine Corps mantra "Mission first, Marines always" transformed into his personal leadership philosophy: "Mission first, people always".Tune in as April and Chris discuss:The "Walker Arounder" Philosophy: Why real executive insight comes from talking directly to front-line employees rather than sitting in a corner office.Frisbee vs. Boomerang Communication: How to ensure your message actually lands across distributed, multi-region teams.Building a Culture of Belonging: How evaluating talent holistically unlocks unseen potential across departments.The Girl Dad Effect: How raising a confident daughter influences his vision for workplace equity and opportunity.Upcycling at Scale: The massive impact of moving 75 to 80 million pounds of inventory a year out of landfills and into communities.Whether you're leading a small team or managing thousands, this candid, energy-packed conversation is full of practical wisdom on resilience, listening, and lead-by-example accountability.Connect & Learn More:Website: AmericasThrift.comLinkedIn: Connect with Chris HomewoodMomentum: Learn more about how we empower leaders at Momentum LeadersVisit our website: www.MomentumLeaders.org Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MomentumLeadersInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/momentumleadersLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentumleadersYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@momentumleaders

Send us Fan MailThis week I talk to Patrick Kreuzer.Patrick is a disabled United States Marine Corps veteran and retired police officer with more than 20 years of combined service to his country and community. Originally born in Germany and naturalized as an American citizen at a young age, Patrick felt a strong calling to give back through a life of public service. His military and law enforcement careers reflect his unwavering dedication to protecting and supporting others, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to duty, integrity, and community well-being. https://www.afterwatchfoundation.com/

He goes from “tip of the spear” to starting over in a single blast and he's painfully honest about what that actually feels like.Watch here at: https://youtu.be/Np6lE6zrtU0We talk with Josh Sweeney, a United States Marine Corps scout sniper who deploys to Afghanistan, gets hit by an IED, and loses both legs above the knee along with major hand injuries. Josh walks us through the moments people rarely hear about: the delayed medevac, the tourniquets, staying awake because the wrong meds could make him bleed out, and the strange fog of ICU drugs and hallucinations. Then we move into the harder fight: rehab, loss of control, and the identity crisis that hits when the uniform and the body you trusted are both gone.From there, adaptive sports becomes the doorway to a new life. Josh explains how sled hockey brought back team culture and accountability, how his “hockey sense” got him onto Team USA, and what it's like to play for gold in Russia and score the game-winning goal at the Sochi 2014 Paralympics. He also shares the real cost of elite competition, stepping away for family, rebuilding after divorce, and later finding a new lane in Para Nordic skiing and Paralympic biathlon, including the pressure and strategy of relay racing at the highest level.We also dig into performance and recovery details that matter: prosthetics realities, sweating and temperature changes after amputation, sleep and recovery as training multipliers, and why he now builds adaptive sports equipment through JS Adaptive Sports to help others get outside and compete. If you care about veteran resilience, mental toughness, adaptive sports, and what it takes to rebuild after trauma, this conversation delivers.Subscribe for more long-form conversations, share this with a friend who needs a “what's next” mindset, and leave a review with the biggest takeaway you're applying this week.Follow Wild Chaos on Social Media:Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-wild-chaos-podcast/id1732761860Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5KFGZ6uABb1sQlfkE2TIoc?si=8ff748aa4fc64331⁠⁠⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildchaospodcastBam's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bambam0069Youtube: https://youtube.com/@wildchaospodTikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@thewildchaospodcastMeta (Facebook): ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/TheWildChaosPodcast

Peter J. Ortiz was one of the most decorated United States Marines of the Second World War—and he served in the European Theater. In fact, his service was almost entirely within occupied France, where he worked for the Office of Strategic Services as the manager of a resistance network and later as the leader of a (sort of) Jedburgh Team. The stories of his exploits are legendary, though admittedly legendary among a much smaller circle of people than they deserve to be. One that can be verified is the time that, in a French bar, Ortiz ordered a round of drinks for a group of German officers, opened his raincoat to reveal his Marine uniform, drew two pistols, and ordered the Germans to drink toasts to President Roosevelt and the United States Marine Corps.That and many other tales of his winding career are to be found in Ortiz's War: The Allies' Secret Weapon Against the Nazis in France, a new book by Nicholas Reynolds and Katie Sanders. 

Marine Corps Sergeant Major Jean-Paul Corville served 22 years in the United States Marine Corps from 1991 to 2013, earning the Bronze Star with Valor and rising to the rank of Sergeant Major.In this episode of Urban Valor, Corville shares Marine Corps boot camp stories, infantry life, combat in Iraq, leadership lessons, disaster response in Japan, and the decision that ultimately changed the course of his career.He talks about growing up shy and overweight in Louisiana, transforming himself through training, choosing the Marines, becoming an 0331 machine gunner, serving at 29 Palms, deploying to Okinawa, becoming a drill instructor, and eventually reaching the highest enlisted levels of Marine Corps leadership.Corville also opens up about combat, loss, mistakes, consequences, and what happened when one decision cost him more than he ever expected.From hilarious Marine Corps stories to some of the darkest moments of his life, this is an unfiltered look at a 22-year military career from someone who lived it at every level.

In this episode of the Thrive State Podcast, Dr. V sits down with Jill Schulman, former United States Marine Corps officer, positive psychology researcher trained at the University of Pennsylvania under Martin Seligman, and globally recognized keynote speaker on the science of bravery. Jill shares her remarkable journey from a small town in Minnesota to the Marine Corps, how she discovered bravery as her life's work, and the evidence-based framework she now teaches leaders and organizations around the world. This conversation dives deep into the psychology of fear, why avoidance destroys potential, how action actually creates confidence (not the other way around), and why the next generation needs more discomfort, not less.   In this episode, we cover: The Five to Thrive rapid-fire game show segment Jill's origin story: from small-town Minnesota to the United States Marine Corps How studying positive psychology at Penn led to her focus on bravery The Marine Corps lesson: act when you have 70% of the information, not 100% Why bravery is a trainable skill just like building strength in the gym Discerning between fears you should listen to and fears you should move toward The hidden cost of experiential avoidance (and its link to anxiety and depression) The Navy SEAL confidence course story and why action precedes confidence Discipline vs. motivation and why you should never "press snooze" Marcus Buckingham's "red threads" and how to follow what lights you up How fear shows up in business: difficult conversations and safe goal-setting Why young people need to feel fear more, not less (the biosphere palm tree analogy) What leaders must do: set high expectations and support people to rise Jill is offering a free audiobook to listeners. Just send her a message on LinkedIn or Instagram and her team will send you the link. You can also learn more about her keynote speaking and work at jillschulman.com. If this episode lit a fire in you, share it with someone who's been waiting for permission to be brave, and don't forget to subscribe to the Thrive State Podcast for more conversations that help you thrive. Follow Doctor V https://instagram.com/doctorvmd Get the #1 bestselling book Thrive State https://thrivestatebook.com Download the FREE Longevity & Human Potential Starter Guide https://thrivestatestarter.com Join the Thrive State Membership https://mythrivestate.com/join Learn more about Jhourney retreats: www.jhourney.io  

What happens when the mission ends, the uniform comes off, and the survival skills that once made you strong begin working against you? In this powerful episode of The MisFitNation, host Rich LaMonica sits down with Sonya Achara, a United States Marine Corps veteran, former Gunnery Sergeant, author, speaker, and founder of the Human Potential Project. Sonya served 14 years in the Marine Corps, including a deployment to Afghanistan, recruiting duty in Kansas, leadership assignments at Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, and service as a Force Fitness Instructor Trainer at the Martial Arts and Fitness Center of Excellence. Throughout her career, she became known for discipline, physical strength, motivation, and leadership. She served as a radio operator, martial arts instructor, marksmanship coach, recruiter, bodybuilding competitor, mentor, and senior enlisted leader. But beneath that strength were emotional and subconscious patterns she did not yet fully understand. After leaving the military while also ending a toxic relationship, Sonya faced a new battle: discovering who she was beyond the Marine Corps, beyond constant performance, and beyond survival mode. That journey led her to study the nervous system, emotional intelligence, subconscious conditioning, attachment styles, neuroscience, human consciousness, and transformational leadership. In this conversation, Sonya explains how childhood experiences, military conditioning, toxic relationships, and unresolved trauma can influence the way people lead, love, react, perform, and view themselves. She also challenges the idea that relentless discipline, hyper-independence, emotional suppression, and constant achievement are always signs of strength. In some cases, they may be survival responses hiding in plain sight. Sonya shares how a difficult childhood shaped her desire to find belonging through athletics and the Marine Corps. She reflects on the leadership lessons she learned from both effective and ineffective leaders and explains why genuine leadership is rooted in consistency, humility, example, trust, and care—not fear, rank, or intimidation. She also discusses how recruiting duty changed her understanding of influence. She could not force anyone to join the Marine Corps. She had to inspire people through the way she carried herself, the relationships she built, and the standard she modeled. The episode explores how the nervous system can become stuck in fight-or-flight mode and why people often repeat unhealthy relationship patterns. Sonya explains that people frequently choose what feels familiar rather than what is actually healthy. That insight became a turning point in her own healing. Through self-awareness, accountability, emotional regulation, boundaries, compassion, and nervous-system work, Sonya began changing patterns that had followed her from childhood into the military, relationships, leadership, and motherhood. She shares how this work transformed the way she responds to conflict, co-parents, listens, sets boundaries, and repairs connection after emotional reactions. Sonya also discusses the difference between understanding trauma intellectually and actually embodying change. Knowing why a pattern exists is not the same as recognizing it in real time and choosing a healthier response. The conversation also addresses a question many military families struggle with: How do you support a veteran who refuses to talk about what they are going through? Sonya's advice is simple but important: do not force disclosure, do not try to fix everything, and do not underestimate the power of consistent presence. Sometimes the most meaningful support is listening without judgment, pressure, interruption, or an immediate solution. This episode is for veterans, first responders, military families, leaders, parents, high performers, and anyone who has spent years believing they must carry everything alone. It is an invitation to examine whether your discipline comes from purpose or from a need to prove your worth. It asks whether your relationships are built on security or familiarity. Most importantly, it reminds listeners that the patterns they developed to survive are not necessarily who they truly are. In This Episode Sonya and Rich discuss: Her journey from a difficult childhood to collegiate athletics and the Marine Corps Why she chose the toughest military branch Her experience as a radio operator, recruiter, martial arts instructor, marksmanship coach, bodybuilder, and Gunnery Sergeant Her deployment to Camp Dwyer in Afghanistan's Helmand Province How hypervigilance can develop before military service and intensify during it The difference between fear-based leadership and authentic leadership Why yelling, humiliation, and intimidation do not build strong teams The emotional impact of leaving the military and a toxic relationship at the same time How childhood experiences shape adult relationships Why people often confuse familiarity with safety Anxious, avoidant, disorganized, and secure attachment patterns What it means to live in survival mode How emotional suppression can lead to explosive reactions The difference between intellectual understanding and embodied healing How boundaries and accountability improve relationships The role of repair after conflict Why constant achievement may be connected to unresolved trauma How veterans and high performers can lose themselves in performance Why some people listen to respond instead of listening to understand How families can support veterans who do not want to talk Why vulnerability can create safety for others The importance of humility, compassion, and personal responsibility Key Takeaways Strength is not emotional suppression. Real strength includes recognizing, processing, and communicating what you feel. Familiar does not always mean safe. People often repeat unhealthy patterns because those patterns resemble what their nervous system already knows. Leadership is demonstrated through behavior. Trust, consistency, humility, compassion, and example influence people more effectively than fear. Healing requires accountability. Understanding where a pattern came from does not remove responsibility for changing it. You cannot force someone to open up. Supporting a veteran may begin with patience, compassion, presence, and listening. Discipline can come from purpose or pain. Achievement may be meaningful, but it can also be driven by fear, shame, insecurity, or the belief that worth must be earned. Repair matters. Healthy relationships do not require perfection. They require honesty, accountability, and reconnection after conflict. Your patterns are not your identity. The responses that helped you survive may not reflect who you are capable of becoming. About Sonya Achara Sonya Achara is a United States Marine Corps veteran, former Gunnery Sergeant, author, speaker, and transformational leader. She is the founder of the Human Potential Project and the author of Remember Who You Are: My Journey to Higher Consciousness. Her work helps veterans, first responders, leaders, and high performers identify subconscious survival patterns, regulate their nervous systems, strengthen emotional intelligence, build healthier relationships, and reconnect with purpose. She also hosts the Identity Recode Masterclass, focused on subconscious patterns, healing, relationships, leadership, and personal transformation. Connect With Sonya Achara Website: sonyaachara.com Instagram: @rememberwhoyouare Facebook: Sonya Achara Connect With The MisFitNation Visit themisfitnation.com for past episodes, community updates, guest interviews, and MisFitNation merchandise. Follow the show for more conversations with veterans, first responders, authors, entrepreneurs, athletes, leaders, and changemakers who have transformed adversity into purpose. What survival pattern have you mistaken for part of your personality? Share this episode with a veteran, leader, parent, first responder, or high performer who needs the reminder that healing is possible. Be humble. Stay hungry. Keep hustling. Because we are MisFitNation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina Bobb is a senior attorney for Judicial Watch focused on national security law. She began her legal career in the United States Marine Corps where she defended Marines and Sailors in courts-martial and administrative separation hearings. Ms. Bobb served multiple overseas tours, including Helmand Province, Afghanistan, and Stuttgart, Germany. After her military service, she transitioned to private practice at Higgs, Fletcher, & Mack LLP in San Diego, and then to Washington, DC, where she held executive-level positions within the Department of Homeland Security. Christina served as attorney for President Donald J. Trump from 2022-2024 when she transitioned to the Republican National Committee to assist election integrity efforts for the 2024 election. In 2023, Ms. Bobb authored her first book, “Stealing Your Vote: The Inside Story of the 2020 Election and What it Means for 2024.” Her second book, “Defiant: Inside the Mar-a-Lago Raid and the Left's Ongoing Lawfare” was released in 2025.FOLLOW: @christina_bobbSUPPORT OUR WORK https://www.judicialwatch.org/donate/thank-youtube/ VISIT OUR WEBSITE http://www.judicialwatch.org

Brett Puffenbarger is an Appalachian American, a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, married pet parent and he's coming up on 10 years in the cannabis industry. He is also a managing partner of a revenue and marketing consultancy, Good Highdeas and he is the CEO of Old Dominion Cannabis.

What does leadership look like when the mission changes, but responsibility for people does not?On Episode 305 of Combat Vet Vision, Aaron Q. Seibert and Chef James L. “JB” Brown welcome Mark J. O'Loughlin, Sergeant Major, United States Marine Corps, Retired, Founder and CEO of Validated Leadership and author of Validated Leadership.Mark served 30 years on active duty in the Marine Corps. His career included infantry leadership, recruit training, combat deployments and service as Sergeant Major of Wounded Warrior Battalion West. His service included operations during Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Desert Saber, along with three Operation Iraqi Freedom deployments.In this conversation:How leadership changes from combat operations to recovery and transitionWhy genuinely caring about people still requires accountability and hard conversationsLessons learned while developing Marines, drill instructors and future leadersTranslating military leadership experience into civilian organizationsWhy talented employees are often promoted without being taught how to leadHow continued service can provide purpose long after military retirementMark's story connects leadership, resilience, mentorship and service after service. His work challenges leaders to move beyond position and authority and focus on the people they are responsible for developing.Guest LinksValidated Leadershiphttps://validatedleadership.com/LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-j-o-loughlin-sgtmaj-usmc-retired-35017522Co-HostAaron Q. SeibertLinktree - https://linktr.ee/aqseibertFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/aqseibertCo-HostChef James L. “JB” Brown, AACVeterans Transition Resource Centerhttps://vtrc.usPRODUCERBrian ColburnLinktree - https://linktr.ee/Bcolburn

Ronald Long is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served from 2009–2013, leaving the Marines as an E-4 Corporal. In this episode of Urban Valor, Ronald shares his incredible story of joining the U.S. Marines, experiencing combat, surviving an IED explosion, losing a fellow service member beside him, and confronting experiences that would follow him long after the battlefield.But Ronald's story started LONG before the Marine Corps...He grew up in Northern California in a Puerto Rican family that endured financial hardship, his sister's battle with cancer, his mother's addiction, abuse inside the home, and eventually the breakup of his family.As a kid, Ronald learned pretty damn quickly how to survive.By his teenage years, that meant helping raise his sisters, trying to help keep his family financially afloat, getting involved in selling marijuana, witnessing violence around his friends, and reaching adulthood without much of a plan for what came next.Then life changed FAST.Ronald began a relationship, discovered he was about to become a father, and suddenly needed a way to provide for a family.Then, seemingly out of nowhere...A Marine Corps recruiter called.Ronald signed the paperwork, went to boot camp, and began a path that would eventually put him into situations very few people can truly understand.And somehow, even surrounded by some incredibly dark moments, Ronald's Marine Corps stories can also be absolutely hilarious.From doing boot camp practically BLIND because nobody gave him his glasses......to Marines breaking into the WRONG barracks......to a drill instructor apparently studying World of Warcraft just so he could figure out new ways to destroy the recruits playing it. But combat was different.Ronald describes transporting bodies, seeing horrific injuries become almost routine, and the moment a pressure plate detonated feet away from him.For a moment, his mind transported him somewhere completely different.Then Abdul came crashing back into his reality.And Ronald realized his friend was dead.Thank you to Ronald Long for trusting us with his story.

Today we'll learn about a podcast called "Transacting Value" developed by former Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Josh Porthouse. Hear how he took his own difficult times and turned them into a podcast focused on healing. His outreach has been a benefit to over 200 people from around the world and has been a help to both fellow veterans and people from all walks of life.Our library of shows can be found at www.veteranscornerradio.comJoin us on Facebook at the page Veterans Corner RadioYou can contact our host Joe Muhlberger at joseph.muhlberger@gmail.com

Leadership in the Marine Corps is often associated with uncompromising toughness and strict command. But the most impactful leaders learn to balance high standards with genuine empathy, recognizing that an organization's true strength comes from investing directly in the success of its people.I've spent a lot of time reflecting on the evolution of military culture, and today's Marines are sharper, highly observant, and deeply focused on purpose and authenticity.  In this conversation, LtGen Watson and I dive in to his three-decade career in the United States Marine Corps: from his early days as an ROTC midshipman to commanding the 1st Marine Division and Training and Education Command and explore the critical transition from "tough guy" leadership and the lessons learned from leading through high-visibility commands like 8th & I and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.Whether discussing the "reverse Pony Express" mentality of leadership turnover or the duty to stay connected to junior Marines, LtGen Watson emphasizes that a leader's ultimate mandate is to set their people up to win. Today's episode offers a meaningful masterclass in character, humility, and modern military command.

What do professional baseball and tactical strength and conditioning have in common? NSCA award-winning coach Matthew C. Krause knows the demands of both worlds, with 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) and his current public safety work with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. Krause explains how lessons from baseball transfer when preparing law enforcement officers, who face long shifts, changing schedules, and fatigue that affects decision-making. In a new setting, his first step is to learn the job before making adjustments. He explains the Pasco Sheriff’s Office health and human performance model for deputy care and long-term development, then talks through how to show value with data and earn leadership buy-in over time. Krause also looks back on his United States Marine Corps service, mentors, and career opportunities as he advises young coaches to “always take the conversation.” Tune in to hear how you can step into a new setting, prove value, and build programs that last. Reach Matthew by email at mkrause@pascosheriff.org | Find Eric on Instagram: @ericmcmahoncscs and LinkedIn: @ericmcmahoncscs Join the NSCA Tactical Strength and Conditioning Professional Development Group (PDG) on LinkedIn to connect with peers and stay involved in the profession.Show Notes "You do a good job, you work your butt off, you're not sure what you want to do. You take these opportunities. [...] I tell all, all young strength coaches always take the conversation and you might not want it, but it's good to work on your skills as far as your interview skills and kind of understanding. You know, that process, learning how to sell yourself a little bit in those scenarios..." 10:25 "If you're going to be working for another organization or going to be in a team environment, you're never going to get everything you want. So, you have to pick and choose, figure out what you think on your list of things is the most important thing that day, right? And ask for those things, at the right time" 23:20 "I think people out there need to know that you need to give your time back and a lot of it's going to be in the form of education and time and talks like this." 25:30Transcript 00;00;00;00 - 00;00;21;24 Welcome to the NSCA Coaching Podcast season ten, episode six. And then somebody else, you know, you do a good job or somebody, you know, tell people, hey, listen, you work your butt off. You're not sure what you want to do. You take these opportunities and Bruce Hammel, who was the major league strength coach with the Cubs, came and said, hey, listen, you know, there could be some opportunities in baseball for you. 00;00;21;27 - 00;00;48;13 What wasn't where I wanted to be. I thought I was in college football, like I said, and wound up, you know, getting into, with the Pittsburgh Pirates, you know, went down, interviewed. So now, another thing I tell all, all young strength coaches always take the conversation and you might not want it, but it's good to work on your skills as far as your interview skills and kind of understanding, you know, that process, learning how to sell yourself a little bit in those scenarios. 00;00;48;13 - 00;01;09;27 Learn. You know how that dynamic is. This is the NSCA Coaching Podcast where we talked to strength and conditioning coaches about what you really need to know, but probably didn't learn in school. There’s strength and conditioning. And then there's everything else. This is the NSCA Coaching Podcast. I'm Eric McMahon NSCA’s Coaching and Sport Science Program Manager. 00;01;09;28 - 00;01;33;15 Today we have a guest who has extensive experience with the NSCA as a presenter. He was a 2018 Professional Strength and Conditioning Coach of the year, tons of experience working in MLB, but now he's working in tactical, the public safety space with the Pasco County Sheriff's Department in Florida. Matt Krauss, welcome to the show. Thanks, Eric. I appreciate you being here. 00;01;33;22 - 00;01;53;17 It's going to be fun. Yeah, yeah it's great man. I'm really excited to hear about your path from MLB and all the work you've done in the past and now working in the tactical space. What's that been like? I'll tell you a lot of a lot of similarities, being in a major League baseball with certain things from, from an everyday perspective, and you got a chance to experience that too. 00;01;53;17 - 00;02;11;17 In baseball. And then coming into the law enforcement space where it's, it's every day. Right? There's, there's, it's 24 hours a day, every day. It doesn't it doesn't stop. So it's one of the things that, that I, that I really like about it because I always like the grind of baseball. Right? You know, 20 something years and then coming into this space. 00;02;11;17 - 00;02;31;18 And I do enjoy that part of it. I enjoy the every day. There's something every day you're preparing for something every day. The ongoing of of it never stopping to where people talking about, you know, loading unloading this when it's every single day, you got to have that knack, to keep people going on on their best day and on on the worst day. 00;02;31;18 - 00;02;53;21 Right. So, and just the mental aspect of of a grind. So I really enjoy the space. That's cool. It's something I hear come through is when you're every single day, there's really no peaking, you know, you go, you always gotta be ready to go. You might be at your best, you might be at 80%. But that's your best that day. 00;02;53;24 - 00;03;30;13 How do you prepare law enforcement officers? And just like you did in baseball, to go out there every single day? Well, you know, the number one thing and for, for for any industry is learning the job and kind of getting understand the mentality and the physical part of it, you know, knowing the job, being around. So I think the ticket out for a six months of you coming into this space, kind of not asking as many questions, being more observational, but, you know, asking here and there, certain things, but just really getting to learn, understanding terminology. 00;03;30;15 - 00;03;48;29 You know, certain things are the same. Certain things are not, but really, you know, diving into it. And I've had an opportunity to, really get a chance to, to, to understand kind of what they're doing. I was not part of shift work. Right. Because baseball is is all day to. But understanding how you apply that to. 00;03;49;04 - 00;04;05;18 But but baseball has that you know that set schedule. You know every single day of the ramp up to a game and then and then there's a travel piece to it. But here it's ramping up every single day. And then and then going from a mid shift to a day shift to a night shift and understanding all those different pieces to it. 00;04;05;20 - 00;04;29;15 As people transition from from those aspects and how to how to apply the process or a program or their routine. All of the things that you would say to to a baseball player, right. But you know, it, it applies here to and how to make those adjustments. So seeing all of it and then getting a chance to dissect it a little bit, you know, obviously when you're a college training coach, when I was, when I was working in college, I worked ten different sports. 00;04;29;15 - 00;04;47;29 There's ten different things going on. And then, and then just being in one area, like, we just just in baseball, you get to dissect a little bit and to really kind of hone down on it. And once you kind of understand and get the chance to, to start implementing and, and so I'm making adjustments to try to make it better. 00;04;48;02 - 00;04;59;05 Tactical wasn't completely new to you. I know you have a military background. What was your path into S&C? Being enlisted in the military? 00;04;59;08 - 00;05;16;25 Well, joining the Marine Corps. So I was in the Marine Corps back when I was 18 years old. That was it was one of my paths, an opportunity to to make money and to go to school wasn't I didn't come from a very, a family with a ton of money. And but I definitely wanted to go to school, you know, I was, say, A33 sport athlete in high school. 00;05;16;28 - 00;05;32;17 And obviously I wasn't good enough in any one of those, you know, I was I got I was a plus player, but not enough to get a scholarship right or to continue on a at a lower level. And so that was part of my path. My dad was a marine. My uncle was a marine. I knew some of the people in my neighborhood that Marines. 00;05;32;17 - 00;05;49;13 And so I, I didn't even think, of another, branch. Right. I was just I was going to be, you know, if I was going to do this, I was going to go into the Marine Corps, and but I knew I wasn't going to do it long term. I mean, my path was, you know, my uncle was a college football coach. 00;05;49;16 - 00;06;07;06 He was at Richmond, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, you know, he played football at Mississippi State. So as you're, you know, building where you want to kind of go in life, you know, I had all these friends I wanted to be on Wall Street coming out of New York. I was a Queens, Long Island guy. Right. And I wanted to be I wanted to get off the island, get out of there and be more like my uncle. 00;06;07;08 - 00;06;27;06 And so I just thought I would, you know, moving, move in that direction. So the Marine Corps was, was a great place for me to one grow up. So I give a lot of a lot of credit to Marine Corps. I was, you know, some punk kid that, you know, thought he knew everything. And then I learned that I didn't know anything and that I needed a little structure in my life. 00;06;27;09 - 00;06;39;21 I like to say it taught me a little bit more of the killer instinct. I wish, I wish I played high school sports after I went to the Marine Corps, I would I would have been a better practitioner. I would have been a better planner. I would have been a lot of things instead of, just doing them. 00;06;39;23 - 00;06;59;05 And, so it definitely prepared me to learn how to focus in on some things, and it helped me be better into my career. And, so I'm very, very appreciative for, for taking an 18 year old kid and teaching him how to grow up. So you got out of the Marine Corps and that pushed you into college. 00;06;59;05 - 00;07;18;21 And were you looking at exercise science? What was your original goal when you were looking at a career? I always laugh, I said, so I had a buddy that I was at East Carolina University. I know Campbell's is, 71 miles from, from East Carolina. So I go over and visit with them, and that's where I saw they had a good sports medicine program. 00;07;18;21 - 00;07;36;29 It was my introduction into the athletic training where it kind of started. I was looking at the different ways how I can kind of get into sports. Talk to us a little bit. And they had a great program. So I knew when I was transitioning out into the reserve piece, they had a unit over in Raleigh that come. 00;07;36;29 - 00;07;56;00 So, you know, registering getting into East Carolina was my entrance. They had that exercise science, you know, different disciplines. You're going to go the exercise physiology or out of the sports medicine route. I started in the exercise science. I mean, in the sports medicine side of it, becoming an athletic trainer and, you know, Coach Connors was there. 00;07;56;00 - 00;08;10;01 A lot of people say at the NSCA, I know who Coach Connors was. He was, you know, I wanted to be him. You know, you know, the way he came in, he would do some pre-game speeches for football, for the men's basketball team that I was working on, like, wow, this guy was like, not only training guys in the bedroom, but he was doing pre-game speeches. 00;08;10;01 - 00;08;30;18 And I was like, that's a job that I want. You know, he got everybody going and I know he's he's done some talks for, for, for the NSCA. And so I was I looked at him as, you know, I wouldn't have known that the strength conditioning was even a job. Right. And when I saw him do it and the way he did it, was exciting to me and say, hey, this is something that I could possibly do. 00;08;30;20 - 00;08;48;20 And, so he actually, you know, crossed the bridge from the athletic training side to the strength conditioning side for me. He was very generous with his time. You know, people, he kind of finished school in December, but I don't graduate to make enough to do an internship. So I did my my my time at his Carolina in the sports medicine program as an athletic trainer. 00;08;48;20 - 00;09;03;24 And then in that window, he allowed me to come in and help out with the men's basketball team. I had to go do my cardiac rehab back in the day, say, internship in the morning, and then in the afternoon, he let me come into the weight room and then help out. And we got to the end of that semester. 00;09;03;24 - 00;09;21;29 I was looking at some some graduate assistantship opportunities from the athletic training side. And coach was like said, I can get you one right now if you won't go down to UCS, but it'll be on the training conditioning side. And I still didn't have enough money, as a driver, but I still wanted to get my masters and, he made a few phone calls for me. 00;09;22;02 - 00;09;43;25 I had a quick interview, and four weeks later I was down in Orlando, Florida, at UCS in that transition. And that's when I started my my career in, say, strength conditioning. Got in, there was work in, you know, football. UCF was working on every sport, obviously as a GA. And then so that was that was it. 00;09;43;25 - 00;10;00;27 He made a few phone calls. You stuck his neck out for me. So I appreciate that. You know, you want to give you a thank you along the way and then, took that opportunity and ran with it. And then the following semester, I took my CSCS and got, you know, became, got my certification and never looked back. 00;10;00;28 - 00;10;19;23 You know, it took my. So from that point, while I was a GA, I worked like 15 sports. There were college football, but took my time did my it did a few other internship. I'll. I worked for the Buccaneers. There are many camps one summer and then the following summer I did it with the Daytona Cubs and that was my entrance into into baseball. 00;10;19;24 - 00;10;40;20 Not to date ourselves here on here in 1999, I went over there and did an internship with the Daytona Cubs and then somebody else, you know, you do a good job as my, you know, tell people, you listen, you work your butt off, you're not sure what you want to do. You take these opportunities. And Bruce Hammel, who was the major league strength coach with the Cubs, came and said, hey, listen, you know, there could be some opportunities in baseball for you. 00;10;40;22 - 00;11;03;05 What wasn't where I wanted to be. I thought I was me in college football, like I said, and wound up, you know, getting into, with the Pittsburgh Pirates, you know, went down, interviewed. So now, another thing I tell all, all young strength coaches always take the conversation and you might not want it, but it's good to work on your skills as far as your interview skills and kind of understanding. 00;11;03;08 - 00;11;22;14 You know, that process, learning how to sell yourself a little bit in those scenarios, learn, you know how that dynamic is, but wound up getting an opportunity and get to take the job with the Pittsburgh Pirates and got into baseball. Never look back. 22 years later. It's been three years for the Pirates. 13 ish with the Reds. 00;11;22;17 - 00;11;52;05 You know, it's a major league level. And in my time with the New York Yankees and I finished in 2020, I like how all those early experiences, you got a ton of experience working with different teams, obviously on the medicine side, and that led you into strength and conditioning. But you had tons of experience building programs. I think, your time with the Reds, your time with the Yankees, now you're working in building a tactical strength and conditioning department at Pasco County. 00;11;52;08 - 00;12;12;01 What are some of the unique challenges when you come in? Maybe the program isn't where it needs to be. How do you build a department from the ground up? So every opportunity along the way is even coming to it, even at UCS at that time. So I don't want to take a step back. It just was that transition from one to Division one. 00;12;12;03 - 00;12;28;21 And we're building a program. So it's just me and somebody else, as the interns, you know, I'm saying then Augus and then I got hired on there as a full time strength coach, and then want of building on that program and being there to kind of see that. But Coach Bridgeman, I think he's done some things with the Navy at the time. 00;12;28;23 - 00;12;41;21 Showed me some administrative things that I didn't know that needed to happen. Right. So you can't put these things away for when it's your turn to kind of be in charge. So I wasn't in charge anything, but I kind of learned the process well because we were limited staff. So he had to put me in some challenging situations that I need to do. 00;12;41;21 - 00;13;00;11 Right. You got to grow up real quick. So then I want to went to the Pirates. Baseball was transitioning into developing minor league programs, right? Because at the time was just a major league strength. I had athletic trainer, assistant trainer, major league strength coach, and a minor league coordinator pretty much only outside of that. It was a lot of internships in and around it. 00;13;00;14 - 00;13;21;09 And then while I was my my time there with the Pirates, we built out that program. We created, a full time position. At different levels. Right. So super short season, you know. Oh, well, Gulf coast, short season, high, low and triple AA were they weren't in crazy salaries, but they were full time positions. Those are probably some of the first in the game at that time. 00;13;21;11 - 00;13;37;09 Correct. And so we were able to from a job creation standpoint that that was that was pretty cool to be a part of that. And then, had the opportunity to, you know, left the Pirates, came to the Reds. We're building the same kind of minor league program at this time. Now, I had a plan. Right. 00;13;37;11 - 00;13;54;22 You need this amount of people. Here's how we're going to roll this off. Carl Alvarez was a major league strength coach at times. I got hired on as a minor league guy, and then. And, had the opportunity to take it, take a major league job, two years later and then spent, you know, 15 years at the Major league level. 00;13;54;22 - 00;14;08;20 So I had, you know, five minor league years and then and then 16 at the major league level. It was it was pretty cool. So being able to watch that program grow put everything in place from a programing standpoint, learning how to deal with the coaches in the front office and all the other people in the scouting department. 00;14;08;22 - 00;14;28;20 What was great, and then getting a chance to to even do with the New York Yankees and building out even more programs, and then adding in the sport science piece and adding in a dietitian and adding all that. So from a job creation standpoint, I feel like we, you know, over say, 20 something years, we're able to, you know, builds almost 30, 35 jobs, you know, in the game, which I'm excited about. 00;14;28;23 - 00;14;47;21 And, and then watching some people that came in behind me that all work for the pirates and different things and moves along and, really excited about having those opportunities to where it gave me this opportunity when I, when I, when I got out of baseball and someone came up here and said, hey, you know, Pasco Sheriff's Office wants to build a human performance program. 00;14;47;21 - 00;15;04;21 At the time, this was an EXOS contract. We had a lot of people here from from special operations that seen some different things. While they were time there in the military, they knew it was something that needed to happen. And then I was lucky enough to, to land this position and I said, hey, you know what? 00;15;04;23 - 00;15;22;27 It's not just going to be a human performance program. We did a health and human performance program, right? We have to add in the the care aspect from we have a lot of people that have issues. So we're able to bring in. So now we're here I guess we're, we're we wanted to go with this was we're the first I call it a long term development program, right. 00;15;22;27 - 00;15;48;05 Where the first health and human performance program or a sports medicine program in law enforcement. So we're playing both both sides of that. When we're able to build out a staff from a job creation standpoint, now we have another strength coach, acts as the trainer and strength coach. We have a chiropractor and a registered dietitian, and we're able to provide care for the people who need, you know, some soft tissue work and some different things that that need to happen. 00;15;48;07 - 00;16;08;11 And taking that team, team approach that we learned through sports over time. On how to provide player care. We need to provide, you know, deputy care and, from from a tactical athlete standpoint and what I mean, long term development, we're able to impact the agency by we we have an explorer program at the high school level that we do, you know, exposure to all these different things. 00;16;08;13 - 00;16;43;24 And we work out of the academy as people come, you know, they want to become deputies. We we have some, opportunity to help and build foundational movements and corrective exercise at that level. And then like this morning, we have people that when we hire them officially into the sheriff's office, where we have a program to where we have a strength conditioning program for for six weeks, as we're training our deputies and teaching them and taking that exposure from those lower levels, right to, to here to where we can build out and show them all the mobility and the FRC stuff and control the programs and weight room programs and, you know, start, you 00;16;43;24 - 00;17;15;14 know, running programs and conditioning programs and agility and everything kind of gets built out. Show them how to expose them to it. And then we we have meetings through our FTO program. And then we do what to control. But we have programs for canines, you know, slot and you know, the tip of the spear. So when you think of a long term development program, Eric, we have stuff from the Dominican Republic to the big leagues, and now we have some things from the high school program and people who want to be in law enforcement or ROTC, whatever, and how we get them all the way to Swat or canine, you know, to to be our 00;17;15;14 - 00;17;43;01 best. And, I feel like we're impacting the agency and getting a lot of support. And so I'm excited to help be a part of that. So you've seen the culture obviously change and MLB to adopt strength and conditioning. Now you're experiencing that on the tactical side. Do you see a big difference in the culture of how strength and conditioning, sport science, all the different areas you mentioned nutrition, sports medicine, all how all these different areas are being adopted? 00;17;43;03 - 00;18;02;11 Yeah, it just takes a little bit of time and, you know, a lot of lot of sweat equity to, you know, in the beginning, you know, in the beginning times with, with baseball. Right? You didn't you didn't have as many people or there are some people on the coaching staff for the nonbelievers. Right. As long as you have some support at the top, it gives you opportunity to kind of, show the value. 00;18;02;13 - 00;18;23;16 Right. And, and how we're going to help impact the agency from, from injury prevention to also to performance and then how how that bleeds into the hitting and ground balls and pitching, you know, everything. And I've watched a huge swing say on the baseball side from from pitching coaches that maybe weren't they don't want to say what not to say. 00;18;23;16 - 00;18;50;20 Not I say as nonbelievers in the beginning, but weren't as adaptive to where that swing over that, say, 20 year period to where they're they're almost your biggest advocate. They they apply the most science right to, to to things to where we gain traction and show them, hey, the value of it to where as the front office started adding people in and, and over time, now you see a huge shift in culture, say, and baseball all the way from the D.R., all the way through the big leagues. 00;18;50;20 - 00;19;15;14 Right. And so I'm, I see the same thing here. You have people here who, who teach the skills. Right? You have shooting skills and jujitsu or defensive tactics and all those different things. And we want to impact the coaching staff to say, hey, here's ways that we can help your skill acquisition, right? To getting people more mobile, right, to get people in a better condition and doesn't, you know, have to be, say, marathon runners or bodybuilders and all those type of things we do. 00;19;15;15 - 00;19;32;18 You have to be in just enough shape to to do the job. And this is a tough job. When they go to trainings, they're out there for six, eight, ten, sometimes the 12 hour shifts, right. So when you're preparing people to do things for 12 hours, you know, you have to be able to dissect that a little bit. 00;19;32;20 - 00;19;52;28 And they got a hard they got a hard job, they got a hard job with a lot of liability. And so we want to make sure that, you know, you know, the number one thing that affects any kind of skill or division decision making is fatigue. And we have to make sure people are ready to do their job so that they're always making good decisions from hour one to hour 12. 00;19;53;00 - 00;20;10;09 You know, that that that's that's the approach. And so I'm just fortunate enough to, to get a chance to see people do something really well. Like I see it on the baseball side, when you get to watch baseball played at a high level for a long time, you get to appreciate a lot of little things. And then I've got a chance to watch people who are really good at their job here. 00;20;10;12 - 00;20;29;16 Show me the right, I guess, the right way to go about, you know, say, policing and law enforcement and how to from a from a skill side of it. And now we're able to to add the all the things that we've done on the sports side of it into this side. So from from a sports medicine side to, to the, you know, conditioning and strength conditioning side. 00;20;29;16 - 00;20;51;03 So now adding some tech. Right. So we're adding in. So we have a full assessments here. We you know we you know we do all smoke screens and movement screens and different things that people you know didn't really think about in 2005 and six and seven, you know, back in the day. And now to where we have, you know, the on base you and this and that and TBI and you have every single kind of, assessment possible. 00;20;51;03 - 00;21;05;16 Well, we're bringing some of those things here, right? We have to get people assessed. We have to get, we're using the body, we're using some tech, we're using some pressure mats. We're going to be adding in some some stuff involved and or some force playing some different things. And, you know, there's a lot of hitting drills that apply to shooting skills, right? 00;21;05;16 - 00;21;23;06 You teach things from the ground up and, and we're showing the value of that because people get better. So, you know, and people need to see the numbers. Right? You want to make change, right? They need to see the body numbers. They need to see some of the, some of FMS numbers. They need to see those things because you just talk about it. 00;21;23;06 - 00;21;43;05 Right. It's you know, they can't really understand it. But when they see it it's like, hey, holy cow. We're actually, you know, I'm actually getting better at some of these things. So it's been fun to watch. Yeah. Sounds sounds exciting. And you talk about the tech before we were talking about job creation and how that's really allowed you to build programs everywhere you've been. 00;21;43;05 - 00;22;05;08 But when I hear that, I'm like, hey, you're going to your leadership and you're asking them for money. Essentially, you're saying, hey, we need money to hire a strength coach or hire an athletic trainer or to purchase this technology. What's your approach going back on what you said you have, you're believers, you're nonbelievers. When you're going to somebody in a leadership position saying, hey, we need budget for this. 00;22;05;11 - 00;22;27;14 They may not be on board. How do you how do you navigate that process? I think over my years of learning how to get to. Yes, and to be patient and and to pick and choose your spots. I think I think when you're a young, trained coach, you don't know when to ask and not ask. So I've learned, like when you lose ten games in a row, you don't go ask for anything. 00;22;27;17 - 00;22;40;26 You mean you went on days in a row and everybody's happy, right? You got you learn how to pick your spots. And I think, you know, those are some of the things that the that I've learned around here. So like when you know, hey, we know we're down X amount of deputies. Right. So don't be asking for things. 00;22;40;26 - 00;22;58;10 Right. And then all of a sudden, you know, when things are moving at full speed around here and things are going well, like know you learn how to pick your, pick your spots. So you learn how to get to. Yes. And then and part of that is, You know, I've learned, you know, in baseball, you have a union. 00;22;58;12 - 00;23;13;13 So I guess you learn that you're only even at your best. You're about to do about 75% of the stuff you really want to do, right? Because there's unions and rules and guidelines and legal stuff and all these other things. So no one ever gets so hope. So. If anyone out there watching, you never have to get 100% of what you want. 00;23;13;14 - 00;23;24;09 If you do that, go in your own business, right? If you want to do everything you want to do, when you want to do it, and how you want to do it right then and there. But if you're going to be working for another organization or going to be in a team environment, you're never going to get everything you want. 00;23;24;09 - 00;23;43;12 So you got to pick and choose, figure out what you think on your list of things is the most important thing that day, right? And ask for those things, at the right time. And we've been lucky enough here to now get some federal dollars. And we are building a performance center, and we are, you know, building and getting a dedicated space. 00;23;43;12 - 00;24;03;18 Right? Because right now I'm in the Joint Operations building, right? I'm going to have a housing human performance, a building. We're in that process. We got some federal dollars, we got some state dollars, we have some county dollars that, we're we're now building a building, right. You know, here. And we have five satellite locations in and around the county or the county, 700mi². 00;24;03;20 - 00;24;27;17 And how we're able to, to do some of those things. And so we found the right time. We built some success. We got some people from an adoption standpoint that want to do these things, from a sweat equity standpoint. And now we're on the other end of this to where, you know, we put the time and and we're being rewarded with, you know, our, our sheriff and our leadership and, and, that, that want to make sure we have a dedicated space to train up to train our deputies. 00;24;27;19 - 00;24;53;27 Right. Not to, and to help impact the agency. So I'm really excited about that, that we're moving in that direction. And they want to build an add on. That's huge man. It's cool to see departments grow. And I think back when you were the president of the PBSCCS, Professional Baseball Strength and Conditioning Coaches Society, and you've really had to be an advocate for strength and conditioning through your whole career. 00;24;53;27 - 00;25;15;27 It goes back to what you said on job creation, and it's it's exciting for me to hear that and just see your involvement. Over the years you've been a presenter, you've been an award winner. What's the NSCA meant to you at different career stages? Well, I want to still say that I moved from the president of the PBSCCS to the administrative director. 00;25;15;27 - 00;25;32;27 I've not left that aspect of the game from the education standpoint. Listen, we all have to give back in certain ways, right? And, you know, and I'm fortunate enough to that the board with the PBSCCS allows me to be a part of, say, the trade show and to be part of what we're going to be doing another webinar here soon. 00;25;33;00 - 00;25;48;07 I think people out there need to know that you need to give your time back and a lot of it's going to be in the form of education and time and talks like this. And so along with that, yes. You know, I still like coming to the, to the, I don't wanna keep screwing up like that. 00;25;48;07 - 00;26;09;26 Kind of. Right. So the NSCA and then just you being let me be a part of this is this is huge. Right? But, I want to just make sure that, you know, that I'm taking the time to, you know, help out people just like Connors and Bridgman and different people. And then, you know, like, obviously one day, like this, this program, the sheriff is, you know, given their time and opportunity to to me, to where I like to give back to some of these things. 00;26;09;26 - 00;26;34;18 Right. And, and go and just, hey, I'm gonna tell you right now that I was going to agree with the way I do things, that it's okay to go out there and be judged by your peers a little bit. I think some people get nervous about that. We all are in the beginning part of our career, and now you get to a certain point to where, you know, I'm okay because some of the things I'm talking about, I'm doing good at and some I'm not doing as good, but hopefully someone in the room can be constructive enough to say, hey, hey, man, here's a better way to do it instead of just kind of beating 00;26;34;18 - 00;26;51;22 you down. And I've been on both ends of that, but I'm not as worried about that anymore. And and I'm okay to. Hey, here's what I got. Here's what we're doing. Help me make it better. Be constructive on that, and then I'll come to you and to other people. Well, through the NSCA. And you got a lot of good people in this tactical space. 00;26;51;22 - 00;27;11;25 And they've been very welcoming. This is the more welcoming they are. So you want to say the sports out of it. And what a great community. And everyone everyone wants to help it get better. And so I, I'm very, very, very appreciative of that. And, so that that's the community with from the NSCA. They've been they've been great. 00;27;11;27 - 00;27;34;20 Yeah. Your willingness to be open to share what you do, even if it's the the best thing out there, or maybe it's something you're still working on. I love that that comes through. If someone wants to reach out and get some of that advice from you, what's the best way for them to do that? Yeah, just as just, you know, I guess if you I don't know if you can put the email up on the screen, but email's the best, way to get Ahold of me. 00;27;34;20 - 00;27;52;24 I do try to reply to all of them. And hopefully, you can just take a little tidbit from here because everyone should put their own flavor on some things. You know, we all take some tidbits from each other, and hopefully you can kind of process some of the things that we're doing here and about, I'm always willing to help because I know other agencies. 00;27;52;24 - 00;28;15;27 Now we're starting to in the state of Florida, right? We have 68 counties, and I hope all 68 counties at some point, they are hiring a strength conditioning coach, and to help all their programs, to help all these deputies. What a much needed, job. Like a lot of job satisfaction and helping these people. Yeah, it's it's really exciting to hear job creation is the name of the game we care about. 00;28;15;27 - 00;28;38;28 Creating opportunities for coaches to move through the field like we have. And that's that's something that comes through on your baseball background through the PBSCCS. This is cool that this was a, baseball episode, but it was also a tactical episode. We don't always cross those two areas in this. In the same, episode here on the podcast. 00;28;38;28 - 00;28;59;02 So I think it speaks to the fact that you can move through different areas of the field, and our skill set is valuable, our knowledge is valuable, and we can take that with us when we have a new career opportunity or something that interests, so I think that's a really positive, encouraging messages for our listeners. Matt, thanks so much for being on today. 00;28;59;04 - 00;29;16;00 Yeah. Thank you. Hey, Eric. Appreciate it. Appreciate your friendship. I think I got a chance to meet two more people today. You know, that that are that are in the background there. So, any time and then I'm also going to be at the speaking at the tactical. Just let everyone know that I'll be speaking at the, tactical conference come August. 00;29;16;02 - 00;29;41;01 I love it. Yeah, absolutely. Thanks, everybody, for tuning in today. Great episode. We talk tactical baseball, strength and conditioning. Matt has a ton of information and knowledge experience with the NSCA. He's a great contact so we'll put his information into the show. Notes. Also a special thanks to Sorinex Exercise Equipment. We appreciate their support. This was the NSCAs Coaching Podcast. 00;29;41;09 - 00;30;01;03 The National Strength and Conditioning Association was founded in 1978 by strength and conditioning coaches to share information and resources and help advance the profession, serving coaches for over 40 years. The NSCAs be trusted source for strength and conditioning professionals. Be sure to join us next time.

Today we meet former United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant Josh Porthouse. We'll learn about his out-of-the norm experiences as a person deployed to a combat zone as well as personal experiences of a unique kind in his travels around the world.Our library of shows can be found at www.veteranscornerradio.comJoin us on Facebook at the page Veterans Corner RadioYou can contact our host Joe Muhlberger at joseph.muhlberger@gmail.com

Ryan Byrne is the founder of Cashflow Capital Club and a multifamily operator specializing in operational value-add acquisitions and ground-up development of A-Class senior communities. After serving in the United States Marine Corps and working in Wall Street Mergers and Acquisitions, Ryan transitioned into real estate as a passive investor before becoming an operator. His team has completed 15 value-add acquisitions, actively manages 1,500 units, has 1,200 units in development, and partners with over 200 investors across markets including Dallas, Charleston, Savannah, and Orlando. Ryan joined Rod's Warrior Group in 2025.   Here's some of the topics we covered:   Ryan Byrne's journey from the Marine Corps and Wall Street to multifamily real estate How joining the right network accelerated partnerships and deal opportunities Landing a 145 unit value add deal after underwriting more than 300 properties Raising millions from friends and family by sharing opportunities instead of chasing investors Conservative underwriting strategies that protect deals when everything goes wrong Scaling from one acquisition to 1,500 units through systems, partnerships, and vertical integration Why Ryan is betting big on senior housing development and the future of the asset class   If you'd like to apply to the warrior program and do deals with other rockstars in this business: Text crush to 72345 and we'll be speaking soon.   For more about Rod and his real estate investing journey go to www.rodkhleif.com  

Send us Fan MailWaco Hoover is an entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience in venture capital, M&A, entertainment, media and live events.He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1997-2001 as an infantry Marine, combat water survival instructor and infantry scout. He served several deployments across Southeast Asia.After separation from the military, Hoover graduated from New York University, cum laude and completed Harvard Business School executive education programs. He then became an entrepreneur and investor who now has over 18 years of experience in venture capital, M&A, entertainment, media and live events.He is currently Chair of the Be The One initiative for the American Legion. He is also a co-owner of Veteran Entertainment Television, advisor to Founders Factory, a London based venture capital firm, Managing Partner at Xperiential Group, and serves on the board of Irreverent Warriors, a non-profit preventing veteran suicide. He has advised global brands including MGM Resorts, Informa, Vivendi, and Las Vegas Sands Corp. He was a co-founder and investor in businesses sold to Informa, Emerald, Endeavor Business Media and Onstream Media.Hoover speaks at industry events including VenuesNow, PTTOW!, CEMA, The American Legion, Military Influencer Conference, SXSW, Pollstar, TSE 100, Society for Independent Show Organizers, National Sports Forum and XLIVE.He lives in Southern California with his wife, son and two yellow labs, Tucker and Winnie. In his spare time, he enjoys surfing, diving, and mountaineering as often as possible. He is a member of The American Legion and recently hosted the Be the One Symposium at the 104th American Legion National Convention in Charlotte.-Podcast Chapters:00:00 The impact of VetTix events06:52 Purpose-driven profitability and social impact08:35 Importance of mission-based assessments14:43 Landing an Internship in France17:57 Addressing Veteran Suicide Rates18:48 Launching MCON for military support23:34 Building for Long-term Success27:17 Reflecting on fatherhood and service28:29 Reflecting on family and parenting31:19 Discovering Stoicism and Key Books35:36 Leadership advice and billboard location-Quote to open episodes:“Failure shows us the way – by showing us what isn't the way.”– Ryan Holiday from The Obstacle is the Way-Mentioned in the episode:Scott Huesing - Episode 127 appearanceJason Galui - Episode 125 appearanceMCONVet TixIMPCT Group-Waco's Resources:Website: https://impctgroup.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/waco-hoover-3928a014/ MCON: https://mcon.live/-Podcast Summary:Podcast Summary: Passing The Torch — Waco HooverThe conversation focused on the personal and professional journey of a United States Marine Corps veteran, now CEO and founder of IMPCT Group, and co-founder and partner of MCON. The episode explored key life transitions, organizational impact in the veteran community, and the importance of fostering meaningful connections.Key Themes and Discussions⬛ Family and FatherhoodA key theme that emerged was the importance of family, particularly the joys and challenges of fatherhood. Experiences as a parent to two young boys were described as deeply fulfilling, emphasizing the value of being present for family and children's formative years. The discussion explored how personal upbringing and a father's military experience influenced approaches to parenting and personal growth 25:52–29:41.⬛ Veteran Wellness and Social ConnectionThe discussion explored the results of a recent study conducted with Vet Tix, highlighting how event tickets for veterans (such as concerts or sports) are less about the event itself and more about fostering connections and a sense of belonging. Several points were raised, including the significant improvements measured: a 70% increase in wellness and 86% improvement in family bonds, demonstrating that social connection is a crucial driver of veteran wellness 02:52–04:21.⬛ Purpose-Driven Impact and the Role of IMPCT GroupOne concept discussed was the idea of “purpose-driven profitability” and how businesses can achieve both financial and social returns by embedding purpose into their core operations. The episode delved into how Impact Group works with organizations to create strategies that generate economic opportunities for the military community, aiming to unlock $1 billion in economic opportunity by 2035 06:52–08:34.⬛ MCON: Creating Community and Celebrating Military ServiceThe conversation detailed the creation and growth of MCON, a large-scale event designed to celebrate military culture, facilitate healing, and combat isolation. The motivation for MCON stemmed from a perceived lack of large-scale, celebratory events within the military community similar to those in other industries. The festival's goal is to both celebrate positive aspects of military service and provide resources and support for those in need 16:11–20:16.⬛ Leadership and Personal Development InfluencesThe discussion explored the influence of books such as The Obstacle Is the Way and the Daily Dad newsletter by Ryan Holiday. These works informed perspectives on overcoming adversity, showing up for family, and the ongoing question of personal development: “Who are you becoming?” 25:24–33:13.⬛ Community, Collaboration, and LegacySeveral points were raised regarding the need for greater collaboration and efficiency among organizations serving the veteran community, especially as funding becomes scarcer. The conversation closed with reflections on legacy, leadership advice (“take an interest in others”), and the ongoing goal to connect with other mission-driven leaders 36:33.Overall, the episode offered both practical insights and reflections on leadership, family, the veteran experience, and the power of collective action to foster thriving, resilient communities.Support the showConnect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartinMore Amazing Stories:Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You InsecureEpisode 81: Kurt Warner – Perseverance, Humility, and Lighting the Way Episode 90: Michelle 'MACE' Curran – How to Turn Fear into Fuel------------© 2026 TORCH LEAP®, LLC. All rights reserved.

In Episode 303 of Combat Vet Vision, host Aaron Q. Seibert and the Combat Vet Vision team welcome Sherman Watson Jr., a husband, father, United States Marine Corps veteran, three-time Purple Heart recipient, community leader, and veteran advocate.This conversation focuses on combat service, transition, housing stability, education, peer support, community leadership, and the continued mission to serve after the uniform comes off.Takeaways:The podcast serves as a platform dedicated to supporting veterans, their families, and advocates, fostering a strong community.We aim to provide invaluable knowledge and resources for veterans transitioning into civilian life, enhancing their pathways to success.Engagement in this community is essential; it allows veterans to connect and share experiences, ultimately aiding their recovery journey.National University offers educational programs tailored for veterans, ensuring they have access to higher education and vocational training opportunities.LinksSherman Watson Jr.LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherman-watson-jr-41537717National University Los Angeles Veteran and Military Community Centerhttps://www.nu.edu/locations/southerncalifornia/los-angeles/Sherman Watson Jr. National University Email - swatson2@nu.eduCO-HOSTAaron Q. SeibertLinktree - https://linktr.ee/aqseibertFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/aqseibertEmail - aqseibert@yahoo.comCO-HOSTChef James L. “JB” Brown, AACVeterans Transition Resource Center - https://vtrc.usPRODUCERBrian ColburnLinktree - https://linktr.ee/BcolburnSitch Radio - https://sitchradio.com

This week's guest is an absolute warrior who has logged over thirty professional MMA fights, served his country in the United States Marine Corps, and went on an absolute tear in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to capture the World Bantamweight Title.  Whether he's trading bare-knuckle shots in the Squared Circle or reflecting on life outside the ring, he's as real and authentic as they come.   We get into everything from life in the Marines, managing a career in mma and bare knuckle boxing, and the reality of men's mental health.  Today, we welcome Keith "The Rockstar" Richardson to the show.  Check it out!   We also get into Mike's thought on heaven, a strange tradition in Scott's neighborhood, some weird dreams, and a recent show Scott performed on. A great week.  Have a listen!

Marine Corps veteran Keith Johnson served as an electronics surveillance operator during the Vietnam era, intercepting Russian military communications from a highly classified communications center in Morocco. Assigned to 2nd Radio Battalion, Keith monitored the Russian Black Sea Fleet while working inside a facility containing sensitive military intelligence, classified messages, and enormous quantities of explosives.But Keith's Marine Corps story didn't begin at boot camp…It began with a brutal childhood in Chicago.At only six years old, Keith sat in a courtroom and testified against the stepfather who had violently beaten his mother. He grew up surrounded by alcoholism, abuse, street violence, broken trust, and moments that would remain burned into his memory for the rest of his life.And somehow… he refused to let any of it destroy what was good in him.In today's Urban Valor episode, Keith shares how he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, became a squad leader during boot camp, stood against violent “blanket parties,” and discovered that real leadership wasn't always about using more force.Sometimes, strength meant protecting the person everyone else wanted to punish.Keith later became a Marine Corps electronics surveillance operator with a top-secret security clearance. While many of his friends received orders to Vietnam, Keith was sent to North Africa, where he helped process sensitive military communications and intercept activity from the Russian Black Sea Fleet during the Cold War.His stories range from the deadly serious…To a care package filled with popcorn and mold-covered pepperoni that somehow became a feast for an entire barracks.Yeah… this interview takes a few turns.Keith also opens up about heartbreak, anger, faith, suicidal thoughts, brotherhood, and the deeper reason he believes he was prevented from going to Vietnam.Today, he continues serving others through prison ministry, Bible studies, veteran organizations, scholarships, military funerals, and support for people who feel like society has left them behind.This isn't simply a Marine Corps story.It's a story about surviving violence without becoming consumed by it…Leading without abandoning people…Finding purpose after pain…And learning that sometimes the hardest person to save is yourself.

Marcus Aurelius Anderson sits down with Ed Hinman, Marine infantry officer veteran, public figure protection specialist, historian, and author of The Barbarian in You. Ed shares how his time at the Naval Academy, deployments across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa, and a pivotal reckoning with ego and identity led him to build a life around three core principles: vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Drawing on history, philosophy, and hard experience, Ed makes the case that living a full life is not about optimization — it's about reconnecting with the most primal, truest parts of yourself. The conversation weaves through the creative life, the craft of writing, the mentorship of Steven Pressfield, the wisdom of Montaigne, Emerson, and Marcus Aurelius, and the courage it takes to follow what resonates rather than what looks good on paper. Episode Highlights: 1:54 - Ed and Marcus discuss the mentorship of Steven Pressfield and the discipline required to show up for the creative life 29:44 - Ed introduces his three-part philosophy of vigor, wonder, and fellowship as a framework rooted in how pre-civilized humans actually lived 49:23 - Ed recounts his Marine Corps career, the ego-driven disappointment of deployments that went nowhere, and how psychosomatic pain forced him to ask what he actually wanted 58:58 - Ed and Marcus explore the idea of listening to intuition over empirical evidence, following resonance rather than a prescribed path, and why the barbarian in you is the truest version of yourself Ed Hinman served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps, graduating from the Naval Academy and deploying five times across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Africa before earning a master's degree in history and building a career in public figure protection with Gavin de Becker's firm. He is the author of The Barbarian in You and the founder of the Barbarian in You blog, where he writes about history, strength, friendship, and the philosophy of living with vigor, wonder, and fellowship. Visit barbarianinyou.com to find Ed's book, blog, and writings. Follow him on Instagram at ed_hinman. Learn more about the gift of Adversity and my mission to help my fellow humans create a better world by heading to www.marcusaureliusanderson.com. There you can take action by joining my ANV inner circle to get exclusive content and information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the official VIC 4 VETS Honor Roll, highlighting our Honored Veterans SUBMITTED BY: The Soldiers Memorial Archives St. Louis, MO JOHN WILLIAM WRIGHT Lance Corporal United States Marine Corp Company K, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division VIETNAM Born: 11-10-1946 Died: 09-02-1967 Died of artillery/rocket wounds in Quang Tri, South Vietnam; Served as a machine gunner; Awarded ★ Purple Heart ★ Combat Action Ribbon ★ National Defense Service Medal ★ Vietnam Campaign Medal ★ Vietnam Service Medal ★ Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation ★ Vietnam Gallantry Cross Parents were Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Wright; John William Wright is buried at Valhalla Cemetery located at 7600 St. Charles Rock Road, St. Louis, MO 63133 John William Wright was serving his country during the Vietnam War when he gave his all in the line of duty. He had enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Wright had the rank of Lance Corporal. His military occupation or specialty was Machine Gunner. He was born on 10 November 1946. According to our records Missouri was his home or enlistment state and St Louis county has been included within the archival record. We have St Louis listed as his city. During his service in the Vietnam War, Marine Corps Lance Corporal Wright experienced a traumatic event which ultimately resulted in loss of life on 2 September 1967. Recorded circumstances attributed to: Hostile, died of wounds, Artillery, rocket, or mortar. Incident location: Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. ________________________________________________________________ Today's VIC 4 VETS Honor Roll Inductee, Honored Veteran on NewsTalkSTL.With support from our friends at: Alamo Military Collectables, Gemini Wealth Group H.E.R.O.E.S. CARE, Inc. Michel's Funeral Home and Freddie's Market See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. What really happens when police officers respond to the dead? Television crime dramas make death investigations appear clean, methodical, and wrapped up within an hour. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. Retired Aurora, Colorado Police Sergeant Graham Dunne says the reality couldn't be further from the truth. The Podcast is available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartradio and most major podcast platforms. #LawEnforcementTalk #Free #Podcast #Radio Behind every suspicious death, unattended death, apparent suicide, or homicide scene is a police officer forced to witness things that most people will never experience. Some cases become murder investigations. Others reveal tragic accidents or natural causes. But every one leaves an impression. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin. During an unforgettable interview on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, Dunne shares stories from nearly three decades in policing, including bizarre and disturbing death investigations that continue to stay with him years after retirement. Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. The conversation is available on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and most other major podcast platforms, where audiences continue discovering firsthand accounts from those who have lived the realities behind the badge. A Career Unlike Many Police Officers Dunne retired after 27 years with the Aurora Police Department in Colorado. Before becoming a police officer, he served in the United States Marine Corps. His law enforcement career would eventually include assignments as a patrol officer, SWAT operator, SWAT sniper, firearms instructor, academy instructor, field training officer, patrol supervisor, and Colorado POST subject matter expert. The episode is available across major platforms including their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, with highlights shared across their Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. He also chaired Colorado's POST curriculum committee, helping shape the training of future law enforcement officers across the state. His distinguished career earned him the Police Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, multiple lifesaving awards, and numerous commendations for bravery and leadership. Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. Yet despite his impressive résumé, Dunne says some of the most unforgettable moments didn't happen during SWAT operations or gunfights. They happened while standing over the dead. Available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube and most major Podcast networks. Odd Death Investigations in Police Work Are More Common Than People Think As a patrol supervisor, Dunne estimates he investigated approximately 400 death scenes throughout his career. Some were expected. Many were not. Some initially appeared suspicious before detectives determined no crime had occurred. Others looked routine until evidence revealed a homicide. "Every death scene tells a story," Dunne explains. "But sometimes that story isn't what anyone expected." One investigation involved an unusual homicide connected to an individual living a voluntary sexual bondage lifestyle, a case unlike anything most officers will ever encounter. Dunne discusses how investigators must set aside personal opinions and focus entirely on evidence, facts, and professionalism regardless of the circumstances surrounding a victim's death. Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. The Podcast is available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, iHeartradio and most major podcast platforms. The Reality Most People Never Hear About Television rarely prepares viewers for what officers actually experience inside homes, apartments, hotel rooms, or abandoned buildings. Death changes everything. The sights. The smells. The silence. Even the body's natural biological processes continue after life ends. Dunne candidly explains that officers frequently encounter postmortem bodily functions that surprise even seasoned investigators. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast continues bringing listeners real conversations from the front lines of crime, policing, trauma, survival, and healing. "It's something nobody prepares you for," he says. Those realities become just another part of the job. But only on the surface. "They Steal a Part of Your Humanity" After hundreds of death investigations, Dunne believes every officer pays an emotional price. Some scenes involve elderly people who died alone. Others involve children. Some involve violent crime. Others simply reveal heartbreaking loneliness. "You don't walk away unchanged," Dunne says. "Those scenes steal a part of your humanity." It's a sentiment familiar to many first responders. The public often remembers the dramatic arrests and high-speed pursuits. Police officers remember the faces. The families. The smells that unexpectedly return years later. The quiet moments standing beside someone whose story has just ended. From SWAT Sniper to Patrol Sergeant Although death investigations left a lasting impact, they represented only one chapter of Dunne's remarkable career. Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. He spent eight years on the Aurora Police Department SWAT Team as both an operator and sniper, worked countless violent crime investigations, responded to officer-involved shootings, pursued dangerous suspects, and trained generations of officers. Supporting articles about this and much more from Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast in platforms like Medium , Blogspot and Linkedin. Following retirement, he founded Ragnar Tactical, providing firearms instruction, tactical medicine, active shooter response training, and executive protection education for law enforcement, military personnel, and civilians. He also serves as an expert witness involving firearms, edged weapons, and self-defense cases. The Book: The Jagged Blue Line Many of Dunne's experiences are chronicled in his acclaimed Book, The Jagged Blue Line. Rather than presenting Hollywood versions of policing, the memoir delivers authentic stories from a career spent chasing violent offenders, investigating bizarre deaths, surviving lawsuits, responding to shootings, engaging in high-speed pursuits, and witnessing humanity at both its best and worst. As Dunne writes, police officers assigned to large cities are given "a ticket to the greatest show on earth." Sometimes those stories are exciting. Sometimes tragic. Sometimes unbelievable. Often they're stranger than fiction. Readers quickly discover why The Jagged Blue Line has resonated with both law enforcement professionals and civilians interested in understanding what life behind the badge is truly like. Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. The episode is available across major platforms including their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, with highlights shared across their Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn profiles. Why These Stories Matter The public rarely sees what happens after emergency vehicles leave. Death investigations aren't simply evidence collection. They're emotional experiences carried by police officers long after reports are completed. Dunne hopes sharing these stories helps bridge the gap between communities and the officers sworn to protect them. His interview offers an honest, sometimes humorous, and often sobering look at the hidden realities of policing that most people never witness. For anyone interested in Odd Death Investigations In Police Work, the experiences of a retired Aurora Colorado Cop, or the compelling stories found in The Jagged Blue Line, this episode provides an unforgettable look inside one of America's most demanding professions. Listen to the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast on their website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and most major podcast platforms. You can hear Graham Dunne explain why the strangest calls aren't always the most dangerous, but they are often the hardest to forget. Find a wide variety of great podcasts online at The Podcast Zone Facebook Page , look for the one with the bright green logo. Be sure to check out our website . Be sure to follow us on X , Instagram , Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin and other social media platforms for the latest episodes and news. Learn and get access to money saving tips and how to increase your net worth at www.LetSavings.com Download the Free Ebook about ways and tips to improve your health. You can get the ebook for free at www.LetHealthy.com Get the Free Clubhouse App, it is Drop In Social Audio. Think of it as your own talk radio show on your phone, and best of all it is free. Be sure to look for me and follow me, that's John J Wiley or @letradioshow you can do all that here. The Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast social media like their Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Medium and other social media platforms. You can contact John J. “Jay” Wiley by email at Jay@letradio.com , or learn more about him on their website . Odd Death Investigations in Police Work: Retired Aurora Colorado Cop Tells All. Attributions Amazon Aurora Colorado Police Facebook Facebook Group Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John Shinholser is a long-time recovery advocate who has been widely recognized for his work in building and operating Recovery Community Organizations, or RCOs. He is co-founder of the McShin foundation, has served in numerous leadership capacities with the Substance Abuse and Addiction Recovery Alliance of Virginia and as a board member of Rubicon, one of Virginias most comprehensive treatment facilities. He has been recognized for his work by the Virginia general assembly, the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, the national nonprofit Faces and Voices of Recovery, and the Caron Foundation. He is also a United States Marine Corps member (ret.) and a person in long-term recovery.   

USS Liberty deniers will say Israel's 1967 attack on the U.S. spy ship was a total accident. Marine Staff Sergeant Bryce Lockwood was on the Liberty and says there's no doubt Israel meant to kill every American on board. (00:00) The Story of the USS Liberty (11:14) What Really Happened During the Attack? (29:14) How Many Americans Were Killed in the Attack? (32:51) When Did Lockwood Realize the Attack Came From the Israelis? (47:25) The People Dismissing the Attack as a Mistake Sgt. Bryce Lockwood is a retired United States Marine Corps veteran and one of the last surviving crew members of the USS Liberty. A Russian linguist and intelligence specialist, he was aboard the virtually unarmed intelligence ship when it was attacked by Israeli forces on June 8, 1967, during the Six-Day War. Despite suffering severe burns, he displayed extraordinary heroism by rescuing three trapped sailors from flooded compartments below deck, earning the Silver Star for gallantry and the Purple Heart for his wounds. He later served in Vietnam and retired as a Gunnery Sergeant. Paid partnerships with:Defend: Enter code "Tucker" for 20% off your purchase at https://defendcellcam.com Preborn: America celebrates its 250th birthday, help provide ultrasounds dial #250 and say keyword "BABY" or visit https://preborn.com/TUCKER American Financing: NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.327% for well qualified borrowers. Call 800-685-5696 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/Tucker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The title United States Marine is earned…never given. For over 250 years the Marine Corps has been front and center in the defense of America and our allies. But as technology and the battlefield have changed, the character and standard that define a Marine have never wavered.From the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA, Fran Racioppi sat down with Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th senior enlisted leader of the United States Marine Corps, to discuss what it takes to serve in one of the world's most respected fighting forces.Drawing on decades of service, SMMC Ruiz explains why the Marine Corps' greatest weapon system has never been its aircraft, landing craft or tanks, but the individual Marine. We explore how the Corps develops leaders by instilling discipline, accountability, resilience, and a deep understanding of the history and traditions that connect today's Marines to generations who came before them.Our conversation also examines how the Marine Corps is preparing for today's battlefield from large-scale combat operations and force modernization to their role in littoral defense. The SMMC also shares his top priorities; improving quality of life for every Marine, investing in the physical and mental readiness of the Corps and preparing Marines for civilian life when the uniform comes off. From strengthening partnerships with industry, to building programs to train Marines in the trades, SMMC Ruiz remains as dedicated to the Marines whose service is ending as those who are getting off the bus. America has changed a lot in 250 years, but the unabashed mission of the United States Marine Corps to fight and win our nation's wars has not.A special thanks to the National Museum of the Marine Corps for hosting our conversation and reminding every American that for Marines “Uncommon Valor Is A Common Virtue.”HIGHLIGHTS0:00 Introduction2:18 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast2:54 What It Means To Be A US Marine7:04 Marine Corps Standard10:04 Combat Readiness15:41 Shifting from GWOT20:00 Marine Corps Culture26:24 Replacing the ASVAB30:11 Recruiting Marines34:38 Retaining Marines38:02 Transitioning Marines1:00:44 Barracks 20301:05:53 Daily HabitsQUOTES“What makes the Marines great is your brother or sister next to you will pick you up and you'll keep moving forward.”“The promise is that we will make you better.”“You'll get an 80% solution that you can pivot anywhere.”“What are we going to put in the Marines' hands?”“They're not pieces of furniture.”“Why not invest in the human in the beginning?”“The Marine Corps will decide.”“What kind of Marine are you building that is going to be talented and capable enough to arrive at the same moment that the technology is coming?”“You can't sell the Marine Corps. It's too big.”“Reinlisting Marines two years at a time is how we're gaining retention.”“We can help transition Marines better.”“We're good enough to keep what we want. We should be good enough to take care of the other ones as well.”“That's how you grow. Doing hard things.”“We're done trying to defend why the conditions are the way they are.”“You can't have beautiful, fancy, state-of-the-art gear and a crappy place to sleep.”“If you can attempt to every day get to know somebody a little better, you can only move your platoon standard to higher levels because people trust you.” The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.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.

What can distribution warehouse operators learn from the Roman Empire and United States Marine Corps? More than you might think, says Will Quinn, aka The Distribution Guy®.  Jason caught up with Will to discuss the evolution of modern warehouse functionality and pragmatic strategies for improving company performance at the ground-level––from receiving and slotting to picking and packing. Will also shares insights from his latest book, Modern Warehouse Management: Steel-Toed Leadership That Drives Performance, a must-read field guide for distribution center leaders, warehouse managers, and frontline supervisors. CONNECT WITH JASON LinkedIn CONNECT WITH WILL The Distribution Guy® LinkedIn *** For full show notes and services visit: https://www.distributionteam.com Distribution Talk is produced by The Distribution Team, a consulting services firm dedicated to helping wholesale distribution clients remove barriers to profitability, generate wealth, and achieve personal goals.    This episode was edited by The Creative Impostor Studios Special thanks to our sponsors for this episode: Moblico, INxSQL, and Profit2

In Episode 252, I sit down with Thomas, a First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, to discuss his remarkable journey through military service and leadership.Beginning his career as an infantry rifleman, Thomas served in security forces, led Marines as a squad leader, worked as a marksmanship instructor at Parris Island, deployed to Iraq and Okinawa, earned his bachelor's degree while serving on active duty, and was ultimately selected for the Marine Corps' Enlisted Commissioning Program.In this conversation, we explore the realities of military leadership, the discipline required to succeed under pressure, the transition from enlisted Marine to officer, and the lessons that apply far beyond the military.Whether you're interested in leadership, personal development, military service, or building a career through hard work and perseverance, this episode offers an inside look at what it truly means to earn the title of Marine leader.

What is Marine Corps boot camp really like?In this special episode of Commercially Speaking, Bo Barron sits down with his son, Ben, just nine days after graduating from United States Marine Corps boot camp, to talk about what really happened during those 13 weeks.From arriving at the famous yellow footprints to the mental and physical challenges of training, Ben shares what surprised him most, the moments he wanted to quit, and how boot camp changed him.Bo also reflects on his own Marine Corps experience and what it was like watching his son leave for the same journey decades later.Along the way, they discuss:Why Ben chose the Marines instead of a traditional college pathThe biggest lessons from boot campHow Marine training builds confidence and resilienceWhat parents should know if their child is considering military serviceThe truth about Marine Corps cultureLife after boot camp and what's next in Marine Combat Training (MCT)Whether you're considering military service, raising teenagers, or simply interested in stories of discipline, leadership, and personal growth, this conversation offers an honest look inside one of the toughest training programs in the world.Thanks To Our Sponsors

It has been a bit more than six years since then Commandant of the Marine Corps, General David Berger, USMC, initiated what became known as Force Design 2030 (now just known as Force Design). What followed was a controversial change to the structure of the United States Marine Corps intended to address the challenge posed by the People's Republic of China in the western Pacific.Now more than halfway to the original 2030 target, and informed by events from Ukraine and Southwest Asia since 2020, both long-standing critics of the design and other voices are readdressing the changes—and the critique—to see if it remains the right path.Joining the Midrats Podcast is General Anthony Zinni, USMC (Ret.).SummaryIn this episode, retired General Anthony Zinny discusses the evolution of Marine Corps force design, its strategic implications, and the importance of a flexible, well-analyzed approach to military modernization.Show LinksGeneral Anthony Zinni, USMC (Ret.) full bioForce Design 2030Marine leaders drop ‘2030' from name of ambitious overhaul planUSMC Force Design Update from 2023The Marines Must Think Bigger Than Small Units, Real Clear Defense, December 09, 2025, Anthony Zinni & Jerry McAbee , Timothy WellsMore funding for the wrong programs won't fix the Marine Corps, Washington Times, July 10, 2025, by Gen. Charles Krulak and Gen. Anthony ZinniOn the Future of the Marine Corps: Assessing Force Design 2030, CSIS, May 16, 2022What is the role of the Marine Corps in today's global security environment?, Task & Purpose, Apr 19, 2022, Anthony ZinniGeneral Anthony Zinni (ret.) on Wargaming Iraq, Millennium Challenge, and Competition, CIMSEC, October 18, 2021, by Mie Augier and Major Sean F. X. BarrettUSNA lecture: The Obligation to tell the truthChapters00:00: Introduction to Force Design 203003:28: General Zinni's Perspective on Force Design17:33: Critique of Current Military Strategy24:08: Cultural Dynamics within the Marine Corps32:25: Logistics and Equipment Considerations35:40: Strategic Military Logistics38:01: Challenges in the Strait of Hormuz40:37: Marine Corps Littoral Regiments43:21: Logistics and Mobility in Modern Warfare46:49: Lessons from Military History: The 70s and 90s49:11: Innovation in Military Strategy52:32: The Importance of a Structured Development Process56:14: Future Threats and Military PreparednessGeneral Zinni's record of 35 years of service in uniform covers the breadth of service from the Vietnam War to his tour as Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) from 1997 to 2000. Following his retirement from active duty, General Zinni continued to serve in senior diplomatic roles, including as the U.S. Special Envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority (2001–2003) and later as Special Envoy to Qatar (2017–2019). He is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestsellers Battle Ready (with Tom Clancy) and The Battle for Peace, as well as Leading the Charge and Before the First Shots Are Fired. Additionally, he continues working in academic positions and as a speaker on geopolitics, ethical leadership, and America's role in the world.

Colonel Davis's career spanned several decades which included deployment to Operation Desert Storm, as well as his involvement with war fighting capabilities as an officer assigned with Systems Command.Our library of shows can be found at www.veteranscornerradio.comJoin us on Facebook at the page Veterans Corner RadioYou can contact our host Joe Muhlberger at joseph.muhlberger@gmail.com

In this episode of Mind Your Fitness, Shira takes the lead as her and Enjie discuss various eye opening topics. Enjie shares her experiences surrounding challenges while serving in the military, learning to find the right balance between performance and wellbeing, the journey of transitioning out of active duty, finding a new mindset around movement, and so much more.  Enjely "Enjie" Mora is the owner and founder of Enriched Mind Nutrition Services. As a Registered Dietitian (RD) and Certified Sports Nutritionist, she brings her unique experience of serving in the United States Marine Corps while learning to balance fueling her body for optimal performance and a healthy relationship with food in challenging circumstances. This journey led her to build a strong connection between food, body, and exercise, and help others navigate their own paths to enhanced performance and well-being.

What happens when a Marine veteran steps into a room and completely changes the energy without saying much at all?That's exactly why I wanted you to meet Gil Rosado Jr.Gil spent nearly two decades serving in the United States Marine Corps before building a reputation as a respected leader, mentor, and advocate for helping others discover what's possible beyond their current circumstances. Today, he continues to impact lives through leadership, service, and a relentless commitment to creating opportunities for people around him.But this episode isn't about a résumé.It's about the mindset, character, discipline, and perspective that shaped the man behind the title.There were several moments during this conversation that made me stop and think, “More people need to hear this.”Whether you're a leader, entrepreneur, veteran, business owner, or simply someone looking for clarity on your next step, you'll find yourself leaning in as Gil shares the experiences that shaped his journey and the lessons that continue to guide him today.Some people command attention because they're loud.Others command attention because they've earned it.Gil is the second kind.Watch the full episode and discover why.Subscribe for more conversations with extraordinary people who are making an impact through leadership, service, purpose, and authenticity.#TheVibePodcast #KellyCardenas #Leadership #MarineVeteran #Veterans #PersonalGrowth #LeadershipDevelopment #PurposeDrivenLife #SuccessMindset #VeteranLeadership

Risk looks different depending on where you're standing.In Episode 936 (Jason Kaminsky & 2026 The Solar Risk Assessment), we explored risk through the lens of data, operations, and asset performance.Today's episode looks at it through the eyes of someone who spent four decades preparing organizations for uncertainty, disruption, and worst-case scenarios.General Robert Neller served as the 37th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, leading one of the world's most respected organizations through an era of rapid technological change, evolving threats, and global instability.In this conversation, General Neller joins Nico to discuss how great leaders think about risk before it becomes a crisis, why resilience is more than a buzzword, and what the energy industry can learn from organizations that operate where failure is not an option.Along the way, the conversation explores cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, energy resilience, military innovation, entrepreneurship, and the leadership principles that matter when the stakes are high.Expect to learn:

He survived combat in Afghanistan. Then a freak accident in Las Vegas nearly took his head off. Everything changed after that.Episode 114 of The Wild Chaos Podcast features Andrew Coville, a United States Marine Corps veteran and longtime Cape Cod police officer whose life changed in seconds during a 2025 Las Vegas vacation.To watch this episode in studio, visit: https://youtu.be/gJjiA0HxBU4While walking the Las Vegas Strip, a construction trailer towing a large street sign detached without warning. The trailer broke loose and the sign slammed into Andrew, nearly decapitating him and leaving him with devastating facial trauma and a traumatic brain injury.We talk about Operation Khanjar, the shift from firefights to IED warfare, loosing his best friend Nick in Afghanistan and carries the kind of survivor's guilt that can quietly steer your entire life and the whiplash of flying home from a war zone to stand at a coffin draped in an American flag. Andrew shares what it's like to return to Afghanistan after the funeral, why compartmentalizing works in the moment but costs you later, and how a single letter and a valor award helped pull him out of a post-service spiral.In this episode we talk through:• Andrew's Marine Corps deployment to Helmand Province• Operation Khanjar and combat in Afghanistan• Losing his best friend Nick during deployment• Survivor's guilt and post combat identity• Police work on Cape Cod and crisis negotiation• The 2025 Las Vegas accident that nearly killed him• Severe facial trauma and traumatic brain injury recovery• Losing his law enforcement career overnight• His book Somewhere in Between• Honoring Nick's legacy through documentary work and storytellingThis conversation is about trauma, identity, grief, survival, and rebuilding when life changes in an instant.Learn more about Andrew Coville's story at AndrewCoville.com. His book Somewhere in Between gives a raw, honest look at combat, loss, identity after the uniform, and rebuilding after trauma. If this episode resonates with you, his story goes even deeper there.If you know someone navigating loss, injury, or life after service, share this episode.

A new ceasefire and 60-day extension! PCE numbers are out – somehow inflation cooling. More government handouts – stocks rally in the news. This week’s guest: Wesley Gray – Founder, Alpha Architect.   NEW! DOWNLOAD THIS EPISODE’S AI GENERATED SHOW NOTES (Guest Segment) Wes Gray – After serving as a Captain in the United States Marine Corps, Dr. Gray earned an MBA and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago where he studied under Nobel Prize Winner Eugene Fama. Next, Wes took an academic job in his wife's hometown of Philadelphia and worked as a finance professor at Drexel University. Dr. Gray's interest in bridging the research gap between academia and industry led him to found Alpha Architect, an asset management firm dedicated to an impact mission of empowering investors through education. He is a contributor to multiple industry publications and regularly speaks to professional investor groups across the country. Wes has published multiple academic papers and four books, including Embedded (Naval Institute Press, 2009), Quantitative Value (Wiley, 2012), DIY Financial Advisor (Wiley, 2015), and Quantitative Momentum (Wiley, 2016). Dr. Gray currently resides in Palmas Del Mar. Puerto Rico with his wife and three children. Follow @alphaarchitect Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Follow @andrewhorowitz Looking for style diversification? More information on the TDI Managed Growth Strategy – HERE Stocks mentioned in this episode: (SPY), (RKLB), (DELL), (INTC)

What do you do when the role that defined you disappears?Many people struggle with mental health challenges not just because of trauma, stress, or anxiety—but because they've lost a sense of identity and purpose. In this episode of Normalize The Conversation, host Francesca Reicherter sits down with Jeremy Stalnecker to explore how identity, purpose, and hope shape our mental wellbeing.Jeremy shares his personal journey transitioning from the United States Marine Corps into civilian life—and the unexpected emotional struggle that followed. After leaving a career that gave him structure, mission, and identity, he found himself wrestling with the same questions many people face after major life changes: Who am I without this role? Where do I fit now? Why am I here?Together, Francesca and Jeremy unpack how identity loss can impact mental health—from military transition to career shifts, life changes, and even the pressure young adults face when figuring out who they want to become.This conversation explores:Why identity loss can feel like hopelessnessThe difference between who you are and what you doHow purpose can create resilience during difficult seasonsWhy negative environments (including social media) shape our self-perceptionHow community, mentors, and self-reflection help us rediscover meaningJeremy also shares practical ways to begin reconnecting with your sense of purpose—from identifying your strengths to asking meaningful questions about what motivates and energizes you.If you've ever felt lost, uncertain about your future, or disconnected from your sense of purpose, this episode offers a compassionate and grounded perspective on how to move forward. Because mental health isn't just about managing thoughts—it's also about finding meaning in the life you're living.

Marine Recon veteran Rob Blanton sits down with Urban Valor to share one of the wildest, funniest, and most honest Marine Corps stories we've ever had on the channel. From growing up in Santa Rosa, California, to joining the United States Marine Corps almost by accident, to becoming a Force Recon Marine.Rob served in the Marine Corps from 1993 to 2014, retiring as a Master Sergeant. In this interview, he walks us through the chaos of joining the Marines on the buddy program, getting stuck on open contract, becoming an 0311 infantryman, earning his way into Force Recon, and eventually deploying into some of the most intense moments of modern military history.

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back for the May 18 Daily Drop, and this one goes everywhere—from bayonet charges and Indo-Pacific deterrence… to carrier deployments, combat rescue upgrades, shady investigations, and why artificial intelligence still can't replace grit.The United States Army is bringing bayonet assaults back to Ranger School, the USS Gerald R. Ford returns from an 11-month combat deployment, the United States Marine Corps is rehearsing island seizures across the Philippines, and the United States Air Force is finally buying new combat rescue radios after real-world recoveries proved the old gear isn't enough.Then Peaches goes off-script—breaking down the Monica Witt manhunt, telling a brutally honest OSI story, reacting to a midair collision in Idaho, praising the United States Coast Guard for making admirals take PT tests first, and calling out the Pentagon's chances of ever passing a clean audit.Bottom line: technology matters… but purpose, leadership, and people willing to keep going still win. ⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 Purpose Over Motivation 01:00 Tasty Gains & San Diego OTS 02:00 Bayonets Return to Ranger School 03:30 Why Air Defense Suddenly Matters 04:45 Indo-Pacific Burden Sharing 05:30 4,000 Soldiers Not Going to Poland 06:30 Army's Smart Scope vs Drones 07:20 USS Gerald R. Ford Returns After 11 Months 09:15 Long Deployments & Family Reintegration 10:15 Navy's Future Carrier Delayed 11:00 Navy Recruiting Through Gaming 12:00 Marines Prepare to Seize Islands 14:00 Air Force Finally Buys New Rescue Radios 16:00 Why Combat Rescue Was an Afterthought 17:30 Monica Witt and the $200K Bounty 18:30 Peaches Goes Off on OSI 23:00 GAO Calls Out Air Force Readiness 24:00 Idaho Midair Collision 25:30 United States Space Force Wants Longer Tours 27:00 Coast Guard Makes Admirals PT First 29:00 Three Cocaine Boats in One Day 30:00 Pete Hegseth Reviews Pentagon Legal System 31:30 Why the Pentagon Will Never Pass Audit 33:00 Donald Trump vs Iran 34:00 Strait of Hormuz Is Heating Up 35:00 Xi Jinping Warns the U.S. 36:00 Russia's Massive Drone Barrage 37:00 Final Thoughts

Send us Fan MailPiper hosts Plaidcast in Person in front of a live audience at the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, Connecticut with Patricia E. Kelly of Ebony Horsewomen, Inc. Brought to you by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.Host: Piper Klemm, publisher of The Plaid HorseGuest: Patricia E. Kelly is the Founder, President, and CEO of Ebony Horsewomen, Inc. (EHI), a Hartford, Connecticut-based non-profit equestrian and therapeutic center developed and directed by African American female equestrians whose mission is to encourage and empower inner city youth toward positive and successful lives through horses. Under Patricia's leadership, the Ebony Horsewomen Inc. has grown from a local organization to the national level with members across the United States. Patricia is also a United States Marine Corps veteran, a certified Urban Riding Specialist Instructor, a Master Urban Riding Instructor, a Certified Equine Husbandry Instructor, and a certified Equine Assisted Psychotherapy Horse Specialist.Subscribe To: The Plaid Horse MagazineTitle Sponsor: Taylor, Harris Insurance ServicesSponsor: Sentinel, Mojo Joint and Chewy Join us at an upcoming Plaidcast in Person event!

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back for the May 14 Daily Drop—and today's brief hits everything from tragedy in Morocco to artificial intelligence saving aircraft in live combat.The United States Army confirms recovery of both soldiers lost off the Moroccan coast, the United States Navy admits it could literally run out of operational money by July, and the United States Marine Corps is now forcing service-wide AI training. Then it gets wild—Air Force Special Operations Command says an AI tool is actively saving aircraft during Operation Epic Fury, General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper losses are stacking up, a Northrop T-38 Talon goes down in Alabama, and Russia just launched 800 drones across Ukraine in one day.Peaches keeps it blunt: AI is no longer “coming”—it's already in the fight… and if America doesn't speed up, other countries aren't waiting.Bottom line: the future battlefield is already here… and it's moving fast.⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Locked In on Tasty Gains 02:00 Final Recovery in Morocco 05:00 4,000 Soldiers Not Going to Poland 07:00 Border Mission Gets a New Boss 09:00 Indo-Pacific Air Defense Matters 12:00 USS Ford Finally Comes Home 14:00 Navy Could Run Out of Money?! 17:00 Marines Get Mandatory AI Training 20:00 San Diego, Pennsylvania & OTS Updates 23:00 Air Force Special Operations Command Says AI Is Saving Aircraft 27:00 MQ-9 Fleet Takes Heavy Losses 30:00 Northrop T-38 Talon Crash in Alabama 33:00 United States Space Command Plans Orbital Warfare 36:00 New Arctic Cutters Are Coming 39:00 10,000 Containerized Missiles?! 42:00 Donald Trump Meets Xi Jinping 45:00 Israel Shifts Back to Gaza 48:00 Russia Launches 800 Drones 51:00 UK Finally Shows Up in Hormuz 53:00 Final Thought—Adapt or Get Left Behind

War changes people.In this episode of Urban Valor, Marine veteran Shawn Reed shares his story growing up in violent neighborhoods in St. Louis, joining the United States Marine Corps, fighting in Iraq during the height of the war, surviving brutal combat, and dealing with the aftermath that followed so many Marines home.