Colonel (r) Max Krupp will be the first to tell you he doesn’t tell war stories — you have to pull them out of him. Over 28 years he became the first Texas Army National Guardsman in history to earn the Green Beret, wore a Bronze Star with Valor for a single day in Kandahar Province that by rights should have killed him and the Afghan company he was advising, and was on the Army’s fast track to general — then walked away from all of it to raise cattle in Texas. This is the full conversation: the kid nobody bet on who did the hardest thing on offer every single time, then chose the quiet work.

▶ Watch the full conversation on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nsg0OY-8RhY

Retired U.S. Army Colonel Max Krupp sits down with The Vanguard Wall for a full-length interview spanning 28 years of service: enlisting in the New Mexico Army National Guard at 17, Ranger School, Long Range Surveillance, and becoming the first Texas Army National Guardsman to earn the Green Beret and Special Forces tab. He walks through a 13-month Afghanistan deployment as a combat advisor embedded with an Afghan National Army company, the day in Kandahar Province that earned him a Bronze Star with Valor, the Special Forces Q Course and SERE school, commanding the only airborne infantry battalion in the Texas National Guard, and why he traded a general’s track for a one-man cattle ranch raising black Angus beef. A rare, honest veteran story about leadership, service, and the quiet work after the uniform comes off.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Cold open
2:22 Meet Max Krupp
4:36 Growing up on the El Paso border
16:03 Where the military got in his blood
19:44 Military school in Roswell
26:00 Enlisting in the National Guard at 17
40:58 Long Range Surveillance & G Company
1:07:33 Ranger School
1:17:13 The Army kills the LRS program
1:38:52 Afghanistan: the advise-and-assist mission
1:44:08 Riding with the 82nd Airborne
2:13:27 The day in Kandahar
2:26:00 Aftermath, medevac & the Apache pilots
3:05:52 The Green Beret Q Course
3:11:09 SERE school
3:46:14 ODA life: the Guam jump mission
4:34:04 Walking away from a general's star
5:19:02 Raising the beef: grass vs. grain
5:56:48 Inside the cattle business
6:28:24 Leadership: the best and the worst
6:45:11 His kids, and the through line

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The Marine Corps turned him down at eighteen. Twenty-four years later, CSM (Ret.) Donald "Mac" McAlister retired at the very top of the enlisted ranks — a Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart, with five combat tours behind him: two in Iraq, three in Afghanistan.

This is one of the most honest conversations we've ever recorded. Mac takes us from a self-described "heathen redneck" childhood in Hammond, Louisiana to carrying caskets at Arlington with The Old Guard — where he learned the lesson that made him: "none of the honors are for you; they're for the family." From the invasion of Iraq and the 82nd's biggest firefight since WWII, to October 8th, 2003 — the roadside bomb that nearly killed him, and the medical retirement he refused so he could fight his way back to war. Into the Arghandab, the valley no army in history ever held, and the men he lost pieces of himself beside. And through all of it, the demons he still carries — and the wife and daughters who saved his life.

A warrior, a philosopher, and a wild card — metalhead, horror-film actor, and one of the few senior leaders of his generation still reaching back to the soldiers who once feared him and now line up to hug him.

Follow Mac: Instagram @don_mcalister_aka_mac

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00:00 Cold Open
0:04:17 Meet CSM "Mac" McAlister
0:04:40 Growing Up a "Heathen Redneck" in Hammond, Louisiana
0:07:50 The Father Who Rode a Kid's Bike 15 Miles to Work
0:09:52 Expelled — and the Lesson That Made Him
0:15:24 Metallica, Metal, and Music as Therapy
0:22:49 The Warrior Bloodline — and an Uncle Lost to War
0:25:45 Suicide, Reframed
0:44:44 Basic, Airborne School & the Road to the Old Guard
0:45:35 The Old Guard — Carrying Caskets at Arlington
1:00:33 "The Funeral Isn't for the Soldier"
1:22:49 The Colonial Musket That Blew Apart
1:34:57 Hawaii and the 25th Infantry
1:59:53 9/11, Re-Enlisting for the 82nd, and Going to War
2:16:44 As Samawah — the 82nd's Biggest Firefight Since WWII
2:33:03 "I Think They're Shooting at Us"
2:52:54 Clearing the City
3:29:03 The Metallica Hat They Found in Iraq
3:32:23 October 8, 2003 — the Day That Changed Everything
3:47:21 The Photo He Posts Every October 8th
4:14:16 Coming Home — Reunited With His Unit
4:30:00 Rules of Engagement and Real Leadership
5:00:45 Into the Arghandab — the Valley No Army Could Hold
5:20:50 98 IEDs, 11 Amputees, One Company
5:50:55 Losing SSG Brunkhorst
6:27:27 Leadership Lessons Forged in Combat
7:00:00 Retirement and the Hardest Transition
7:11:06 The Intervention That Saved His Life
7:22:13 Diane — 33 Years, and the Family That Saved Him
7:27:01 His Daughters, His Grandbaby & Who He Is Now

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#82ndAirborne #CombatVeteran #Army #MilitaryPodcast #Afghanistan

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Chris McCoy served in the 75th Ranger Regiment alongside Pat Tillman and speaks plainly to the cover-up of how Tillman died. He recovered bodies inside the Pentagon after 9/11, fought through the high mountains of Afghanistan, then walked off the battlefield and onto a Bering Sea crab boat — one of the deadliest jobs on Earth. He returns to The Vanguard Wall for Part 2: the war stories he’s never told, the modern face of drone combat almost no one understands, and what it actually costs to come home.

His first appearance became the most-watched episode this show has ever released. This one goes further.

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/S5H_9VieDH0

CHAPTERS
00:00 Chris Is Back — The Most-Viral Guest Returns
08:06 Recognized in the Wild — Life After the First Episode
22:06 The Pentagon After 9/11 — 28 Days at the Hole
36:22 He Stood Next to Pat Tillman
43:13 The Truth About the Cover-Up
1:09:40 Mourning Their Own — What Really Happened in the Platoon
1:24:29 Winter Strike 2003 — Sent Into the High Mountains
1:43:51 Living at Altitude — The Body Breaks Down
1:53:20 Honoring the Ones Who Didn’t Come Home
2:09:07 The First Time He Got Shot At
2:19:04 John Owens — The Hardest Man He Ever Served With
2:49:01 Do We Even Need Navy SEALs? — Redundancy in Special Ops
3:06:21 An E-4 Ranger vs. SEAL Team Six — The Warlord Capture
3:24:48 The Car Bomb — When the CNS Burns Out
3:36:32 The Book “Unseen Worlds” — Why He Wrote It
3:50:10 What a Team Actually Costs the Men In It
4:06:49 Onto a Bering Sea Crab Boat — The Deadliest Job on Earth
4:53:04 The High Seas, the Money, and the Men Who Break
5:05:20 Things You Only See at Sea — The Jellyfish Bloom
5:27:38 Becoming a Master of the Craft — Competitive Shooting
5:58:58 Six Years Inside a Drone Program — The Department of War
6:10:53 The $400 Drone That Kills a Tank — Where War Is Headed
6:27:01 Leadership, Recovery, and Coming Home
6:43:26 Why He Keeps Telling These Stories

🔗 More from Chris McCoy
📖 Book — “Unseen Worlds” (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H7Z6JMWP
🌐 Website: https://chrismccoyauthor.com
📰 Substack: https://chrismccoyauthor.substack.com
📸 Instagram: @rok275

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Director William Kaufman brings Man of War to The Vanguard Wall — a grounded military action thriller set on the opening morning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, starring LaMonica Garrett and out now on digital via Well Go USA.

LaMonica Garrett (1883, The Lioness, The Terminal List) plays Connor, a burned-out ex-operator at the lowest point of his life when a girl he's spent years protecting calls from a Kharkiv orphanage — the morning the invasion begins. Kaufman co-wrote the film, shot it in Bulgaria with a crew he calls family, and cast real Ukrainian refugees in key roles, including a woman with an actual drone-strike scar on her face. Jason Patric reprises their collaboration from Shrapnel as Connor's ex-CIA handler. Andrew Howard (Limitless) plays Danny Sudhakov, a Ukrainian fixer and the film's moral center.

Kaufman’s thesis, stated publicly and repeated in this episode: “This is not a political movie. We’re not picking sides. We don’t have a political agenda. This is a movie about people caught in the middle of war. War is ugly. It’s a monster. It eats up everything.” The film carries that through with a dual-perspective script — Connor and Danny hold opposite views on the conflict by design — and with a level of gear authenticity (Lead Devil Belts, tech adviser Max Krausz) that veteran audiences will clock in the first five minutes. Kaufman is a U.S. Army Cavalry Scout veteran and Christian filmmaker who has never lived in Los Angeles.

This is Kaufman’s fourteenth feature. He’s the director behind Sinners and Saints, The Hit List, Shrapnel, The Channel, and Osiris — twenty years of work built outside Hollywood, with crews rooted in New Orleans and Sofia, Bulgaria. The press track record speaks: “Kaufman creates taut suspense and dynamic action” (Variety), “Absolutely riveting” (HFPA), “Kaufman’s movie stands out because he doesn’t miss a beat” (RogerEbert.com). Man of War is out now on digital. Watch it on Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/man-of-war/umc.cmc.j9guu91a0zqhlj5w8osaf1u9

Follow director William Kaufman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamkaufman_director/

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Seb Lavoie is the most decorated operator most people have never heard of. Over 20 years he went from a French-Canadian kid with no childhood memories to a soldier, a covert air marshal, an ERT tactical operator and team leader, a court-recognized tactical expert, and the Divisional Sergeant Major over 8,200 people — then pride cost him his leg, and faith rebuilt him.

Hostage rescues, the Surrey Six gang murders, an explosive breach gone catastrophically wrong, the cost on his family, rock bottom, and the conversion that changed everything. The Vanguard Wall’s first RCMP guest and first international guest.

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wyy01D7FYT8

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction
00:09:00 Why He Can’t Remember His Childhood
00:14:30 Growing Up French-Only in 1970s Quebec
00:19:57 Bruce Lee on a Black-and-White TV
00:23:19 From Kung Fu and Muay Thai to BJJ
00:29:36 Becoming the Bully: Juvie and a Path of Destruction
00:33:13 The Roadside Moment That Pointed Him to Policing
00:39:38 Bouncing, Labor Disputes, and the Quebec Biker Wars
00:43:59 Weekend Infantry Basic with the Van Doos
00:50:13 Why He Left the Military for Policing
00:55:25 Inside the RCMP: Canada’s National Force
01:02:45 Depot: One Academy, Paramilitary From Day One
01:17:04 Posted to Tofino Speaking No English
01:29:12 Combatives Training and the Cop He Chose to Be
01:41:50 First Time Things Went Bad on the Street
01:48:38 The Parking-Lot Talk Before a Bar Fight, Outnumbered
02:04:54 Complacency, the 501st Stop, and Soft Shifts
02:22:16 Where He Was on 9/11 and What Changed
02:27:47 Going Covert: The Air Marshal Years
02:38:06 Chasing ERT: Canada’s SWAT
02:51:17 ERT Selection and the Training Pipeline
03:01:44 First ERT Call: A Machete and Two Hostages
03:13:47 Becoming a Breacher: Explosive Entry
03:24:39 Six Executed: The Surrey Investigation
03:49:20 Maritime Tactical Ops: Taking Down a Boat
04:03:32 Stepping Up to Element Leader
04:19:30 Leaving the Team: The Cost on the Family
04:31:11 Divisional Sergeant Major for All of BC
04:39:56 Leadership Dilemmas and Delivering Bad News
05:00:09 The Decision to Retire
05:07:35 Compartment Syndrome to a Below-the-Knee Amputation
05:17:45 Finding Faith Later in Life
05:26:26 The Moment That Changed Everything
06:00:46 The Roots of Orthodox Christianity
06:23:05 Building Raven Strategik
06:35:56 Final Word: The Power of Discernment

🔗 Connect with Seb Lavoie
🌐 Raven Strategik: https://ravenstrategik.ca
📚 Books — Raven Praxis Press: https://ravenstrategik.ca/raven-praxis-press/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slavccmdr

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Hugh Mills flew the OH-6 “Loach” as a low-level aeroscout in Vietnam — statistically the most dangerous flying job of the war. Shot down 16 times, three Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Purple Hearts. Author of the classic memoir Low Level Hell.

📖 Low Level Hell: https://a.co/d/0glrcnww

CHAPTERS
00:00:00 Introduction — how Greg Coker connected them + “Low Level Hell”
00:02:59 Growing up across the street from Bill Clinton
00:29:49 Officer Candidate School — marching inside a dumpster
00:49:50 He promoted himself with drugstore mercury
00:52:00 Stepping off the plane — what Vietnam smelled like
01:20:23 His first mission at 20 — adjusting live artillery
01:35:49 The minigun and the grease-pencil gunsight
01:47:48 “That’s not Mr. Jones” — the burned pilot
02:07:59 Thunder Road — “orange basketballs” and getting shot down
02:14:36 The “dead” NVA officer and the map case
02:42:48 Capturing an NVA major — the tax collector (Bronze Star)
02:58:25 The Silver Star mission — an AK-47 between his pedals
03:06:00 “Bad Day for the ARPs” — 28 men vs a regiment
03:19:39 Three Purple Hearts — shot through both cheeks
03:31:43 Losing Jim Amy and Jimmy Slater
03:43:43 He landed his helicopter on a sinking plane’s wing
03:55:42 Margaret — the love he found and lost
04:26:44 The A Shau Valley — “the worst place I’ve ever been”
04:51:32 His own rocket blows off his tail rotor
05:10:31 “Where’s your hat?” — “Somewhere in Laos”
05:16:04 The rescue — the blind PJ, “I’m 701”
05:28:32 Third tour and the general — “check your grid”
05:32:51 He attacked an NVA flag from inside North Vietnam
05:46:03 Pony One Six — the name he hid for 30 years
06:03:17 His wife of 52 years
06:15:31 Why none of his pilots ever took their own life
06:21:24 My Lai — the real hero nobody remembers
06:24:54 The OSS medic who saved Ho Chi Minh
06:40:18 “The way I fought a war is gone”

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At Tora Bora in December 2001, Gary Harrington sat on one of the closest American observation posts to Osama bin Laden — close enough, he says, to watch the bombs he was calling in streak past the ridge sideways. Then the war handed him to the CIA, and he spent the next decade hunting the same enemy from the inside.

Harrington is the rare operator who wore the uniform six different ways: Marine Corps infantry officer, Marine Recon, the second officer ever to graduate the Marine Scout Sniper Instructor course, Green Beret 18-Delta Special Forces medic, Delta Force operator (ODA 572 / Task Force Dagger, Bronze Star at Tora Bora), and CIA case officer. Over nearly eight hours, he walks through the entire arc — from a poor childhood in the North Carolina mountains, to the caves of Tora Bora, to the cables of Benghazi — and the night on Black Mountain he says set the course for all of it.

It's a story about war, tradecraft, and the long road home: what the job cost him, the forgiveness it took to come back, and the line he uses for both halves of his life — "I wore wolf's clothing so long, I became the wolf."

In this conversation:
• The 9/11 morning that turned him toward the war — and the climb to the OP above Tora Bora
• Calling in strikes near bin Laden's position, the daisy cutter he says "did nothing," and why he believes the body was hidden
• Nate Chapman, the first American killed in Afghanistan — and the helicopter Harrington was told not to get on
• Standing up firebase Coast: warlords, duffel bags of cash, and the plot to take out Pacha Khan
• Running smugglers in Iraq — and the hidden camera that confirmed Jessica Lynch
• Hugging the Taliban to feel for suicide vests, and a black Toyota he walked away from two minutes before it detonated
• The strike that answered the Camp Chapman bombing
• Reading the Benghazi cables in real time — why he says "that was fire for effect"
• Beirut, 1983: the barracks bombing, and the day he refused a U.S. ambassador's order
• Delta Force selection on a broken compass — forced out on an unjust evaluation, then clawing his way back
• The glowing light on Black Mountain at his lowest moment, and the words he says he heard: "Do not be afraid… I have a purpose for you"
• Faith, forgiveness, meeting his wife Kim, and the mission behind Power Prudence

⏱ CHAPTERS
0:00:00 Welcome & introducing Gary Harrington
0:04:55 The Inner Ring: the drive to belong to the elite
0:07:10 Appalachian poverty, moonshine & a kid written off
0:25:38 The glowing bubble on Black Mountain
0:34:23 "I get paid to work out": becoming a Marine
0:56:59 Into 2nd Recon Battalion
1:09:48 Beirut, 1983: surviving the barracks bombing
1:14:52 Scout sniper instructor & crossing to Army Special Forces
1:36:23 The road to Delta Force selection
1:46:17 Delta selection: the broken compass & "I trained less"
2:02:11 The negligent discharge — the press check he skipped
2:16:00 Kicked out of Delta — & the commander who swore to end him
2:25:21 Clawing his way back into 5th Special Forces Group
2:35:35 Yemen, Ambassador Bodine & the USS Cole report the embassy killed
2:54:43 9/11: the diner, the second plane & turning toward war
3:16:12 Tora Bora: the climb to the OP & bombs flying past sideways
3:28:11 Why Bin Laden's body was hidden — & briefing McChrystal
3:45:03 Coast & Nate Chapman: the first American killed in Afghanistan
4:01:35 Warlords, duffel bags of cash & the plot to kill Pacha Khan
4:24:39 Running smugglers in Iraq: the hidden camera & Jessica Lynch
5:07:56 Hugging the Taliban to feel for vests — disrupting a suicide-bomber cell
5:29:34 A black Toyota, two minutes from death
5:33:19 The strike that answered Camp Chapman: "Predator, party of one"
5:52:07 Reading the Benghazi cables, CIA infighting & betrayal
6:39:39 The reckoning: faith, PTSD & "I became the wolf"
7:18:39 Power Prudence, situational awareness & "we're stained glass"

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Senior Master Sergeant Aaron Love — Air Force Pararescueman, 22 years, five combat deployments — is the first PJ ever on The Vanguard Wall. Fewer than 500 people have earned the maroon beret. The pipeline carries a 91% attrition rate — the longest special operations selection pipeline in the DoD.

In 2002, Aaron quit on a pool deck at Indoc. He'd made it through Hell Night. He said three words to an instructor and walked out. What followed was five years in aerospace physiology, waiting for a cross-training window. At a poker game with PJs, his friend looked him dead in the eye: "What the hell are you doing at this table?" He went home. His wife was feeding their four-week-old daughter. She said: "Put the packet in. But don't come home unless you graduate." He graduated.

In 2019, Aaron was standing four feet from the open door of a C-130 over the Gulf of Mexico when Staff Sergeant Cole Condiff was ripped from the aircraft. He ran dive operations for two days. Side-scan sonar returned two shapes that looked like parachute canopies with a body mass behind them. Divers went down. They were two boulders. Cole Condiff has never been found.

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CHAPTERS:
(0:00) Cold Open: Aaron Love & The Cole Condiff Story
(6:04) Aaron Joins the Show
(8:34) What Is a Pararescueman? (91% Attrition Rate)
(9:51) Growing Up in Barberton, Ohio
(19:01) Ohio State, Factories & Hitting Rock Bottom
(27:57) 9/11: "This Is My Generation's Moment"
(29:05) Discovering Pararescue: The Air Force Recruiter
(35:04) Air Force Basic Training: Lackland AFB
(41:49) PJ Indoc 2002: Day One
(49:22) Hell Night — Extended Training Day
(53:32) "F*** You, I Quit." — The Decision That Cost Five Years
(1:00:43) Reclassified: Aerospace Physiology & HALO Support
(1:06:58) The Poker Game With PJs
(1:09:33) "Pass or Don't Come Home" — His Wife's Ultimatum
(1:13:00) Going Back: The Second Run at Indoc
(1:40:48) Dive School & Earning the Beret
(2:28:42) "The Only Spec Op You Need One Of" — PJ Identity
(3:19:24) Pedro 66: Knowing the Men Who Died
(3:32:45) "I Made the Decision to End My Own Life."
(3:53:30) Konduz: Mike Cathcart & Dignified Transfer
(4:09:00) "We Wrapped Him in the Flag Before His Brothers Walked In"
(4:20:48) Are You Gonna Kill Yourself? I'll Be Awkward.
(5:50:59) The Cole Condiff Stand-Down: Four Feet from the Door
(6:05:30) "Get Me the F*** Out of This Aircraft"
(6:21:42) Two Boulders. Cole Condiff Has Never Been Found.
(6:31:55) Calling the Air Force Out in Front of 200 People
(6:38:12) "I Was Hammered on the Plane Home. I Was Done."
(7:16:00) Sobriety, DMT & Becoming Someone New
(7:56:25) "The Black Pill Is a Lie. Have Hope."

CONNECT WITH AARON LOVE:
Ones Ready Podcast → onesreadypodcast.com

Instagram → @aaronlovesamerica or @onesready

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Marine vet Johnny Raushi joined the Corps at 17 for a free skateboard sticker. Four years later he came home broke, picked up change in a gas station parking lot, and sold his plasma twice a week to fund the first batches of a pomade he was perfecting on his stovetop. That pomade became Johnny Slicks — an 8-figure American manufacturing company employing 30+ people out of a North Carolina facility, fully U.S.-sourced.

Asher and Raushi cover boot camp, the in-unit suicide that happened seconds after he walked away from his armory window, the Accutane spiral that nearly killed him, the six-day phone call with Marine Raider Nick Koumalatsos that turned a kitchen-table pomade into a brand, and his first book "23 Virtues in 23 Days" (Aug 2025).

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CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Welcome
(03:30) Growing Up in NJ and the Poconos
(11:00) Faith, Questions, and the Church
(22:30) The Recruiter and a Sticker
(27:00) Bootcamp and Brotherhood
(37:00) Marrying Rebecca and Camp Lejeune
(41:00) The M9 Pistol Eureka Moment
(51:30) Deploying With BSRF-14 to Romania
(1:02:00) Losing His MOS and Earning It Back
(1:17:00) Suicide in the Ranks
(1:22:30) Knee Injury and Leaving the Corps
(1:41:00) Hair Loss and the First Pomade
(2:00:00) Selling Plasma and Picking Up Change
(2:14:00) Six Days With Nick Koumalatsos
(2:35:00) Hurricane Florence and Moving In With Nick
(2:55:00) Scaling Johnny Slicks
(3:15:00) The Accutane Spiral
(4:00:00) Building an 8-Figure Business
(4:30:00) Leadership and EOS
(5:00:00) Plant Medicine and Healing
(5:45:00) Marriage and Trust
(6:15:00) 23 Virtues in 23 Days
(6:30:00) Closing Thoughts

CONNECT WITH JOHNNY: johnnyslicks.com | IG: @johnnyslicks | @johnnyraushi

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The last C-17 lifted off Kabul's runway at 11:59 PM on August 30, 2021. The man who gave the order — and made the radio call "Math Safe" that officially ended America's longest war — tells the full story for the first time.

Colonel Alex Pelbath (USAF, Ret.) commanded SOUL-2, the only C-17 Special Operations unit in the world, and served as Air Mission Commander for the final flight out of Afghanistan. In this episode, he reveals the moment the Abbey Gate bomb went off, the suspected suicide bomber on his own aircraft, the Taliban press conference that Biden then agreed to, General Milley's coin he handed right back, and the bureaucratic fight that nearly grounded the last flight before it ever left the ground.

Born to a first-generation American family — his grandparents fled communist Hungary through a minefield in 1956, survived a Russian soldier's mercy, and spent a year in an Austrian refugee camp before an airlift brought them to America — Pelbath's story is a 65-year generational arc that ends with him commanding the largest airlift evacuation in modern history.

Over nearly 7 hours, he covers his entire career: growing up with a blind mother on a construction worker's wages, earning a last-minute wrestling scholarship to the Air Force Academy, flying 22 years of C-17 combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, a near-fatal black hole effect landing on NVGs that almost killed his crew, being hand-selected to brief the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, shaping two national defense budgets inside the Pentagon — and the full firsthand account of Kabul: the chaos, the failures of leadership, and the men and women who held it together when the generals couldn't.

Now running for Congress in South Carolina's 1st District, Pelbath explains why the same broken thinking that produced Kabul is still inside the building — and what he intends to do about it.

Follow Alex Pelbath

📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/ap_alexpelbath
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🌐 Website: https://pelbathforcongress.com
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If this episode brought you value, drop a comment below — we'd love to know what you're implementing.

What does it take to fuel the most elite light infantry unit in the U.S. Army — and earn their respect doing it? Dr. Nick Barringer didn't just study performance nutrition, he built the standard for it inside the 75th Ranger Regiment.

Dr. Nick Barringer is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, Bronze Star and Legion of Merit recipient, Ranger-tabbed, airborne-qualified combat veteran, and one of the foremost authorities on tactical performance nutrition in the United States. He holds a PhD in Kinesiology from Texas A&M, co-authored the International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand on Tactical Athlete Nutrition, and spent years embedded with the 75th Ranger Regiment as part of the Ranger Athlete Warrior (RAW) Program — one of the first human performance programs in all of Special Operations. He later served as Program Director for the Army Baylor Graduate Program in Nutrition and as an Assistant Professor at West Point. Most recently, he founded Salvo Gum, a precision-dosed performance caffeinated gum engineered for controlled alertness under pressure.
In this conversation, you'll hear:

Whether you're a tactical athlete, a serious lifter, a first responder, or someone who simply wants to perform at a higher level — this episode will change how you think about fueling your body and protecting your mind.

Follow Nick Barringer:

📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/nickbarringer.PhD.rdn
📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/SALVOgum  use code VANGUARD15 for 15% off

Websites: 
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🌐 www.SALVOgum.com use code VANGUARD15 for 15% off

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0:00 Introduction & Welcome
0:03 Salvo Gum First Impression
0:05 Wrestling, Football & His First Nutrition Hack
0:07 The Clemson Strength Coach Who Changed Everything
0:09 9/11 and the Decision to Join the Military
0:19 The Army Dietician Pipeline & Getting Branched Wrong
0:21 The Paperwork Error That Changed His Life
0:28 First Deployment: Baghdad — Managing Media & Interpreters
0:30 How Rangers Recruited Him From a Combat Hospital
0:33 Airborne School to RASP in One Weekend
0:35 The Sergeant Major's Challenge: "We've Been Fine Without You"
0:36 First Days at Ranger Regiment — No Computer, No Desk
0:47 How He Earned Trust Inside the Regiment
0:49 Ranger School — The Graduation Reality Check
0:50 The RAW Program — Origin Story & Vision
1:03 What Supplements He Actually Pushed to Rangers
1:09 First Deployment With the Rangers — Baghdad Round Two
1:28 Texas A&M PhD — How the Creatine Obsession Started
1:32 Omega-3, DHA, and the Suicide Prevention Research
1:37 Vitamin D, Depression, and the Study He Built at A&M
1:53 Afghanistan Food Study — What He Discovered Shocked Him
1:59 Creatine & Sleep Deprivation — The Cognitive Research
2:06 Creatine Timing, Dosing & the Monohydrate vs HCL Debate
2:07 Creatine Myths — Kidneys, Cramping & What Science Says
2:13 Why He Put His 77-Year-Old Mom on Creatine
2:14 His Personal Supplement

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In August of 1968, Travis W. Mills was shot five times in a single engagement at FOB 4 — the deadliest night in the history of U.S. Army Special Forces. He survived. And then he went back to Vietnam.
A Green Beret who served with one of the most classified units in American military history, Travis Mills sat down with The Vanguard Wall Podcast to document a story that couldn't be told for nearly three decades.
Assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group and then to Military Assistance Command, Vietnam — Studies and Observation Group (MACV-SOG), Travis led small recon teams deep into denied territory along the Ho Chi Minh Trail, conducting cross-border operations into Laos and Cambodia during the most dangerous years of the Vietnam War. After surviving the FOB 4 sapper attack that left 16 Special Forces soldiers dead and over 30 wounded in a single night, he recovered aboard the USS Sanctuary — then returned to Vietnam, not as a patient, but as a leader. He was tasked with building the next generation of warriors, founding and commanding the MACV-SOG Recon Leader School, known as the One-Zero School.
MACV-SOG's existence stayed classified for nearly 29 years. Travis carried that history quietly until 2001, when the unit was finally awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
In this conversation, viewers will hear:

What it was like to serve in a unit whose missions "officially weren't happening"
A first-person account of the FOB 4 sapper attack — 16 SF killed in one night
Why Travis chose to return to Vietnam after being wounded rather than rotate home
The operational structure of MACV-SOG recon teams and the Hatchet Force
What Travis witnessed in Vietnam that still shapes how he thinks about service today
How he and his wife Bobby have stayed married for 62 years
His message to the next generation considering military service

Watch the full episode and subscribe to The Vanguard Wall Podcast to hear more conversations that preserve the history of those who served.

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#MACVSOG #VietnamWar #SpecialForces #GreenBeret #VanguardWallPodcast #VietnamVeteran #MilitaryHistory

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CW2 Kyle Steiner — 173rd Airborne, Korengal Valley combat veteran, and 7th Special Forces Group operator — joins The Vanguard Wall for a full-length documentary-style interview covering combat, resilience, and legacy.

Kyle Steiner was 20 years old when he deployed to Outpost Restrepo in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley, one of the most dangerous places on earth, with Battle Company, 2nd of the 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. During Operation Rock Avalanche, he was called KIA over the radio after being struck in the head during an enemy ambush — and walked away. He later failed Special Forces selection, rebuilt, and crushed it the second time, spending 15 years with 7th Special Forces Group.

Today, weeks from retirement after 20 years of service, Kyle's mission has shifted — to raising sons who will become better men than him, a daughter who will never settle for less than she deserves, and answering the question that drives him: how do you pass on the values forged in combat without the trauma that came with them?

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction & Welcome
00:01:00 Kyle Steiner: The Full Story Read
00:04:27 Kyle Reacts to Hearing His Own Story
00:05:51 Military Brat to Small-Town Wisconsin
00:07:02 The SF Pamphlet That Launched His Dream
00:07:25 His Father's Hard Standards (And Why He's Grateful)
00:09:43 Oldest of Five: Family Dynamics & His Parents' Divorce
00:27:51 The 18X-Ray Program Explained
00:30:00 Basic Training: How He Became the Honor Graduate
00:37:50 Airborne School & the Band of Brothers Moment
00:39:55 SFAS First Attempt: Not Selected, Not Ready
00:54:55 Three Dark Months at Bragg Watching Others Leave
01:06:20 Italy: Assigned to the 173rd Airborne at Vicenza
01:07:39 Scout Platoon Struggles & a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
01:12:20 The Command Team "Punishment" That Built Him
01:30:05 Joining Battle Company & the Road to the Korengal
01:45:00 Flying Into the Korengal Valley
01:51:00 Life at Outpost Restrepo: SAW Gunner, 1,600 Rounds, Daily Firefights
01:57:50 111 Firefights in One Month: September in the Korengal
02:19:20 R&R Leave: Going Home & Choosing to Walk Back Into It
02:21:31 "Combat Is Like Crack": The Adrenaline of War
02:31:30 Sebastian Junger, Tim Hetherington & the Restrepo Documentary
02:58:40 Sal Giunta: Before He Won the Medal of Honor
03:08:30 Operation Rock Avalanche & the First Major Casualties
03:22:27 The Headshot: Called KIA Over the Radio, Woke Up, and Ran
03:43:05 Coming Home to Italy, Meeting Julia & Choosing SFAS Again
04:05:00 SFAS Second Attempt: This Time He Was Ready
04:13:51 The Q Course, Earning the Green Beret & 7th Special Forces Group
05:13:18 Combat Dive School, HALO & the Hardest Schools in the Military
06:07:16 The Harder Fight: Fatherhood, Retirement & the Operator Mindset


Follow Kyle Steiner
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He fought in Fallujah at 21. He carried a diplomatic passport in Moscow. He investigated explosives for the ATF. And then he walked away from all of it — sold his house, pulled his kids out of school, flew to Panama, and bought a sailboat.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Eric Shlevy picks up where the war ended and takes us through every chapter most people never get to hear: embassy life, the State Department, the ATF fugitive task force, and ultimately the decision to sail the world with his wife and two kids for nearly three and a half years.
This episode goes deep into what it actually looks like to rebuild your identity after combat — not through therapy buzzwords, but through action. Through new missions. Through showing your kids that the world is bigger than anyone told them it was.

Eric talks about sailing logistics, homeschooling at sea, marriage on a boat with nowhere to escape, and the moment his daughter started talking about a life in the foreign service — at 16.

He also reflects on the Time Magazine cover, legacy, and what it means to secure your place in history without letting it own you.
This is a rare story. And Eric is a rare man.

If this conversation moved you — share it with someone who needs it. That's the only way this reaches the people it's meant for.

🎙️ Subscribe for new episodes | Support us on Patreon | Merch available now

Follow Eric Shelvy
📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/sailing.altair
🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC3B0cJaRDBXbEMYwppOlAjQ

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On November 22nd, 2004, a photograph appeared on the cover of Time Magazine — a young Marine, 21 years old, face locked in a primal scream in the middle of the push on Fallujah, Iraq. That Marine was Eric Shelvy. And if you think you know where his story goes from there, you're wrong.

Eric grew up in St. Louis — Catholic schools, divorced parents, weekends riding in his father's police cruiser. He was the one kid in his elite Jesuit high school who didn't go to college. He enlisted in the Marines instead, deployed to Iraq twice, and on his second tour led men through house-to-house combat in Fallujah — the heaviest urban fighting since Vietnam.

What happened after is just as remarkable. Embassy duty in Moscow straight out of Fallujah. A posting to The Hague. A reassignment to Kuala Lumpur he didn't want — where he met a Ukrainian ballerina in an expat bar, barely speaking each other's language, and fell in love anyway. He fought embassy bureaucracy to get her a visa, married her, left the Marine Corps, joined the Diplomatic Security Service, became an ATF explosives specialist — and then walked away from all of it. Sold the house, bought a sailboat in Panama, and spent nearly three years crossing the Pacific with his family.

This is Part 1. It's not a war story. It's not a love story. It's a story about a man who has spent his entire life refusing to be put in a box.

Content note: Frank discussion of combat and loss of fellow service members. Documentary and historical context throughout.

Subscribe for Part 2 and follow The Vanguard Wall for more stories from people who have lived it.

Follow Eric Shelvy
📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/sailing.altair
🎥 YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC3B0cJaRDBXbEMYwppOlAjQ

00:00:00 Intro:
00:06:57 St. Louis upbringing: Jesuit school + ride-alongs with a cop dad
00:18:23 Cop father in the streets: learning calm under chaos
00:25:32 The recruiter pitch: choosing infantry over the “normal” path
00:42:56 ASVAB & DEP: signing the papers and committing
00:47:20 Pre-boot jitters: cigarettes, nerves, “what did I do?”
00:49:36 Boot camp reality: receiving platoon + breaking you down
01:01:15 Becoming a Marine: discipline, suffering, brotherhood
01:07:56 To the infantry: Pendleton, forming the team
01:24:39 Landing in Kuwait: first taste of war & the unknown
01:29:30 Rolling north: vehicles, armor, and the invasion machine
01:30:16 Infantry squad anatomy: weapons, roles, how you actually fight
01:51:30 First real contact: RPGs and chaos on the move
01:57:59 First casualty: the moment war becomes real
02:03:30 Coming home changed: leadership and lessons carried forward
02:34:06 Combat mindset & fear: what guys admit after the fact
02:52:19 Promotion & pressure: stepping up as a squad leader
03:03:00 Leadership before the storm: LtCol Malay & “bad dudes in that house”
03:13:42 Quick break: resetting before the Fallujah story
03:14:10 Back to Iraq (Fall 2004): Camp Fallujah, Route Michigan, contractors bridge
03:55:07 Media spotlight: the build-up before entering the city
04:02:19 Photographer Max: living inside the platoon’s fight
04:34:52 Hardest decision in Fallujah: what command really means
04:56:44 The Time cover photo: what the frame didn’t show
04:58:47 When you realized it was on the cover: aftermath of the image

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast 

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Chane Jackson was told he'd never make it past eighth grade. A teacher gave him an "H" on a paper because an F wasn't low enough. He never made honor roll once.Fast forward: West Point graduate. 75th Ranger Regiment. Green Beret commander. Five combat deployments. Over 100 direct action missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Three Bronze Stars. Fluent in Arabic. And he never lost a soldier under his command—never fell back in a firefight. Not once.After retiring, Chane taught himself to code and became Director of Data Science for US Special Operations Command, managing AI systems for 90,000 personnel across 11 commands. Now he's building two businesses—D1 Training in Austin and Game Day Men's Health in Tampa—focused on optimizing human performance.This is a four-hour conversation about struggle, resilience, combat leadership, loss, and what it means to keep pushing forward when everyone says you can't.What we talk about:The childhood that shaped him—single mom, tough neighborhood, academic struggles that almost ended everythingHow a brutal West Point professor taught him the mental toughness that would save his life in combatRanger Regiment and learning what it takes to lead elite soldiersGetting his Green Beret and deploying to Afghanistan with ODA 3325Months of sustained combat in Kajaki—getting shot at on infill, firefights that never seemed to endThe day Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was killed (we covered Greg's story in a seven-part series with ODA 3424)What it's like holding someone's skull together while praying they make it homeLeading through loss while staying mission-focusedTeaching at West Point and mentoring the next generationTransition to tech—teaching himself data science and building AI systems for SOCOMWhy he left the military and started two franchisesD1 Training: athletic performance for youth and adults using cutting-edge technologyGame Day Men's Health: veteran-owned TRT and men's wellness clinic

Full conversation on The Vanguard Wall podcast.
⚔️Follow Chane Jackson

📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/chanesz

D1 Training Center Austin, Texas (owned by Chane)

📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/d1jollyvilletx

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/d1jollyvilletx

Game Day Mens Health Tampa, FL (owned by Chane)

📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/gamedaytempleterrace

📘 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gamedaytempleterrace

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#SpecialForces #GreenBeret #RangerRegiment #Military #Veterans #Leadership #CombatStories #entrepreneurship

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What does it take to go from a self-described "nerdy drama club kid" to leading Green Beret teams in Iraq? And what kind of man walks away from a 20-year Special Forces career to pursue seminary? This is the story of Major Evan Perperis.Evan spent two decades in the US Army — Ranger School, SEER, Pathfinder, Special Forces Qualification Course, and four combat deployments to Iraq and the Middle East. As a Green Beret team leader with 5th Special Forces Group, he trained elite Iraqi Commandos in the heart of the War on Terror. He earned two Bronze Stars and four Meritorious Service Medals.But that's only half the story.When he wasn't downrange, Evan was running 24-hour obstacle course races, climbing the height of Mount Everest with obstacles for charity (raising over $25,000 for wounded warriors), competing as a professional OCR athlete with 100+ podium finishes, and authoring 10+ books on fitness and combatives.Then he made a decision that shocked everyone: he walked away from the military to become a Greek Orthodox priest.In this conversation, we cover:

His childhood and the moment 9/11 changed everything
Six months in Ranger School and refusing to quit
Leading platoons and ODAs in combat
The emotional toll of deployment on family
His extreme endurance challenges and athletic career
Why he chose Orthodoxy and the priesthood
Balancing warrior mentality with faith

This is a conversation about sacrifice, perseverance, faith, and what it means to truly live a life of purpose.

Follow Evan Perperis:

🌐 Website: www.UltraOCRman.com
📘 Facebook: www.facebook.com/ultraocrman
📸 Instagram: www.Instagram.com/ultraOCRman
💪 Patreon: www.patreon.com/GreekCombatives
📚 Books: www.TeamStrengthSpeed.com
📖 Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Evan-Perperis/author/B07R1R2J4B

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Major Evan Perperis served 20 years in the US Army as a Special Forces officer with 5th Special Forces Group, completing Ranger School, SEER, Pathfinder, and the Special Forces Qualification Course. With four combat deployments to Iraq and the Middle East, two Bronze Stars, and four Meritorious Service Medals, Evan led Green Beret teams training elite Iraqi Commandos during the War on Terror. Beyond military service, he competed as a professional obstacle course racer with over 100 podium finishes, authored more than 10 books on fitness and combatives, and raised over $25,000 for wounded warriors through extreme endurance challenges. After two decades of service, Evan made the extraordinary decision to pursue seminary and become a Greek Orthodox priest. This conversation explores his journey from combat to faith, the sacrifices of military life, the emotional toll of deployment on family, and what it means to live a life of true purpose. Follow Evan's journey at www.UltraOCRman.com and find his books at www.TeamStrengthSpeed.com.

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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🔥 This is the story Hollywood doesn't want you to hear.

Cody Bobay went from being an alcoholic 13-year-old in a broken home to encountering God in a Navy barracks—and his entire life changed in ONE SECOND. Now he's fighting to take back Hollywood one film at a time.
From nuclear warfare missions to battling depression, from marriage crisis to standing up against church criticism, from devastating rejection to launching a studio that refuses to bow to Hollywood's agenda—this conversation goes DEEP.
If you're struggling with:

Pornography addiction
Depression or suicidal thoughts
Marriage problems
Feeling like a failure
Finding your purpose
Being a better father
Fighting for biblical masculinity

This episode is for you.



📍 CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 - Introduction: From Broken Home to Warrior
00:15:32 - Age 13: First Drink, Alcoholism & Chasing Acceptance
00:30:45 - The Dark Reality: Cheating, Fighting & Hating Himself
00:46:18 - Rock Bottom: Screaming at God in a Navy Barracks
00:51:03 - The Encounter: How God Changed Everything in One Moment
01:08:47 - Nuclear Warfare: Life on the E-6B Mercury Platform
01:28:15 - SERE School: Breaking His Neck & Cold Water Torture
01:42:33 - Blue Jacket of the Year: God Whispers the Answer
01:54:20 - Meeting His Wife: No Sex Until Marriage After That Past
02:08:44 - Year 7 Crisis: "You're Having an Emotional Affair with Work"
02:22:10 - Why Christian Men Stay Fat & Addicted (The Brutal Truth)
02:38:52 - Writing 700 Devotionals While Fighting Depression
02:51:16 - God's Call to Acting: "Would You Follow Me Into the Ocean?"
03:04:39 - Hollywood Rejection: 10 Final Callbacks, Zero Callbacks Back
03:18:24 - Fighting on Film: Breaking His Neck in the Ogden River
03:29:47 - Pastors Tried to Cancel Him: "You'll Never Speak Without Seminary"
03:44:11 - The Pornography Conversation Church Won't Have
03:58:35 - Raising Kids in Hollywood: Steak & Sex Dates with His Son
04:12:18 - I68 Studios: Taking Back Hollywood Without Asking Permission
04:26:40 - Final Word: Here I Am, Send Me

🎯 FOLLOW Cody Bobby:
Instagram: @codybobay
Website: www.codybobay.com

Soulçon
Instagram: @soulconseries
Website: www.soulcon.com

I68 Studios
Instagram: @i68studios
Patreon
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#CodyBobay #ChristianMasculinity #HollywoodTransformation #NavyVeteran #SoulConWarrior #BiblicalManhood #MarriageAdvice #Fatherhood #ActionFilms #I68Studios #OvercomingAddiction #MentalHealthRecovery #FaithJourney #MilitaryStories



Navy veteran Cody Bobay discusses his military service, personal faith transformation, 19-year marriage, parenting philosophy, and career transitions into writing, speaking, and acting. Topics include military experiences, mental health, masculinity, family relationships, and creative pursuits. Long-form conversation covering service, personal growth, and life purpose. Interview by The Vanguard Wall podcast featuring veterans and their transformation stories.

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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What do you do when you've lost everything—your family, your future, your will to live? For Matt Kuiper, founder of Desert Plunge, the answer came in the form of 38-degree water. This is the story of a man who went from two DUIs and jail time to building one of the fastest-growing cold plunge companies in America—and how he discovered that our darkest moments can become our greatest purpose.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
4:00 - Early Childhood & Christian Reform Upbringing
15:10 - First Antidepressants at 15
17:20 - First Drink: "I Cannot Wait to Do This Again"
30:50 - First DUI at 16, Second at 21
37:40 - The Day I Almost Died: 220 BPM Heart Rate
47:30 - Green Oaks Ranch: 6-Month Rehab
53:00 - Meeting My Wife in Rehab
1:09:00 - Relapse: Wife Kicks Me Out
1:17:00 - Rock Bottom & 90 Meetings in 90 Days
1:27:00 - Why Marriage is Worth Fighting For
1:37:00 - Becoming an Electrician: The Trades vs College
1:48:00 - 2019 Mental Health Crisis in Ecuador
2:01:00 - Cold Plunge Changed Everything
2:07:00 - Building Desert Plunge from Garage to Business
2:34:00 - Customer Service & Business Philosophy
2:51:00 - Plant Medicine: 5-MEO, Kambo, Ketamine
3:04:00 - Faith, Fatherhood & Breaking Cycles
3:19:00 - SSRIs, Big Pharma & Alternative Medicine
3:27:00 - Final Message: You Can Change Your Story

🎯 FOLLOW Matt Kupier:
Instagram: @Matt_Kuiper, @desertplunge
Website:
https://desertplunge.com/

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#MattKuiper #DesertPlunge #ColdPlungeTherapy #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealthAwareness #SobrietyJourney #EntrepreneurStory #WimHofMethod #RecoveryIsPossible

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Bob Porras served 20 years in Delta Force before joining the CIA's Global Response Staff, where he spent another decade protecting intelligence operations in the world's most dangerous places. In this conversation, Bob shares the reality behind the headlines—from the Benghazi aftermath to evacuating the Tripoli embassy in 2014, earning the CIA's highest medal in the process.

This interview covers the sacrifices that come with a life in service, the broken training pipelines that put operators at risk, and what it takes to lead teams when failure isn't an option. Bob discusses his transition out of the CIA, why he started teaching tactical skills, and the personal costs of three decades at the tip of the spear.

Topics include: CIA Global Response Staff operations, leadership under fire, the Khost Bombings, Benghazi Attacks, faith and family through adversity, and building resilience after service.

Content Advisory: This conversation contains discussions of combat operations, wartime casualties, and the psychological toll of sustained operational tempo. Presented in documentary/educational context.

🎯 FOLLOW Bob “Ninja” Porras:
Instagram: @Ninjabobsolutions
Tik Tok: ninjabobsolutions7
Facebook: Ninjabobsolutions
Website:
https://ninjabobsolutions

This Episode is sponsored by

Dr Taylor Bosley
🌐 Fuel Your Momentum and Get started Now → www.precisionwellnessgroup.com 
📲 Follow → @precisionwellnessgroup 
Because true strength starts from within — and optimal health is the edge you deserve. 

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#BobPorras #CIA #DeltaForce #SpecialOperations #GRS #Benghazi #MilitaryVeterans #TacticalTraining #LeadershipLessons #WarriorMindset #VeteranPodcast #TheVanguardWall

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Few operators earn the right to walk away from Delta Force on their own terms. Bob "Ninja" Porras did exactly that—after building a legendary career from nothing.

This episode covers Bob's journey from Los Angeles to becoming one of Delta Force's most respected operators. Starting as an Army engineer, he battled bureaucracy, survived Panama combat operations, earned his Green Beret, and fought his way into the Unit—the most selective special operations force in the world.

Bob shares what Delta selection really tests, the truth about peacetime military life in the 1980s, and the leadership lessons that carried him through two decades of combat rotations. From hostage rescue training to the opening chapters of the War on Terror, this is the story of a warrior who never stopped evolving.

Content Advisory: This episode contains discussion of military combat operations, wartime experiences, and deployment stress. All content is presented in historical/educational context.

If you're interested in military history, special operations, or leadership under pressure, this conversation delivers truth without the Hollywood filter.

🎯 FOLLOW Bob “Ninja” Porras:

Instagram: @Ninjabobsolutions

Tik Tok: ninjabobsolutions7

Facebook: Ninjabobsolutions

Website:

https://ninjabobsolutions

This Episode is sponsored by

Dr Taylor Bosley
Grab your FREE Top 5 from Doctor Bosley PDF here → https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/ad-the-vanguard-wall-podcast
🌐 Fuel Your Momentum and Get started Now → www.precisionwellnessgroup.com 
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Because true strength starts from within — and optimal health is the edge you deserve. 

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🔔 Subscribe for more stories from America's quiet professionals
👍 Like if you want to see Part 2 (CIA GRS career)
💬 Comment your questions for Bob

#DeltaForce #SpecialOperations #BobPorras #MilitaryHistory #ArmyRanger #GreenBeret #Panama #DesertStorm #CombatVeteran #Leadership #MilitaryPodcast #TheVanguardWall

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From a 12-year-old kid in Montana wearing hand-me-downs to Command Sergeant Major—this is the story of what happens when you almost lose everything, and the fallen hero who saved you one last time.

Command Sergeant Major Michael Burke (Ret.) served 14 deployments, completed 1,000+ combat operations, and rose from struggling private to the top enlisted ranks. But on October 22, 2015, when he learned his mentor MSG Joshua Wheeler was killed in action, everything came crashing down.

WHO WAS MSG JOSHUA WHEELER? Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler was a Delta Force operator and Ranger Regiment legend with 11 deployments. On October 22, 2015, he was killed during a hostage rescue in Hawija, Iraq—the first American KIA against ISIS. Wheeler charged enemy positions to protect his team and 70 hostages, earning the Silver Star posthumously.

For Burke, Wheeler was the man who believed in him when no one else did. The man who made him feel like he belonged. Because of Josh Wheeler, Burke served 22 more years. When Wheeler died, Burke reached his breaking point.

THIS EPISODE:

• "I don't want to be on this earth anymore"—Burke's darkest moment
• The therapy session that broke the dam
• "I kind of broke my brain"—TBI, trauma, and childhood wounds
• What would Josh do? The question that saved his life
• "There's people who need you that haven't met you yet"
• "I quit in my mind a million times. Just not today."
• The Focus Framework: Leading with 3 priorities
• From lacking empathy to making it your superpower
• Veterans got veterans: Why peer support saves lives
• Message to 12-year-old Mike in Montana: "Everything is worth it"

⚠️ Recorded on the 10-year anniversary of MSG Wheeler's death. Contains discussion of suicide ideation, PTSD, and trauma. Burke shares to save lives.

🆘 IF YOU'RE IN CRISIS:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Call/Text)
• Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1

🔗 Michael Burke: @mike_s._burke or www.legendsofthe75th.com

"There's people that need you that don't even know you yet. You never go on a target alone. This is just a new mission—and we need you." — CSM Michael Burke

This interview will save lives. Share it.

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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A 16-year-old mom. No father. A troubled Montana kid who didn't fit anywhere. Three days after graduation, he shipped out to become an Army Ranger—and almost quit before the war even started.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Mike Burke takes us inside the pre-9/11 Ranger Regiment—when money was tight, morale was low, and the mission wasn't clear. He shares the brutal truth about toxic leadership, nearly throwing his rifle at his platoon leader, and the moment Delta Force legend Josh Wheeler kicked down his door at 4:30 AM and changed his trajectory forever.

From that first chaotic Afghanistan deployment in 2002 to watching the Takur Ghar footage before shipping out, Mike pulls no punches about the fog of early GWOT operations, the Rangers who didn't want war, and what it really took to become the leader who would go on to command thousands across 14 deployments.This is the raw, unfiltered origin story of a warrior who survived bad leadership to become great leadership.

🎙️ Subscribe for untold special operations stories, leadership lessons, and the real cost of 24 years at war.

⚠️ Viewer discretion: Discussions of combat, trauma, profanity, and the realities of military service.#MichaelBurke 

🎯 FOLLOW CSM(r) Michael Burke:
Instagram @michael_s._burke @legendsofthe75th
Website:
https://legendsofthe75th.com

This Episode is sponsored by

Dr Taylor Bosley
Grab your FREE Top 5 from Doctor Bosley PDF here → https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/ad-the-vanguard-wall-podcast
🌐 Fuel Your Momentum and Get started Now → www.precisionwellnessgroup.com 
📲 Follow → @precisionwellnessgroup 
Because true strength starts from within — and optimal health is the edge you deserve. 

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The Vanguard Wall Podcast Presents: The Quiet Professional - The MSG Gregory Trent Series (Final Episode)

In this emotional series finale, Command Sergeant Major Kevin Robbins (ODA 3422) shares his perspective as a member of the sister team that fought alongside MSG Gregory Trent's ODA 3424 during their 2012 deployment to Afghanistan's Herat Province.

The Sister Team's Story:
While MSG Trent's ODA 3424 conducted Village Stability Operations, Kevin Robbins' ODA 3422 ran Afghan Commando missions from the same area. These two teams from 3rd Special Forces Group weren't just co-located - they were brothers who trained together, laughed together, and ultimately faced the worst day of their lives together.

This Final Episode Reveals:

🎖️ The unique perspective from the sister ODA during that fateful July 31, 2012
🎖️ Kevin's journey from Detroit poverty to Special Forces leadership
🎖️ The 24-hour retribution operation - what happens when you attack America's elite
🎖️ Why Greg could "defuse any situation" even during 18-hour training days
🎖️ The crushing weight of continuing the mission for months after loss
🎖️ Kevin's heartbreaking answer: What he'd say if he could sit with Greg one more time
Most Powerful Moment:

"I couldn't talk about myself. If I had any time with Greg, I'd want to hear everything that he used to say. I don't think I could ever look him in the face and say anything that's prideful to me, knowing that it's something that was taken away from him." - CSM Kevin Robbins
The Complete Series Has Featured:

Episode 1: Dave Coloumbe ODA 3424  Team Captain
Episode 2: Tim Bostion ODA 3424 18C
Episode 3: Karl Hoover ODA 3424 Team Sgt and Senior 18D
Episode 4: CSM David Waldo, 1st Special Forces Command CSM
Episode 5: Dovid Berg ODA 3424 18E
Episode 6: Mike Swenson ODA 3424 Tm Warrant Officer

Kevin's Final Thoughts on Greg:

"He was everything you would expect from a Green Beret... but then there was so much more. A thirst for knowledge, sense of humor, approachable, easy to talk to. He was the guy who could get everybody to lighten up and relax when they were stressed out."
MSG Gregory Trent made the ultimate sacrifice on August 8, 2012, succumbing to wounds received while protecting his brothers in Herat Province. His team and their sister ODA stayed in country until November, carrying his memory through every mission.

This series celebrates not just how warriors die, but how they lived.

🎗️ Forever Remember: MSG Gregory Trent's legacy lives on through his daughter, his widow Beth, and every Green Beret who carries his example forward.

⏰ Watch the Complete Series:

The Vanguard Wall Podcast has brought together the men of ODA 3424 and 3422 to ensure Greg's story - and the story of all quiet professionals - is never forgotten.

This concludes The Quiet Professional: The MSG Gregory Trent Series. Thank you to all the warriors who shared their stories to honor their fallen brother.

This Episode is sponsored by 

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The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

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The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
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Social Media: ⬇️
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🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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🎯 THE UNTOLD STORY FROM THE BATTLEFIELD
Former Green Beret Warrant Officer Mike Swenson breaks his silence about one of the most devastating days in Special Operations history. On July 31st, 2012, his team leader and brother-in-arms Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was shot in Afghanistan.

💥 WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER:

The moment everything changed on that July day in 2012
What it's really like to call in a medevac for your wounded brother
How elite warriors cope with losing someone in combat
The weight of command when split-second decisions mean life or death
Why even training for Special Forces can be deadly

🔥 EXCLUSIVE INSIGHTS:

Behind-the-scenes of ODA 3424's final mission
The reality of IED warfare in Afghanistan
How 9/11 shaped a generation of warriors
What happens when Special Forces teams get split up
The brotherhood that lasts beyond the battlefield

⚡ MIKE SWENSON'S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY:
From Long Island kid to combat engineer to Green Beret warrant officer - Mike's path to becoming one of America's elite warriors is nothing short of extraordinary. Ranger School, Sapper School, multiple deployments, and the kind of technical expertise that saves lives on the battlefield.
But this isn't just another war story. This is about the moment when everything you've trained for becomes brutally real. When the helicopter with the red cross is coming in, rotor wash is blowing down, and you're carrying a real person - your brother - to that bird.

🎖️ HONORING MASTER SERGEANT GREGORY TRENT
This episode is part of our special series celebrating the life of Master Sergeant Gregory Trent, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Greg was known for his razor-sharp wit, unflappable demeanor, and the kind of leadership that inspires men to follow you into hell.

📍 TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Mike's Background: From Engineer to Green Beret
12:50 - Taking Command of ODA 3424
25:30 - The Moment 9/11 Changed Everything
45:15 - Working Relationship with MSgt Gregory Trent
58:20 - The Day Everything Changed: July 31st, 2012
1:23:00 - The Image Burned Into Memory Forever
1:24:11 - Life After the Battlefield: Hunting, Fishing, and Finding Peace

🔔 SUBSCRIBE if you want more untold stories from America's elite warriors
💬 COMMENT below with your thoughts and questions for Mike
👍 LIKE this video to honor Master Sergeant Gregory Trent's memory

#GreenBeret #SpecialForces #Afghanistan #Military #Veterans #Brotherhood #WarStories #VanguardWall #MasterSergeantGregoryTrent #ODA3424 #Honor #Sacrifice #NeverForget
This episode contains mature themes related to combat and loss. Viewer discretion is advised.

This Episode is sponsored by 

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🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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🎖️ BROTHERHOOD BEYOND DEATH 🎖️

When Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was shot in Afghanistan in 2012, his teammate Dovid risked everything to save him. What happened next will restore your faith in American heroes.

This is the untold story of ODA 3424 - the Special Forces team that epitomized what it means to be a "quiet professional." For over a decade, these Green Berets carried the weight of July 31st, 2012 in silence... until now.
In this episode:

How Dovid ran back into enemy fire to save his teammate
Why Greg's picture still sits on Dovid's desk 12 years later
The moment that haunts Dovid most from that day
How one fallen hero's legacy continues to inspire warriors today
The retribution mission that eliminated 200+ enemy fighters

"Greg could find the silver lining in any cloud and get everyone else to see it too." - David
These men didn't just serve together - they bled together, fought together, and created bonds stronger than blood. This is more than a war story. This is a testament to the brotherhood that makes America's military the most lethal fighting force on earth.

#GreenBeret #SpecialForces #Afghanistan #Military #Heroes #Brotherhood #VanguardWall #NeverForgotten #MSGGregoryTrent

This Episode is sponsored by 

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A British kid lands in America 24 hours before 9/11. One month later, he's enlisting in the US Army. This is Kevin Garrad's story. Born in London, Kevin arrived in the United States just one day before the towers fell. While most foreign nationals were fleeing America, he ran toward the fight—joining the US Army as a British citizen and beginning a 14-year journey that would take him from the invasion of Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division to earning his Green Beret with 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group.

Kevin was there at the very beginning—breaching the berms into Iraq, watching Special Operations teams flow through, surviving deployments that lasted 12-16 months (not the 4-6 month SOF rotations). He became a Master Breacher, served in Afghanistan, trained NATO forces, and witnessed the raw, grinding reality of conventional warfare that most people never see.
But Kevin's story doesn't end with retirement. After leaving the Army in 2016, he crashed hard in Savannah, Georgia—dealing with TBI, PTSD, and the soul-crushing work of recruiting young Americans for wars he'd stopped believing in. His solution seemed crazy: sell everything and move to South Africa during COVID to become a wildlife conservationist.

🦁 Today, Kevin lives in the shadows of Kruger National Park, where the morning soundtrack is lion roars instead of reveille. He's traded IEDs for rhino poachers, urban combat for bush warfare, and founded Wild Works—a revolutionary program combining wilderness therapy with psychedelic treatment to heal combat veterans in the African wilderness.

The same hypervigilance that kept him alive in Iraq and Afghanistan now serves him when a six-ton bull elephant decides to inspect his morning coffee. He's tracking armed poachers through territory where leopards hunt. And he's discovered that sometimes the greatest mission begins after you take off the uniform.

🎙️ Subscribe for authentic warrior stories, mental health breakthroughs, and perspectives you won't find anywhere else. We're bringing you untold stories from the warriors who lived them.

🎯 FOLLOW Kevin Garrad:
Instagram @wildwerx

Website:
https://wild-werx.com/
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🎖️ The voice you've heard across the internet. The heart you've never seen.
Command Sergeant Major David Waldo - the top enlisted leader overseeing ALL five active duty Green Beret groups and two National Guard groups - delivers his most powerful interview yet in honor of Master Sergeant Gregory Trent, KIA Afghanistan 2012.

What CSM Waldo reveals:

His viral definition: "You're brilliant and you're compassionate. And you're lethal. But above all you love deeply... Sometimes you won't even notice that warrior love until there's chaos and 7.62 rounds ripping past breaking the sound barrier next to you."

Raw truth about the Q-Course: "We don't build character throughout our SFAS or our Q course. We don't build character, but we sure as hell define it."
His message to struggling warriors: "Stop looking at the damn tree. Look where you want to go. If you can't see it, let's figure out what that is and take a chance on you."

The lighthouse promise to Gold Star families: "We owe it to the Gold Stars to be the lighthouse - there if you need us, there when you want us."
Why Greg Trent was the "quintessential Green Beret" - focused on the task without expectation of credit

His heartbreaking story about a combat diver he tried to save who mentored younger soldiers even while battling addiction

"There are folks that focus on the task without the expectation of credit. That was Greg Trent." - CSM David Waldo
Part of The Vanguard Wall's special series honoring Master Sergeant Gregory Trent and ODA 3424

⚠️ Heavy content warning: Mental health, addiction, loss of brothers
#GreenBeret #SpecialForces #CSMWaldo #QuietProfessional #GregTrent #VanguardWall #MasterSergeantTrent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

This Episode is sponsored by 

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🎖️ THE HARDEST STORY A SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC EVER HAD TO TELL
Carl Hoover was the Team Sergeant and Special Forces medic who held his dying teammate in his arms. Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was shot in the head during a firefight in Afghanistan, and Carl - despite all his training - couldn't save him.
This is Carl's story. Raw. Unfiltered. Heartbreaking.
Carl was blown off a roof by an RPG earlier that deployment, suffered 7 days of amnesia, and earned a Purple Heart. But nothing prepared him for the day he lost Greg.

What You'll Hear:

The moment Greg was shot in the head during combat
Carl's impossible decision as both medic and team sergeant
Being "covered in blood, looking like a feral wombat"
Carrying his 280-pound teammate through enemy fire
Why the helicopters wouldn't come
The brotherhood that got him through the darkness

"I look like a feral wombat right now. I'm talking like a freaking crazed beast. I'm ready to pick a fight with Mother Nature itself." - Carl Hoover
This isn't Hollywood. This is the real cost of brotherhood.

Chapter 1: "The Team Sergeant Who Wasn't Supposed to Be" 00:00
Chapter 2: "The Worst 2012 Ever" 32:11
Chapter 3: "Blown Off the Roof" 32:19
Chapter 4: "The Day Everything Changed" 53:07
Chapter 5: "Impossible Decisions" 58:32
Chapter 6: "280 Pounds of Man Meat" 01:04:37
Chapter 7: "Feral Wombat" 01:09:45
Chapter 8: "What I Hadn't Done" 01:14:16
Chapter 9: "Retribution, Not Vengeance" 01:37:30
Chapter 10: "Healing and Remembering" 02:18:29



🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more real military stories
👍 LIKE if this moved you
💬 COMMENT your thoughts below
#SpecialForces #Military #Hero #RealStory #Afghanistan #Brotherhood #SpecialForces #Military #Hero #MilitaryLeadership #Combat #Brotherhood #Afghanistan #TrueStory #Veteran #Leadership #Sacrifice #Purple Heart #Medic #TeamSergeant #ODA #GreenBeret #Honor #Fallen #Memorial #warriors

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Episode 2 of 7 in the series of The Quiet Professional: The Master Sergeant Gregory Trent Story

In this deeply moving episode, we sit down with Tim Bostion, best friend and teammate of Master Gregory Trent, as he shares intimate stories of their unbreakable bond forged through service, sacrifice, and brotherhood. Tim opens up about their friendship that began in 2010, their life-changing conversations under the Afghan stars during their 2012 deployment, and the devastating loss that forever changed their team.

From Greg's mentorship that pushed Tim to pursue education, to the Disney songs mixed with heavy metal in their workout playlists, to the final moments that tested the limits of brotherhood - this episode reveals the man behind the uniform and the legacy that continues to inspire. Tim's raw honesty about grief, survival, and the ongoing mission to support veterans struggling in darkness makes this a powerful testament to the bonds that transcend life itself.
This episode is part of our series celebrating the life and legacy of Master Gregory Trent, honoring not just his service and sacrifice, but the profound impact he had on those who served alongside him.

Tim Bostion was Master Sergeant Gregory Trent's best friend and teammate on ODA 3424 when MSG Trent was fatally wounded in Afghanistan on July 31, 2012. In this deeply personal interview, Tim reveals the untold story of brotherhood forged in combat and the mentorship that changed his life forever.
🎯 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

The real bond between Special Forces teammates who become family
How MSG Trent mentored and shaped the next generation of Green Berets
What it means to lose your best friend in combat
The conversations under Afghan stars that defined a friendship
Why Greg's legacy continues to guide veterans today

⚡ KEY MOMENTS:

00:00:00 - Meeting Greg: "I found the brother I never had"
00:08:38 - Greg forces Tim to pursue education: "You're going to sign up for college right now"
00:21:52 - The Disney songs and heavy metal: Greg's unique personality
00:36:45 - Under Afghan stars: "You need to see the big picture, Tim"
00:54:24 - July 31st: The day Tim was sent home and everything changed
01:07:49 - Breaking down alone: "It felt great to finally cry"
01:26:51 - The tribe that endures: Supporting veterans in dark places
This is part of a 7-part series honoring the life and sacrifice of Master Sergeant Gregory Trent, featuring interviews with his entire A-Team and those whose lives he touched.

🇺🇸 MSG Gregory Trent served with distinction in the 3rd Special Forces Group and made the ultimate sacrifice for his brothers and his country. This series ensures his legacy lives on.
#GreenBeret #SpecialForces #Afghanistan #Military #MSGGregoryTrent #ODA3424 #QuietProfessional #vanguardwallpodcast 

Support the Vanguard Wall Podcast and rock our merch
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📱 FOLLOW THE VANGUARD WALL:
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TikTok: @vanguardwall

⭐ SPONSORS:
Alpha Country Training + Nutrition
Click the link for 20% off https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20
or use code VANGUARD20

⭐Titan Coaching
https://www.titancoaching.com
Alpha Country Training & Nutrition - Use code VANGUARD20 for 20% off

💪 Support the channel and help us honor more fallen heroes by subscribing and sharing this story

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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LTC Dave Coulombe (then Captain) commanded ODA 3424 when Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was fatally wounded in Afghanistan on July 31, 2012. In this exclusive interview, Captain Coulombe reveals the untold story of leading an elite Special Forces team through one of their darkest moments.

🎯 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
• The real dynamics inside a Green Beret A-Team
• How Special Forces leaders make life-or-death decisions
• What it means to command soldiers who become family
• The village stability operations mission that changed everything
• Why MSG Trent was irreplaceable to his team

⚡ KEY MOMENTS:
00:00 - Introduction to ODA 3424
08:15 - First impressions of MSG Gregory Trent  
21:52 - "Greg was never about himself, ever"
45:30 - The mission that went wrong
1:02:15 - Leadership under impossible circumstances
1:18:45 - What Greg would want to be remembered for

This is Episode 1 of a 7-part series honoring the life and sacrifice of Master Sergeant Gregory Trent, featuring interviews with his entire A-Team and senior Special Forces leadership.

🇺🇸 MSG Gregory Trent served with distinction in the 3rd Special Forces Group and made the ultimate sacrifice for his brothers and his country. This series ensures his legacy lives on.

#GreenBeret #SpecialForces #Afghanistan #Military #MSGGregoryTrent #ODA3424 #QuietProfessional #vanguardwallpodcast 

Support the Vanguard Wall Podcast and rock our merch
www.thevanguardwall.com

📱 FOLLOW THE VANGUARD WALL:
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TikTok: @vanguardwall

⭐ SPONSORS:
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Click the link for 20% off 
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or use code VANGUARD20 

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Alpha Country Training & Nutrition - Use code VANGUARD20 for 20% off

💪 Support the channel and help us honor more fallen heroes by subscribing and sharing this story.

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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This Episode is sponsored by

Dr Taylor Bosley
Precision Wellness Group
Full Hormone Optimization
https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/contact
Mention Vanguard20 for 20% off initial consultation

🚁 FROM THE COCKPIT TO REDEMPTIONGreg "Gravy" Coker flew 11 combat tours with the elite 160th SOAR Night Stalkers. What happened after the wars nearly destroyed him—until a controversial treatment changed everything.In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Greg shares:

✅ Flying classified missions into the world's most dangerous combat zones
✅ The PTSD, TBI, and addiction that almost took his life
✅ How ibogaine therapy pulled him back from the brink
✅ His guardian angel vision that saved him
✅ Why faith—not pharmaceuticals—became his greatest weapon
✅ The brotherhood we lost and the memories that keep us fighting

THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL MILITARY PODCAST.Greg's story proves that even when you're broken beyond repair, there's hope. His journey from the center of the universe (160th SOAR) to rock bottom to redemption is one every veteran, first responder, and struggling human needs to hear.🔥 Key 

🎯 FOLLOW Greg “Gravy “Coker:
Instagram: @Shiled91

Blades For Brothers: 
https://www.bladesforbrothers.com/

Death Awaits in the Dark Book:
https://www.bladesforbrothers.com/product-page/death-waits-in-the-dark-softback
Also available on audible and Greg narrated the book himself

0:00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message
0:00:58 Welcome and Episode Overview
0:02:16 Greg Coker Introduction - The Hero Bio
0:05:55 Young Texas Kid to Warrior - Early Life
0:14:30 Joining the Army and Green Platoon
0:24:45 Flight School and Becoming an Aviator
0:39:08 Father Pins Wings - March 1990
0:52:20 160th SOAR Selection and Training
1:12:35 Meeting Leon Hansen - Delta Force Operator
1:28:40 First Combat Deployment to Afghanistan
2:07:00 Iraq War - The Wild West of 2004
2:32:24 March 19, 2004 - Helicopter 364 Shot Down
2:57:48 Survival and Rescue Mission
3:23:12 Recovery and Return to Combat
3:48:36 The Weight of War - Mental Health Struggles
4:14:00 Family Life During Deployments
4:39:24 Transition Out of Service
5:04:48 Leon Hansen Takes His Life - June 26, 2015
5:24:00 Finding Purpose Through Faith
5:42:54 Message to Veterans on the Edge
5:51:00 Ibogaine Therapy Experience
6:08:18 Liberty and Loyalty Foundation
6:18:47 Never Give Up on a Cowboy - Final Message
6:21:00 Closing Thoughts and Call to Action
6:27:32 Liberty and Loyalty Foundation Details
6:29:24 Charlie Crawford's Team Roping Event

🙏 Mental Health Resources:
Veterans Crisis Line: 988 (Press 1)
VETS Inc: vetsolutions.org
Mission Within
Text "HOME" to 741741

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: The views on ibogaine therapy are personal experiences. Always consult medical professionals. Ibogaine is not FDA-approved and is not legal in the United States.

🎯 FOLLOW Greg “Gravy “Coker:
Instagram: @Shiled91

Blades For Brothers: 
https://www.bladesforbrothers.com/

Death Awaits in the Dark Book:
https://www.bladesforbrothers.com/product-page/death-waits-in-the-dark-softback

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

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🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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This is the most powerful story you'll ever hear! Tom Jones went from abused ward of the state to 7x Muay Thai World Champion, Marine Corps Honor Graduate, and author of "Becoming Quit Proof." His childhood trauma would break most people - but he turned it into his greatest superpower.
🎯 What You'll Discover:

How Tom survived horrific childhood abuse and turned it into strength
The "Quit Proof" system that helped him become unstoppable
His incredible feats: Running across America TWICE, circumnavigating Hawaii
How he went from padded cell to helping Fortune 500 companies
The Chuck Norris principle that changed his entire mission
His Trusted Tribe program helping veterans overcome PTSD

This isn't just another success story - it's a blueprint for becoming unstoppable no matter what life throws at you. Tom's mission: "The more people you help, the more successful you'll be."

Connect with Tom Jones:

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@quitproof3836
Website - www.quitproof.com
Shop: https://shop.quitproof.com/
Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/quitproof1
                   - https://www.facebook.com/TomJonesHardCore
Instagram -  https://www.instagram.com/quitproof1/
TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tom.jones.quitpro
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-jones-17423610b/
Book Purchase: https://a.co/d/hfy7DO1
GoFund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-tom-jones-aid-veterans-with-ptsd

This Episode is sponsored by

Dr Taylor Bosley
Precision Wellness Group
Full Hormone Optimization
https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/contact
Mention Vanguard20 for 20% off initial consultation

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

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#QuitProof #MarineStory #TraumaSurvivor #OvercomingAdversity #VeteranStory #MotivationalSpeaker #ResilienceTraining #VanguardWallPodcast #TomJones #BecomingQuitProof

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🔥 The UNBELIEVABLE Journey You've Never Heard Before

Meet Command Sergeant Major George Fraser - the man who DEFIED every military stereotype imaginable.

From painting, playing guitar, and explaining satellite physics better than most engineers... to becoming one of America's most elite special operators with:

32 years of military service
21 years in classified special operations
6 years in combat zones across Iraq, Afghanistan & Syria
2 Legions of Merit, 14 Bronze Stars (6 for valor), 4 Purple Hearts
Vice President of AllTru Non-Profit: https://alltru.com/
Featured in the Documentary Guerrera: https://alltru.com/guerrera

What makes this story INSANE:

Started as a "satellite nerd" who could paint and play music
Went from homeless to leading 3,000+ personnel in the world's most dangerous missions

Commanded at EVERY level of Special Operations
Survived severe TBI, PTSD, and multiple combat injuries
Now helps veterans through his raw, honest approach to mental health

Most SHOCKING Revelations:

How he handled women in elite combat units (controversial take!)
The moment he woke up from surgery with his hands around someone's neck
Why 22+ veterans die by suicide daily and what actually works
His brutal honesty about PTSD, psychedelics, and alternative treatments
Writing two books including "The Last Bullfighter" - a story about facing mortality

This isn't your typical war story. This is raw leadership, real trauma, genuine healing, and proof that humans can overcome ANYTHING.

#DeltaForce #SpecialOperations #SpecialForces #GreenBeret #CommandSergeantMajor #CombatVeteran #MilitaryLeadership #EliteWarrior #JSOC #BronzeStar #PurpleHeart #Afghanistan #Iraq #Syria #MilitaryStories #WarStories #CombatLeader #TacticalOperations #MilitaryLife #VeteranStories

This Episode is sponsored by

Dr Taylor Bosley
Precision Wellness Group
Full Hormone Optimization
https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/contact
Mention Vanguard20 for 20% off initial consultation

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

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Want to sponsor the show?
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🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

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🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
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www.thevanguardwall.com

🔥 FULL EPISODE: Elite Air Force Combat Controller Wayne Hunter shares the most incredible military story you've ever heard.

From hitting a tree at 125mph and walking away, to knocking out 4 men in one night, to experiencing supernatural healings that defy explanation - Wayne's journey from MMA fighter to Special Operations warrior to spiritual powerhouse will leave you speechless.
In this explosive episode, Wayne reveals:

✅ How he survived selection after failing 3 times
✅ Real combat stories from Syria deployment with Green Berets
✅ The moment everything changed in a parking lot
✅ Casting out demons from fellow warriors (caught on camera)
✅ Healing a child's scoliosis with X-ray proof
✅ Leading 125+ Special Operations warriors in supernatural ministry
✅ Standing against military vaccine mandates and winning

This isn't just another military podcast - this is a complete paradigm shift about faith, power, and what's really possible. Wayne Hunter is training the most elite warriors on earth in supernatural warfare.

From Outer Banks quarterback to Air Force Academy to Combat Controller to ministry leader - this story has everything.

🎯 Subscribe for more incredible warrior testimonies
🔔 Hit the bell for notifications

00:00 Introduction & Opening
03:24 Growing Up on the Outer Banks
12:00 Meeting His Adoptive Father Gary Hunter
25:00 High School Football Leadership
40:00 Walking Away from Air Force Academy
55:00 The 125 MPH Crash That Should Have Killed Him
1:10:00 Descent Into Violence & MMA Fighting
1:30:00 Return to Military - Combat Controller Pipeline
1:50:00 Dive School Hell - The Ultimate Test
2:15:00 Syria Deployment with Green Berets
2:45:00 Spiritual Rebellion & Marriage Problems
3:00:00 Suicide Attempt in Parking Lot
3:30:00 Spiritual Awakening & Bible Study
3:50:00 First Supernatural Healing Encounters
4:10:00 Casting Out Demons & Deliverance
4:30:00 Kingdom Operators Ministry Launch
4:50:00 Teaching 125+ Warriors Without Dependency
5:10:00 Ministry Philosophy & Impact
5:30:00 Leading Warriors in Faith
5:50:00 Final Challenge to Believers & Non-Believers

#WayneHunter #SpecialForces #CombatController #Military #Faith #Miracles #VanguardWall #Elite #Warrior #CCT #AirForce #Testimony #Healing #Power #God #Jesus #Transformation #Podcast #RockBottom #saved 

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https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
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Social Media: ⬇️
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Want to sponsor the show?
Email: ⬇️
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🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
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Max Martini (Saving Private Ryan, 13 Hours, Captain Phillips) sits down for his most RAW and HONEST interview ever. The Hollywood veteran reveals:

His $2 MILLION loss making a homeless veteran film
Training with REAL Delta Force & Navy SEALs
The TRUTH about Hollywood's treatment of veteran stories
His stepfather's FINAL moments that changed everything
Why he REFUSES to give his kids Hollywood connections

From losing everything to help veterans to training with elite operators, this is the untold story of Hollywood's most authentic military actor. Max opens up about his dual citizenship, raising kids in Hollywood, and the powerful moment that made him dedicate his life to veteran advocacy.

🎬 Films Discussed: Saving Private Ryan, 13 Hours, The Unit, Captain Phillips, SGT Will Gardner
🎖️ Charities: Warrior's Heart Foundation, Gary Sinise Foundation

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Intro
00:26 Growing Up: Italian Sculptor Father & Texas Cop Mother
04:00 How Private Ryan Changed Everything
13:00 Training with Delta Force in Iraq
27:00 Playing Mark "Oz" Geist in 13 Hours
39:00 Captain Phillips No-Script Nightmare
43:00 Creating SGT Will Gardner & Losing Everything
56:00 Stewart Margolin's Final Breath
1:03:00 Raising Kids in Hollywood

#MaxMartini #Veterans #13Hours #SavingPrivateRyan #Military #Hollywood #VeteranAdvocacy #NavySEALS #DeltaForce #ThirteenHours #CaptainPhillips #TheUnit #VanguardWall #MilitaryMovies #veteranstories 
This Episode is sponsored by 

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel
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The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
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Social Media: ⬇️
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Want to sponsor the show?
Email: ⬇️
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🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
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The man behind Betty Blue (The Unit), Master Chief Seaver (SEAL Team), and Bishop (Mayans MC) gets REAL about his journey from professional soccer player to Hollywood's most authentic military actor.

In this powerful conversation with The Vanguard Wall Podcast, Michael Irby drops truth bombs about:
- His career-ending injury that changed everything
- Training with real Delta Force operators for "The Unit"
- Why he turned down SEAL Team to join Mayans MC
- The brotherhood between him and Max Martini
- Being profiled after 9/11 and landing "Flight Plan" with Jodie Foster
- Why he refuses to pick sides in Hollywood's political games

"I'm not an actor. I'm a human being and this happens to be my job."

Watch as Irby reveals why military families stop him on the street 20 years later, his $500 leap to NYC that started it all, and the defining moment when his acting teacher said "You could make a living doing this."

This isn't your typical celebrity interview. This is raw, unfiltered, and authentic.

🎬 Full Episode Available Now
🔔 Subscribe for more authentic military & veteran stories

#MichaelIrby #TheUnit #SEALTeam #MayansМС #TheVanguardWall

This Episode is sponsored by 

Alpha Country Training + Nutrition
Click the link for 20% off
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Click the link for 10% off
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The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
https://www.thevanguardwall.com

Social Media: ⬇️
The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram
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Want to sponsor the show?
Email: ⬇️
thevanguadwallpodcast@gmail.com

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com
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Meet Trent Seegmiller - the Air Force weather forecaster who hitchhiked into Afghanistan, survived intense firefights, and earned an award for Valor in combat. 
From looking 12 years old at 24 to building the entire Air Force Special Operations weather pipeline, Trent's story will make you laugh and cry. 

He shares the heartbreaking loss of his roommate Q, his friendship with Medal of Honor recipient Robbie Miller, and how he went from forecasting weather to becoming a combat-tested warrior. 

Now co-hosting the Ones Ready Podcast, Trent breaks the silent professional mold with humor while honoring fallen brothers. This is the story of brotherhood, survivor's guilt, and finding light in the darkest moments of war.

This Episode is sponsored by 

Alpha Country Training + Nutrition

Click the link for 20% off

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Or Use Code Vanguard20 

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Click the link for 10% off

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The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️

https://www.thevanguardwall.com

Social Media: ⬇️

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297

Want to sponsor the show?

Email: ⬇️

thevanguadwallpodcast@gmail.com

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com
⚔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297
📧 Connect/Sponsor: thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com

Thinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave Lending built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience.

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The most brutal comeback story you'll ever hear.

In Part 2 of Chris McCoy's unbelievable journey, we dive into the darkest chapter of his life - and the moment that changed everything.

After getting kicked out of the 75th Ranger Regiment for a drug offense, Chris lost everything that defined him. No ceremony, no thanks, no recognition - just "get out." What happened next will shock you:

💔 Lost his identity overnight - From elite warrior to nothing
🏠 Became homeless on Seattle streets - Living in the worst neighborhoods
💊 Spiraled into heavy drug addiction - Anything to numb the pain
⚔️ Multiple suicide attempts - Including discharging his weapon next to his head
👊 Countless street fights - Using Ranger training in bar brawls
🚔 Arrested for battery on police - Facing serious prison time
But then everything changed with one question from a Vietnam veteran judge...
Chris reveals the exact moment his life started turning around, the "guardian angels" who appeared when he had nothing left, and how he began the impossible journey from the streets back to respectability.

What makes this episode different: Chris doesn't sugarcoat the brutal reality of what happens when elite warriors lose their purpose. This is raw, unfiltered truth about addiction, mental health, and the veteran crisis that nobody talks about.

The turning point that saved his life will give you chills.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction or suicidal thoughts, this episode shows there's always a way back. Always.

This Episode is sponsored by 

Alpha Country Training + Nutrition
Click the link for 20% off
https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20
Or Use Code Vanguard20 
Instagram
@alphacountrytrainingnutrition

Titan SARMS
https://www.titansarms.com/?via=vanguard10
Click the link for 10% off
Or Use Code Vandguard10
Instagram
@titan_performance_llc

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
https://www.thevanguardwall.com

Social Media: ⬇️
The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297

Want to sponsor the show?
Email: ⬇️
thevanguadwallpodcast@gmail.com

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com
⚔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297
📧 Connect/Sponsor: thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com

Thinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave Lending built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience.

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his story will blow your mind.

Chris McCoy went from being kicked out of his house at 13 to becoming an elite Army Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment - but that's just the beginning of one of the most insane life stories you'll ever hear.

In Part 1 of this incredible two-part series, Chris shares stories you've NEVER heard before about:
🔥 His real friendship with Pat Tillman - not the sanitized version the media tells
⚔️ Growing up on the streets and being protected by 1% outlaw bikers
🎯 His journey from homeless teenager to elite Army Ranger
💥 The moment he decided to leave everything behind for Regiment
🏴‍☠️ Stories from the Deadliest Catch that didn't make TV

This isn't your typical military story. Chris pulls no punches talking about the brutal realities of his childhood, the criminal underworld that raised him, and how he clawed his way from rock bottom to becoming one of America's elite warriors.

What makes this different: Chris doesn't just tell war stories - he reveals how the same streets that nearly destroyed him actually prepared him for the brotherhood and violence of special operations.
Warning: This episode contains raw, unfiltered stories about violence, addiction, and survival that some viewers may find intense.

COMING UP IN PART 2: Chris's fall from grace, his battle with addiction, living homeless in Seattle, multiple suicide attempts, and his incredible comeback story.

Subscribe and hit the bell - you won't want to miss Part 2 of the most insane life story we've ever featured.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

This Episode is sponsored by

Alpha Country Training + Nutrition
Click the link for 20% off
https://thealphacountry.com/discount/...
Or Use Code Vanguard20
Instagram
@alphacountrytrainingnutrition

Titan SARMS
https://www.titansarms.com/?via=vangu...
Click the link for 10% off
Or Use Code Vandguard10
Instagram
@titan_performance_llc

Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall 

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
https://www.thevanguardwall.com

Social Media: ⬇️
The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram
 @thevanguardwallpodcast 

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook
hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com
⚔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/
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Thinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave Lending built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience.

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  💪 Hoplite Nutrition — veteran-built supplements made in the U.S. Code VANGUARD15 for 15% off
   Subscribe & Save → https://hoplitenutrition.com  

This Episode is sponsored by
Alpha Country Training + Nutrition
Click the link for 20% off
https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20

Titan Coaching
https://www.titancoaching.com

Former Green Beret and Special Forces medic Johnny Wilson shares his raw, unfiltered story of service, loss, and redemption in this powerful 5+ hour conversation.

🎯 KEY TOPICS COVERED:

• Special Forces training and combat deployments in Afghanistan
  
  
• Surviving a devastating motorcycle accident and amputation
  
  
• Overcoming phantom pain and prescription drug addiction
  
  
• Life-changing plant medicine experience and spiritual awakening
  
  
• Raising two children with autism
  
  
• Coast to Coast Foundation - helping veterans heal
  
  

⏰ TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction & Background
00:15:30 Growing Up in North Carolina 
00:30:45 Joining the Military
00:45:20 Special Forces Selection
01:15:40 Green Beret Training & Q Course
01:45:30 Afghanistan Deployments
02:15:00 Transition to Civilian Life
02:30:20 Starting a Family & Autism Diagnosis
02:45:30 The Life-Changing Accident
03:15:45 Hospital & Medical Decisions
03:30:20 Amputation Decision
03:45:30 Addiction & Dark Period
04:00:15 Finding Help & Ketamine Treatment
04:15:45 Plant Medicine Experience
04:30:20 Spiritual Awakening & Forgiveness
04:45:00 Parenting with Special Needs
05:00:30 Coast to Coast Foundation
05:15:20 Marriage & Family Lessons

🔗 CONNECT WITH JOHNNY:

• Coast to Coast Foundation: coasttocoast.org
  
  
• 18 Systems Consulting
  
  
• Follow for updates on recovery resources
  
  

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️

https://www.thevanguardwall.com

Social Media: ⬇️

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297

Want to sponsor the show?

Email: ⬇️

thevanguadwallpodcast@gmail.com

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com
⚔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297
📧 Connect/Sponsor: thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com

Thinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave Lending built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience.

Get started here: https://nuwaveanchor.com/i/thevanguardwall

NMLS #1722624

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Support the show

                                                           
  🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast                                                    
  🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com (code VANGUARD15)
  🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall                                         
  ⚔️ Patreon (early access + Discord): https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/                              
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  📧 Sponsor Inquiries: thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com                                       
                                                            
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This Episode is sponsored by:

Alpha Country Training + Nutrition
Click the link for 20% off
https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20

Titan Coaching
https://www.titancoaching.com

Join us on the Vanguard Wall Podcast for an EXCLUSIVE interview with Major Jessica Yahn, a trailblazing U.S. Army officer who redefined elite military operations and now inspires the world through her nonprofit, Altru, and the powerful documentary Guerrera. From leading surgical strike missions with Special Operations Forces to providing internet to girls’ schools under Taliban control, Jessica’s story is one of courage, resilience, and impact. 🌟

In this episode, we dive into:
Her journey from ROTC at UC Santa Barbara to commanding critical signal operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Behind-the-scenes of Guerrera, a documentary honoring women in combat and the sacrifices of CST operators like Jenny Moreno. The mission of Altru to empower the next generation of leaders, especially young women. Hilarious and heartfelt stories, like her Airborne School glasses mishap! 😅

💪 Support Altru’s mission: https://alltru.com
🎥https://dulcineaproductions.com
🎥 Watch Guerrera on Apple TV 
https://tv.apple.com/us/show/guerrera/umc.cmc.6asu6f0as9qc5s5uw4c01vmag
🎥Amazon Prime: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0DMSPQNZY/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

Instagram 
@alltruinc
@GuerreraDoc
@dulcineaproductions



Timestamps: 
0:00 - Intro: Why Jessica Yahn’s Story Will Blow You Away 
2:05 - Meet Jessica: From Military Brat to Special Ops Leader 
9:20 - Growing Up with Five Sisters and a U-2 Pilot Dad 
18:52 - Air Force Academy to UC Santa Barbara: A Free Spirit’s Journey 
36:37 - First Duty at Fort Bragg: Leading in Iraq 
1:03:16 - Cultural Support Teams: Women at the Tip of the Spear 
2:12:25 - Guerrera: The Documentary That Changed Everything 
3:09:08 - Altru’s Mission: Empowering Girls Worldwide 
3:45:31 - Rapid Fire: Leadership, Courage, and the Future of Women in SOF 
3:53:15 - Closing Thoughts: Why Time Is Our Greatest Asset

📢 Follow us on Instagram & X: @VanguardWallPodcast 📧 Got questions? Email us: [Insert Email] #JessicaYahn #VanguardWallPodcast #WomenInCombat #GuerreraDocumentary #AltruNonprofit #MilitaryStories #SpecialOperations #LeadershipLessons #WomenEmpowerment #AfghanistanWar #InspiringStories #NextGenerationLeaders #ROTCJourney #SignalCorps #VeteranStories #podcast2025 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info

Youtube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall  

The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️
https://www.thevanguardwall.com

Social Media: ⬇️
The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/

The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297

Want to sponsor the show?
Email: ⬇️
thevanguadwallpodcast@gmail.com

🎯 The Vanguard Wall is powered by Hoplite Nutrition — built for those who run toward. No fillers, no fluff, just fuel built for the mission. Shop hoplitenutrition.com — code VANGUARD15 for 15% off + Subscribe & Save.

📩 The Weekly SSE (free intel brief): https://intel.thevanguardwall.com

🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast
🎥 YouTube (watch the full episode): https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall
🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com
⚔️ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297
📧 Connect/Sponsor: thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com

Thinking about buying a home or refinancing? Nuwave Lending built a dedicated page specifically for Vanguard Wall listeners so you can connect directly with the team assigned to our audience.

Get started here: https://nuwaveanchor.com/i/thevanguardwall

NMLS #1722624

Patreon advertisment

Support the show

                                                           
  🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast                                                    
  🏪 Merch: https://www.thevanguardwall.com (code VANGUARD15)
  🎥 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVanguardWall                                         
  ⚔️ Patreon (early access + Discord): https://www.patreon.com/c/TheVanguardWall
  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/                              
  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297
  📧 Sponsor Inquiries: thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com                                       
                                                            
  💪 Hoplite Nutrition — veteran-built supplements made in the U.S. Code VANGUARD15 for 15% off
   Subscribe & Save → https://hoplitenutrition.com