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792 episodes — Page 15 of 16
Cleared Hot Episode 92 - Seeking Adversity with Kisa and Travis Davison
EAdversity is everywhere in life. You can choose to isolate yourself in an attempt to avoid it, or you can face it and learn to overcome. This is a simple/unavoidable choice for most adults, but our children require the example and environment that their parents create. I believe that physical challenges create the most powerful teaching tools in this area for kids, and one great mechanism is BJJ. Kisa and Travis Davison are the owners of SBG (Straight Blast Gym) Montana, which has a thriving program designed specifically for children. Check out Growing Gorillas for more information, then do the right thing and get your kids/young adults involved!
Cleared Hot Episode 91 - Mark Carter
EMark Carter is a 3rd generation rancher turned professional snowboarder. Mark was born and raised in the small town of Ten Sleep, Wyoming, working side by side with his family on their ranch. He received his first snowboard as a gift from his mother at the age of ten, and the rest is, as they say, history. He has traveled the globe riding the best snow imaginable, creating major snowboarding films along the way. Here is the link to his family farm, and grass-fed beef delivery: Carter Country Meats
Cleared Hot Episode 90 - Jocko Willink and John Dudley
EJocko Willink is a retired Navy SEAL, the host of the Jocko Podcast, a NYT best selling author, Leadership speaker and consultant, and one of the founders of Echelon Front. John Dudley is a world-class archer, projectile enthusiast, and one of the best bow hunters to walk the face of the earth. He founded Nock on Archery, and combined with his YouTube channel and School of Nock his platform is the one-stop shop for anyone in the archery world, or looking to enter the sport of archery.
Cleared Hot Episode 89 - Mat Best
EMat Best is a former Army Ranger and CIA contractor. After years spent overseas, he has devoted himself to business and the pursuit of being an entrepreneur. He is the co-founder of Black Rifle Coffee, the founder of Article 15 Clothing, Leadslinger Spirits, and one of the hosts of the Drinking Bro's Podcast. He also starred in the movie Range 15 and recently published a book about his time in uniform titled: Thank you for my service. In addition to all of the things previously mentioned, he creates some of the funniest content on the internet. Check out his Youtube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/MBest11x
Cleared Hot Episode 88 - Jason Gardner
EJason Gardner is a retired Navy SEAL Master Chief with 30 years of service, all inside of Naval Special Warfare. His career spans Desert Storm, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, and many other awards. We discussed raising our children, a lifetime spent in Special Operations, the pros and cons of a life in military service, life after service, war crimes, and leadership. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 87 - Letting go of your past, 1776 and our Independance
ELeaving a career that has defined you for years can be difficult. I struggled with it immensely post-military after a 17-year career, I still stumble occasionally. There is incredible value to be gained by putting down the past and redefining yourself. I am at the six year point and I have learned a few lessons along the way, hopefully they help. The 4th of July is upon us....hopefully 1776 and Independence can take on a deeper meaning for you this holiday weekend.
Cleared Hot Episode 86 - Ryan Michler
ERyan Michler is the founder/creator of the Order of Man, a community and resource designed to help men improve every aspect of their lives from family, money, parenting, responsibility, etc. He is a Veteran, a white belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and as of last week, a resident of the great state of Maine. We discussed our experiences on the mat, the dangers and allure of "connectivity" and connection with our children and their peers on social media, and of course, why his family decided to make the move from Utah to Maine. Order of Man
Cleared Hot Episode 85 - Pete Roberts and Brian Littlefield
EPete and Brian are the mad scientists behind Origin USA, a manufacturing company dedicated to products sourced and made in the USA. Their factory is tucked away in the wilderness of Maine, and is dedicated to reinvigorating American production. Origin USA originally started in the BJJ "space," crafting high-quality Gi's for Jiu Jitsu practitioners. Recently they introduced denim jeans that are "Grown and Sewn" in the USA, and are about to launch a series of hand crafted boots. Pete Roberts founded Origin USA after a high-level competitive career in BJJ himself. As the company grew, he met Brian Littlefield, also a high-level BJJ practitioner, and now the CEO of Origin Labs, the nutrition and supplementation wing of Origin USA. www.originmaine.com
Cleared Hot Episode 84 - Listener Q and A
EAdvice for future military officers (or officers of any kind I suppose), Tips for giving kick-ass briefs/presentations, Balancing the dichotomy of being patriotic and accepting of the shortcomings of our nation, Acts that establish an individual as evil, and a brief update on my BJJ journey. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 83 - Memorial Day Q and A
EFor this memorial day, I chose to select questions directly related to military service. I open with my own thoughts on Memorial Day, the individuals that I see as often forgotten, and how to best remember and truly memorialize the service of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. War crimes, and whether or not the President should pardon soldiers convicted of executing them. Differences and similarities between JSOC commands, operators, and the opinions they sometimes hold of each other. My closest moment to "meeting my maker," and how I found humor in others at that same moment. In closing, the audio of Jocko Willink reading my blog post, "A Debt That Cannot be Repaid."
Cleared Hot Episode 82 - Bear Camp from the Great Northwest
EAfter a week in the wilderness of British Columbia, I convened the round table of hunters (John Dudley and Trevor Thompson) and one of our guides (Dusty Fillion) to talk about the experiences, lessons learned, comical failures, animal encounters, and most importantly the life lessons that one can find in the great outdoors.
Cleared Hot Episode 81 - Dan Crenshaw
EDan Crenshaw is the freshman Republican Congressman from the 2nd District of Texas. Prior to his political career, he served as a United States Navy SEAL for 10 years. On his 3rd combat deployment, he was injured by an IED (improvised explosive device) which cost him his right eye and left him with substantial damage to his left. He was medically retired due to his injuries, and shortly thereafter began his career in politics. https://crenshawforcongress.com/
Cleared Hot Episode 80 - Tactical A**hole Volume 1 - Navy SEALs
EThe internet demanded it, the world has waited for it, and it is finally here. Volume 1 of the Cleared Hot Tactical Asshole series reviews and critiques the worlds greatest military documentary - Navy SEALs starring Charlie Sheen. In this episode, we watch and review various tactical scenes and discuss their accuracy, or most often, the lack thereof. Hostage rescue, free-fall insertions, and gunfights in the streets of Lebanon. Truly there is something for everyone. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 79 - Erik Prince
EErik Prince is a former Navy SEAL and the founder of Blackwater, a training and private military contractor company that worked extensively with the US government in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He recently published an op-ed detailing a plan to "privatize" the war in Afghanistan. Many people will associate the name Blackwater with PMC's (Private Military Contractors) and the controversy surrounding the Nisour square shooting in 2007, and the subsequent loss of their license to operate in that country. Often, contractors are referred to as "mercenaries," a term used pejoratively, and largely inaccurately. Civilians have served on the front lines and in war zones with active duty soldiers since the inception of warfare, and I believe the discussion should be about defining their operational parameters, not their presence there.
Cleared Hot Episode 78 - Knights of the roundtable, and the court Jester
EIn this episode I was joined by three SBG (Straight Blast Gym) black belts, Travis Davison, Rick Davison, and Michael Ransom, aka the Knights. I am obviously the Jester. In previous episodes surrounding BJJ we have discussed the methodology, philosophy, origin, and training styles. This is not that type of episode. Accidentally going to the bathroom, who would win in a fight, religion, cancer, guns, responsibility and accountability, and much more. Enjoy!
Cleared Hot Episode 77 - Become a tactical bullshit detector, Q and A power hour
EI meant for this episode to be a stand-alone Q and A, but recent "events" on social media need to be addressed first. We live in a world where you can use the internet and portray yourself to be something that you are not, especially in the tactical world. Separating the wheat from the chaff can be difficult, and it creates an environment where fraud is pervasive. Be wary where you devote your time, effort, and money, all are valuable resources. Hopefully, the insight helps people make educated decisions. After my rant, a discussion on issues I struggle with and how I manage and cope, the most common leadership principle I see missing in individuals and organizations, the value of soliciting for outside advice, and the key components that your subordinates need to take away from any FRAGO. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 76 - Power hour from spring camp with Travis Davison and Matt Thornton
EPower hour with two BJJ bad asses. I just returned from the SBGI (Straight Blast Gym International) spring camp, an experience that can only be described as a shotgun blast of information to the face. Matt Thornton is the founder of SBG, a lifelong martial arts participant, coach, and author. Travis Davison is the VP of SBGI, a 20 year BJJ practitioner, and the owner of SBG Montana. I could not pass up the opportunity to sit down with these two to discuss the origins of SBG, the progression of BJJ, their thoughts on the past and future of the sport/activity, and the impact and importance it can have outside of the gym environment.
Cleared Hot Episode 75 - Mark Twight and Trevor Thompson
EMark Twight is a world-class alpinist, author, photographer, the founder of Gym Jones, an accomplished cyclist, and technical consultant and trainer to the big screen. His newest photographic project Refuge is a mix of photography across multiple genres: https://www.marktwight.com/REFUGE/1 https://www.marktwight.com/ Trevor Thompson is a former Navy SEAL, with multiple combat deployments and broad experience that ranges from SDV (SEAL Delivery Vehicles) to the Navy Parachute Team, also known as the leapfrogs. He is now a professional canopy sports athlete, photographer, and content creator.
Cleared Hot Episode 74 - Power Hour with Evan Hafer
EEvan Hafer is the founder and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee. Prior to founding BRCC he spent twenty years serving this country, first as a Special Forces soldier (Green Beret), then as a contractor for the Central Intelligence Agency, completing multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Not all military experience is applicable to the business world, and not all veterans are well suited to create, build, and continue to grow a business. There are, however, many skills that have impact and applicability to business. We spent this hour discussing lessons learned, best practices, successful decisions, and mistakes made in the journey of growing BRCC. The last twenty minutes we discussed the long term impact of war on the individual, war crimes, and the ability to detach from an occupation before it is all that defines you. https://www.blackriflecoffee.com/
Cleared Hot Episode 73 - Paul Sharp and Travis Davison
EPaul Sharp recently retired from a twenty year career in law enforcement from the city of Elgin, located on the NW outskirts of Chicago. He served his community in a variety of capacities, from patrol, undercover, narcotics, SWAT, and the resident officer program. He is a firearms, defensive weapons and tactics, and bladed edge instructor, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, and the owner of SBG Illinois. Travis Davison is a vice president of Straight Blast Gym International, the owner of multiple SBG facilities, and a 20 + year BJJ practitioner and coach.
Cleared Hot Episode 72 - Bryan Callen
EBryan Callen is a stand up comedian, actor, writer, and co-host of The Fighter and the Kid podcast. His newest comedy special "Complicated Apes" will be premiering March 12th on the Comedy Dynamics Network. His shows the Goldbergs and Schooled are currently airing on ABC. Murderbookpodcast.com Biowave.com
Cleared Hot Episode 71 - Listener Q and A
EI asked for difficult questions, you delivered. My biggest mistake as a parent, and how I dealt/deal with it, and my biggest mistake as a SEAL, and the impact it had on my career. Why I feel like I was put on this earth to "fight," how one reconciles a calm demeanor with a "savage/kill" mindset. Advice for keeping your ego in check. How to push through or keep going when you are at your lowest points. Enjoy. Audience Survey: http://suhttp://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=4zGlq6bTDFvj&ver=short
Cleared Hot Episode 70 - Brian Chontosh and John Dudley
EThis podcast comes to you from Texas, and an incredible hunting outfitter, CS Outfitters. Brian and John are both repeat guests, but this is the first time we have shared a hunting camp, and hunting experiences. Many people think that hunting is solely comprised of killing, and they could not be further from the truth. In 2.5 days we busted our ass, walked, crawled, laughed, drank, and learned. I think it has to be experienced to truly be understood. Brian Chontosh is a retired Marine Corps officer, endurance athlete, and aspiring bow hunter. You will get a glimpse into his character by reading his Navy Cross Citation. John Dudley is the creator and founder of Nock On Archery which in my opinion is the one stop shop for archery knowledge and equipment. John has mentored me into bowhunting for the past 18 months, and now it is Brian's turn to learn from the master.
Cleared Hot Episode 69 - Jeff Provenzano
EJeff Provenzano is a professional skydiver, wing suit pilot, and BASE jumper with over 20,000 jumps. He is a current member of the Red Bull Air Force, traveling the world representing the sport of skydiving while shooting content for movies, sponsors, and executing demonstration jumps. Links to videos from the conversation: Fall Swoopers Chain Reaction NYC Wingsuit Flight Thor No parachute jump
Cleared Hot Episode 68 - Toxic Masculinity and Mentoring
ENot only does everyone seem to be talking about "Toxic Masculinity," I seem to be receiving multiple emails about it every day. Full disclosure, I have not being paying much attention to the discussion, for the reasons I go in to detail during the episode. I'm not a fan of the term, or any term that is overused and under defined. If I had to pick one leadership style that is the most impactful, I would choose mentorship. It is how I was shepherded from being a young punk in the Teams to an individual capable of operating with little to no oversight in high risk, high consequence environments. I have been asked to create episodes on mentorship for young men and women, and the more thought I have put in to it, to the more convinced I am that they are not the target audience, the parents are. I close with my EDC and some food for thought when it comes to choosing to carry a concealed weapon. Here is the link to the full audio and video from the radio call in the podcast opening (it is not me in the call): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WIsmvTtMNc
Cleared Hot Episode 67 - Sean Evangelista
ESean Evangelista is the founder and owner of 30 Seconds Out, a commando inspired apparel brand. In addition to running his apparel brand, he is a member of the Sun Valley Ski Patrol, and also happens to be a retired Navy SEAL with 20 years of service, including multiple combat deployments throughout the world. Sean and I served together, the night I was shot we were standing shoulder to shoulder. As often happens, careers diverge and you lose touch with those you were once close to. Although that night was nearly 15 years ago, this was the first conversation we have had discussing the events from each of our perspectives. We covered a good bit of ground in this conversation, from pre military to post, reflections on the highs and lows of a career, the impact of a kinetic career on family thoughts on limiting time in combat, and the importance of team and purpose. If you are interested in supporting Sean and his brand, check out: 30 Seconds Out Use code: "clearedhot" for 20 percent off your order
Cleared Hot Episode 66 - Christmas/New Years/Kick off to 2019
EThis episode closes out my 2018, and launches me in to my 2019. The lessons I learned about humanity, the human psyche, psychology, and the human condition during my time as a BUD/s (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) Instructor, and how I implement them in my daily life. 2018 In review, goals and aspirations for 2019. My thoughts on the departure of General Mattis, and an update on my BJJ journey. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 65- Evan Hafer and John Dudley
EEvan Hafer is the founder and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee. Prior to his current role he spent twenty years serving this country, first as a Special Forces soldier (Green Beret), then as a contractor for the Central Intelligence Agency, completing multiple tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. John Dudley is a world class archer and coach. He is the founder of Nock on Archery, the one stop shop for information, equipment, and instruction for archers and bow hunters of all levels. For the past year and a half I have been fortunate to conduct multiple hunts with him, and I am doing everything possible to draft off of his knowledge and experience.
Cleared Hot Episode 64 - Ryan Michler
ERyan Michler is the founder/creator of Order of Man, a community and resource designed to help men improve every aspect of their lives from family, money, parenting, responsibility, etc. I hear the term "toxic masculinity" frequently, and if I am being completely honest, I stop paying attention shortly after I do. From my view in the cheap seats, it seems to be a blanket statement designed to shut down conversations, and it is extremely poorly defined. In this episode Ryan and I discuss why he chose to change the course of his life while working in the financial sector and devote his time and effort to creating Order of Man, and what he hopes it will become in the future. Order of Man
Cleared Hot Episode 63 - Fear and Doubt
EIn this episode I answer your questions from a diverse set of questions... My thoughts on military personnel charged with war crimes, leadership styles and their positive and negative impact on small teams, finding inspiration, situational awareness (preparation vs. paranoia), handling fear and doubt, and of course an update on the BJJ journey. Thanks to everyone who reached out with questions, sorry if I didn't get the chance to answer yours, there will always be another Q and A.
Cleared Hot Episode 61 - Q and A clean up
EI am never able to answer all of the questions received, but I do my best to get to most of them. This week was going to be an interview, but sometimes life gets in the way, so I called an audible and dove back in to some unanswered questions. Advice for your members of the military, or young men and women in general when it comes to "Paying your dues," Forgiveness vs. Revenge, How to find your purpose post military, struggling with how to deal with those who "thank you" for your military service, accepting big changes in life without becoming overwhelmed.
Cleared Hot Episode 60 - Aaron Cross
EAaron Cross is an Army veteran with tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He started his career as a "grunt," (his words, not mine) and then became an airborne soldier and served with multiple units, to include the famed 101st Airborne Division. On his last tour in Afghanistan his vehicle was targeted by an IED, an incident for which he received the Purple Heart, and ultimately lead to the end of his military career. Aaron has been very vocal and open about his struggles with PTS (Post Traumatic Stress), which is far less common than it should be from those in military circles. Since his separation, 11 of the men he served with have chosen to end their own lives, a statistic that is far too common, and speaks to the challenges of military service in active war zones. War changes you, in my opinion, for both better and worse. You will come home a different person. You will see the world differently. You will struggle to find common ground. The journey is not the same for any two people. Hopefully someone listening to this is reassured on their own journey, and maintains the resolve to see their way through it.
Cleared Hot Episode 59 - War and Parenting
EI am consistently blown away by the questions that are submitted by listeners. I appreciate the time and effort taken to submit them, and I'll do my best to launch another episode to clean up those that I missed. In this episode I cover everything from fighting a sense of entitlement in your kids, what you should do if you encounter someone lying about their service (specifically SpecOps service), advice for those stuck in a job that they hate, raising teenage sons, and my thoughts on team sports. Like I said, we covered quite a bit. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 58 - Vaughn Stumpf
EThe vast minority of citizens will never serve in the military. My father served before me, and his father served before him. I hope that military service ends with me, and that my children find other ways to serve. This episode is with my father, and we discuss our own family lineage, how and why we set our roots in the beach town of Santa Cruz California, and the history of our families military service. I am often asked about my service, and I can only reply with my own experiences. In this episode I tried to focus on the experience not of the service member, but of the family supporting the military member. I receive emails from parents of those serving often, hopefully this episode helps them.
Cleared Hot Episode 57 - All Things Military
EThis is the second episode I have dedicated completely to Military Q and A. I have been incredibly surprised by the volume of questions, so the military themed episodes will continue from time to time. In this episode: What I would change from my time in service, the most important/valuable piece of equipment I was ever issued, healthy mindset for a career, killing, motivation, females in direct combat roles, and more. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 56 - 2018 Alberta and Montana Elk season re-cap, internet Q and A
EThe 2018 bow hunting seasons has certainly had its ups and downs for me. I started my season on 25 August with Red Willow Outfitters in Northern Alberta, and just wrapped it up with a week of hard hunting in the mountains of Montana. There were many failures, many mistakes, and many missed opportunities. Those were the building blocks of my eventual success. The second half of this episode is devoted to Q and A from the internet. Kaepernick and Nike, managing adrenaline during, handling demotivated days, and more. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 55 - Travis Davison and John Frankl
ETravis Davison is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, the owner of Straight Blast Gyms in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Missoula Montana, as well as the Vice President of SBG International. John Frankl is a 4th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a professor in Seoul, and the man responsible for bringing BJJ to the Korean peninsula. Both men are masters of their craft, and continue to both educate and expose people like myself to BJJ. I have less than two months under my belt, pun not intended, and was able to attend a two day John Frankl seminar at SBG Kalispell. I have many questions about BJJ, it's origin, future, and current state, as I am sure anyone who begins the journey does. Enjoy.
Cleared Hot Episode 54 - JT Holmes
EJT Holmes is a man who makes the Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man Alive" look as if he has lived a boring life. JT is a professional skydiver, BASE Jumper, Ski BASE Jumper, Skier, Speed wing and Speed flyer (the first does not use skis, the second does), truck and Razor racer, public speaker, stuntman, and occasional actor. He calls the Lake Tahoe area home, and travels the world extensively creating content for his sponsors, and in general, pushing the limits of what is considered possible. Here are some of the links we discussed in the episode: Top 5 Crashes - He is of course number 1 GoPro line of the winter Enjoy!
Cleared Hot Episode 53 - Chris Spealler
EChris Spealler is a return guest on the podcast. He is a former college wrestler, and most often known for his competitive days as a CrossFit Athlete. He had top ten finishes at the CrossFit Games in 2007, 2008, and 2010, and winning the Master category for 35-39 year old athletes in 2017. He is the owner of CrossFit Park City in Utah, a husband and father, and a passionate archer (sort of). The training program referenced in the podcast can be found here, at: Grunt Works, and can be used as a stand alone program, or as accessory training to your current program. It is designed for capacity in the outdoors, not inside of the walls of a gym.
Cleared Hot Episode 52 - Robb Wolf
ERobb Wolf is a 2 x New York Times best selling author with his books Wired to Eat, and The Paleo Solution. He is considered one of the worlds foremost experts in Paleolithic nutrition, but also has a diverse background in strength and conditioning, as well as academia as a research biochemist. He is the host of The Paleo Solution podcast on Itunes, and his website RobbWolf.com is a vast resource for anyone with questions or interest in the Paleolithic approach to nutrition.
Cleared Hot Episode 51 - Josh Bridges and John Dudley
EEpisode 51 is a mid week treat, and a repost of the Nock On Podcast 188. Josh Bridges is a former Navy SEAL, and current CrossFit Games competitor. We caught up with him mid travel home from the 2018 Games, where he made a quick pit stop at Dudley's house to pick up his new bow, and receive some shooting instruction. I'm not sure what is the competitive future for Josh, but bow hunting certainly is! John Dudley is a skydiver who is passionate about archery. He is the host of the Nock On Podcast, and founder of the School of Nock. If you are looking to get in to archery, have questions about archery, bow setup, training, releases, arrows, etc., check out his website NockOnArchery, and look through the volumes of information available.
Cleared Hot Episode 50 - Jocko Willink and John Dudley
EJocko Willink is a retired Navy SEAL, Author, Speaker, host of the Jocko Podcast, owner of Echelon Front and Victory MMA and Fitness, as well as being a black belt in BJJ. If you are serious about leadership, his book, Extreme Ownership needs to sit on your bookshelf and be referenced often. John Dudley is a world class archer, coach, founder of Nock On Archery, host of the Nock On Podcast, and as of last week, a skydiver. John's breadth and depth of archery experience spans decades of competition and hunting, as well as countless sessions coaching and teaching archery at all levels. In a 72 hour period we trained archery, skydiving, and BJJ. The results were the same for all of us, a sense of invigoration and appreciation for pushing our boundaries and learning something new. Leadership, discipline, archery, BJJ, skydiving, decentralized command, failure and success. This podcast has it all. Enjoy
Cleared Hot Episode 49 - Jeremy Jones
EJeremy Jones is a professional snowboarder, and the founder of Jones Snowboards. Paired with his brothers, who created the extreme sports media company Teton Gravity Research, they created an amazing trilogy of snowboarding movies: Deeper, Further, Higher. In addition to his amazing snowboarding ability and innovation, he is a passionate advocate for combating climate change. In 2007 he created POW - Protect Our Winters, an organization dedicated to reduce the effects of climate change through education, activism, and community based projects. Deeper, Further, Higher- Netflix Itunes POW - Protect Our Winters
Cleared Hot Episode 48 - John Dudley and Chad Ward
EJohn Dudley and Chard Ward are both return guests. John is an archer, a hunter, a coach, and as far as I am concerned, a chef. Chad is a pit master, which I believe stands for chef that uses a barbecue instead of a kitchen top. Both Chad and John taught at the inaugural Nock 2 Fork event held at Traeger HQ, which I highly recommend attending. We discussed a wide range of topics from favorite BBQ, to favorite BBQ techniques, archery, and a little leadership. The most important aspect of this podcast for me is around the 1 hour mark, when John and I are able to finally discuss a concept that we have been working on for a year. It went live today, and is about all of you, and what we can all do together. www.freerangeamerican.us

Cleared Hot Episode 47 - Mark Twight
EMark Twight is a man who has found success in many arenas. When I first heard his name, he was described as an Alpinist, an expert in the outdoors. The description did not do the man justice. Mark was not only an alpinist, he is an author, the founder of Gym Jones, an accomplished cyclist, and at one time a trainer to many stars that most would recognize from movies such as 300, and Man Of Steel. Mark and I met in 2005, while I was slowly climbing out of the hole that an injury from work, plus my own poor choices, had put me in. Our initial encounter was "exercise" based, and the lessons he exposed me to still frame the way I train now, and eventually led to a short lived career in the "fitness world." He is one of the most unique human beings I have ever encountered, with an intensity and drive that can burn most to the ground. It is what I admire most about him. This conversation was over 1 year in the making. We both wanted to wait until we were in the right spot, and I believe we finally arrived there.

Cleared Hot Episode 46 - Q and A with Vaughn Stumpf and Jason Deneau
ETodays episode is Q and A from the internet, with a twist. As fate would have it, my father and brother in law are here in Montana on vacation. As I was reading through the questions, I realized that they are both a wealth of knowledge from different backgrounds, and that their insight into the questions is equally, if not more valid than my own. Jason has been serving as a firefighter for the city of San Diego for over ten years. They operate in small elements, requiring teamwork, communication, leadership, and individual responsibility. I would say the community has more similarities to the SEAL Teams than differences. My father has worn many hats throughout his life. He is a Vietnam veteran, small business owner, school teacher, sport coach, and after today, a podcaster! I learned many of the lessons that have served me well throughout life working beside him on construction sites. Between the three of us I think we had some good answers. Enjoy

Cleared Hot Episode 45 - Jessica Lynch
EAt the age of 19 Jessica Lynch joined the Army, and just over one year later she found herself staged for the invasion of Iraq. During the initial surge towards Baghdad, her unit became separated from their convoy, and found themselves in the town of Nasiriyah. Her smaller unit was ambushed, and she became the first American POW (Prisoner of War). As Jessica and her unit were staging for the invasion in Kuwait, my unit was in Saudi Arabia, doing the same thing. As the war began, we began working through our target deck, until actionable intelligence was received about her location. After a quick forward staging, planning, and limited rehearsal, we assaulted the hospital, and recovered her on 1 April 2003. It was the first successful of an American POW since WW2. Jessica was immediately taken to a higher level of medical care, and slowly began her journey home to the US via Germany. There has been much controversy over what happened during the events leading up to the rescue, and of the rescue itself. It is safe to say, in my opinion, that the military used the operation to serve their needs at the time. I had not spoken to her until this recording, and it was great to revisit the events of 15 years ago from both sides of the same coin.

Cleared Hot Episode 44 - Survival 101 with John Barklow and John Dudley
EI am a few months late to get this out, but with hunting season just around the corner, the timing may be perfect. Between Barklow and Dudley, there are decades of experience in the field. I don't often get to spend time with both in the same place, so we definitely took advantage of it. We answered a variety of questions across a broad spectrum, from hot to cold, high altitude to low, long days to short. This is the first survival episode of at least two or three in the future. The more questions you send the more episodes we will do. I hope you enjoy, and send me any questions that this podcast may bring to mind.

Cleared Hot Episode 43 - Never Give Up
EA combination of recent events and a conversation with friends has had me thinking consistently thinking about adversity, and how we each decide to deal with our personal struggles. Bottom line, some of us deal with them better than others. Some dig their feet in, some throw in the towel. I have been fortunate in my life to be surrounded by mentors. They took the raw material I was born with, and enhanced it in many areas. As a society, I think we would be far better served to embrace this mentality, than the "everyone for themselves" approach that most seem to live by. You can teach mental toughness. You can teach people to face and work through adversity, arriving on the other side improved, not destroyed. Adversity is essential, it is not the enemy

Cleared Hot Episode 42 - The Mother of all Military Q and A
EYou had military questions, I had answers. I did my best to work my way through them and answer as many as possible....Quiet professionals, leadership strengths and weaknesses, DEVGRU, preparing for combat physically and mentally, pros and cons of military service, etc. I will try to do a military specific episode every so often, as there is obviously a desire, and no lack of questions. Enjoy