Mike Drop

Former Australian 2nd Commando Regiment officer and combat veteran Heston Russell opens up about his personal journey, including coming to terms with his sexuality while serving, family reactions, and the cultural differences in veteran support between Australia and the United States. He details his exchange posting with the 75th Ranger Regiment, a later deployment to Iraq in a joint special operations planning role, insights into high-level interagency operations, and the challenges of transitioning out of the military. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Australian Commando Heston Russell continues his detailed account of life inside Australia’s elite special forces. He covers domestic counter-terrorism readiness, high-stakes training exchanges with U.S. DEVGRU and FBI HRT, protecting the Prime Minister in Afghanistan, and leading intense combat operations during his 2012 deployment—including 67 missions, significant insurgent casualties, and the loss of a teammate to an IED. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heston Russell, former Major with Australia’s 2nd Commando Regiment, multiple combat deployments. We’re going deep on what commando selection actually does to your mind and body, how he built and led teams through Afghanistan and Iraq, and why he’s now on a mission to fix veteran support back home. We also discuss the Iran war and Australia's stance in the midst of the the conflict. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former intelligence officer, NGA Chief Technology Officer, and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution Dr. Anthony Vinci joins Mike Ritland on Mike Drop to explore the new frontiers of espionage in the age of AI. They break down honeypot traps and modern recruitment risks, how social media and AI-powered disinformation have transformed propaganda, why teaching civil society to “think like an intelligence officer” is critical, and the looming threats of a digital Pearl Harbor, drone swarms, and economic warfare with China. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former intelligence officer, NGA Chief Technology Officer, and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution Dr. Anthony Vinci joins Mike Ritland on Mike Drop to break down the Iraq War’s long-term consequences, the power vacuum that empowered Iran, and the risks of current U.S. strikes escalating into another costly entanglement. Vinci weighs whether boots on the ground will be needed, the danger of prolonged insurgent warfare, economic fallout from the Strait of Hormuz, and how modern espionage has been transformed by ubiquitous technical surveillance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former intelligence officer, NGA Chief Technology Officer, and author of The Fourth Intelligence Revolution Dr. Anthony Vinci joins Mike Ritland on Mike Drop to unpack America’s high-stakes Iran moves. As deception returns, ships reposition, and Marines surge into the region, Vinci draws hard lessons from Iraq: boots on the ground may deliver victory but at the brutal price of prolonged insurgent warfare that Iran is already incentivized to drag out and amplify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Koumalatsos, Marine Raider, returns for the final segment of Episode 283. The discussion examines the Epstein case as a form of systemic leverage, followed by a critical assessment of U.S. strikes in Iran—questioning underlying motives, strategic interests, and broader implications. They address the rapid integration of AI in warfare, including autonomous targeting and the diminishing role of human judgment in combat. The conversation also considers the potential for SOCOM to operate as its own branch, along with emerging ideas around energy and recovery that remain outside mainstream focus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Koumalatsos, Marine Raider and combat veteran, returns for Part 2. This episode covers hormone optimization and TRT, peptide protocols for recovery, and the importance of discipline and accountability—principles rooted in special operations and applied to business and life. Nick also shares the powerful story of adopting his youngest child. The conversation closes with a critical look at current U.S. strikes in Iran, raising questions about timing, transparency, and public trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marine Raider and combat vet Nick Koumalatsos breaks down the current U.S. strikes in Iran and answers the hard question: are these precision attacks the opening moves of a real regime-change campaign, or just the latest massive distraction timed perfectly with the Epstein file drops and the sudden mainstream “aliens are real” push? We dig into the first torpedo sinking of an enemy ship since World War II, the recurring accusations of Israeli influence, and whether America is once again being played as a proxy in someone else’s game—while the bigger upstream truths stay buried. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Trump says Cuba might be next, oil prices are spiking after Iran, China is building submarines, and Russia is feeding intel to Iran. In this episode, I break down what’s actually going on behind the headlines—why Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba might all be connected, how energy and the petrodollar play into global power, and why transparency from our leaders matters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 3 of Episode 281 of the Mike Drop Podcast, I sit down with Mark Grdovic to talk about what happened after the Iraq invasion—getting pulled out of theater sooner than expected, taking those lessons back to train the next generation of Special Forces, and landing in one of the most unique jobs in the military: running the President’s Emergency Operations Center at the White House. We also get into leadership behind the scenes during Hurricane Katrina, the realities of retirement after decades in uniform, and Mark’s perspective on service, war, and what you really take with you when it’s all over. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of Episode 281 of the Mike Drop Podcast, I sit down with Special Forces veteran Mark Grecovich to break down the planning and execution behind Operation Viking Hammer. We get into working with Kurdish forces, the complications with Turkey backing out, and how Green Berets adapted on the fly to launch a high-risk mission against an Al-Qaeda–affiliated group in the mountains of northern Iraq. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired Green Beret, Mark Grdovic shares the largely untold story of what came to be known as "Operation Viking Hammer", a 2003 U.S. Army Special Forces mission in northern Iraq that targeted the terrorist group Ansar al-Islam prior to the main invasion. Working alongside Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, 10th Special Forces Group conducted a coordinated assault on entrenched enemy positions in mountainous terrain near Halabja, following Tomahawk strikes. The operation dismantled Ansar al-Islam’s stronghold and secured the Kurdish region, enabling follow-on coalition operations deeper into Iraq. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final part of this three-part episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland wraps up the conversation with former British Army sniper Ted Shirley. Ted shares his path to recovery from severe PTSD through civilian therapy, grounding techniques, EMDR, mindfulness, plant medicines, and years of hard work. He describes backpacking the world, rediscovering music, writing his book Afghanistan Sniper: Trauma on the Frontline and Beyond, giving mental health talks to veterans and military leaders, and reaching full remission—no longer carrying the diagnosis. A moving close full of hope, purpose, and the clear message that complete healing from combat trauma is possible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this intense episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland speaks with former British Army sniper Ted Shirley about his 2009–2010 Afghanistan tour. Ted recounts mile-long confirmed kills, massive air assaults, close calls with enemy snipers, the combat high—and the brutal aftermath: severe PTSD, nightmares, aggression, addiction-like urges around killing, suicide attempts, and medical discharge. A raw, honest look at the psychological cost of being a sniper and the struggle to come home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ted Shirley, a former British Army sniper with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and author of Afghanistan Sniper: Trauma on the Frontline and Beyond, recounts his two brutal tours in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, where he became one of the UK’s deadliest snipers. He opens up about the psychological toll of combat, including PTSD, addiction to the kill, substance abuse, and suicide attempts, and shares his perspective on the assassination of Charlie Kirk through the lens of his experience with political violence. Shirley ultimately reflects on his journey toward healing through therapy, plant medicine, and deep self-reflection, offering a raw but hopeful message about recovery after war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final part of Episode 279 of Mike Drop, Mike Ritland and Congressman Dan Crenshaw wrap up their discussion. Crenshaw addresses federal spending, waste vs. fraud in entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, the unsustainable path of these programs, and why meaningful reform remains politically toxic. The conversation shifts to foreign policy—Ukraine aid, Israel support, deterring China over Taiwan, cartel threats, and U.S. involvement abroad—before touching on immigration enforcement, regrets, and reflections on public service. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of Episode 279 of Mike Drop, host Mike Ritland sits down with U.S. Congressman and former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw for a candid, no-filter conversation. Crenshaw breaks down the Shawn Ryan controversy—accusations of insider trading, fabricated threats, and the collapsed podcast interview—while defending his actions during the Eddie Gallagher case. He also shares his perspective on the realities of Congress, term limits, foreign aid, the legislative process, and why he stays in the fight despite the personal cost. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dan Crenshaw sits down with Mike Ritland on the Mike Drop Podcast for a raw conversation. The former Navy SEAL and Texas Congressman opens up about his journey into politics, major policy fights (border security, cartels, flood mitigation, energy dominance), and directly addresses insider trading allegations, campaign finance, and the heated drama with Shawn Ryan and Eddie Gallagher—sharing receipts and his unfiltered side of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 3 of Episode 278 of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his in-depth conversation with podcaster Julian Dorey. The discussion explores handling false claims from guests, the value of constructive criticism from comments, the vulnerability of independent media to psyops and influence operations, the Ashton Forbes MH370 controversy and lessons from public drama, Epstein's likely intelligence ties (with strong speculation on Mossad connections via the Maxwells), why the full client list will never surface, Wall Street realities versus myths, insider trading concerns among government officials, crypto's future institutionalization, and broader reflections on media responsibility and personal growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of Episode 278 of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland speaks with podcaster Julian Dorey about his relentless path to building his show. The conversation covers Dorey’s severe, undiagnosed health crisis that nearly ended his ambitions, his all-in commitment to podcasting despite physical and mental exhaustion, the realities of content creation—including YouTube algorithms, guest vetting, and media responsibility—and reflections on purpose, resilience, and the current state of independent media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland welcomes Julian Dorey, the host of the wildly successful Julian Dorey Podcast. Diving straight into one of the darkest ongoing mysteries, they unpack Jeffrey Epstein’s sick blackmail tactics and his rumored role as an intelligence asset—touching on the infamous Epstein files that continue to fuel speculation about elite corruption and hidden operations. From there, the conversation ranges across Dorey’s Wall Street-to-podcast journey, parallels between modern society and ancient Rome, the crisis of purpose in young men, gun rights debates, New York politics, and his own brutal health battles while building a media empire. Raw, unfiltered, and packed with insight—this is a must-listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Ritland wraps up the interview with original Delta Force operator Mike Vining. Hear raw accounts of Urgent Fury in Grenada, Desert Storm bunker-busting, prison riot support, hardened target planning (Tahuna, Taji), moral injury, leadership lessons, retirement adventures, and his upcoming memoir Blasting Through. A legendary career summed up in one powerful close. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dive into Part 2 of Episode 277 of the Mike Drop Podcast, hosted by former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland. This gripping conversation features guest Mike Vining, a pioneering Delta Force operator, Vietnam veteran, and EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) expert with over 30 years of military service. Listeners will uncover firsthand accounts of high-stakes operations, from Vietnam War missions and the Khobar Towers bombing investigation to the origins of Delta Force, its rigorous selection process, and the dramatic details of Operation Eagle Claw—the failed 1980 Iran hostage rescue. Packed with historical insights, personal anecdotes, and corrections to common myths, this episode offers an unfiltered look at special operations, counterterrorism, and the evolution of elite U.S. military units. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Mike Ritland on this episode of the Mike Drop podcast as he chats with retired Sergeant Major Mike Vining, a Vietnam veteran, explosive ordnance disposal expert, and founding member of Delta Force. With a career spanning 26 years and involvement in pivotal operations like the Cambodian incursion and Khobar Towers investigation, Vining shares riveting tales from the front lines, his reflections on war, and insights from his upcoming book Blasting Through, set for release in August 2026. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Ritland wraps the epic three-part sit-down with Rob O'Neill, the SEAL who ended Osama bin Laden. They tackle Venezuela’s game-changing raid and its massive geopolitical ripple effects, Greenland strategy, cartel threats in Mexico, AI/drones in future warfare, deep state battles, Epstein files, Charlie Kirk fallout, fraud deflection tactics, and Rob’s no-BS vision for fixing America. Raw, unfiltered, and packed—classic Mike Drop finale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Ritland continues the no-holds-barred conversation with Rob O'Neill, the SEAL who killed Osama bin Laden. They dive deep into the Bin Laden raid's raw details—from the piss bottle carry to opium stashes, the burial-at-sea debate, post-raid jealousy in the community, vet-on-vet drama, and why Rob's suing over years of family-targeted defamation. Plus, reflections on Maduro's capture, Delta vs. DEVGRU picks, and the unbreakable brotherhood. Intense, honest, and unfiltered—classic Mike Drop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Ritland sits down once again with legendary SEAL Team Six operator Rob O'Neill — the man who fired the shots that killed Osama bin Laden. In this raw, no-filter return appearance, they cover everything from the renewed Bin Laden raid controversy and recent defamation lawsuit, to psychedelics for PTSD, family life, geopolitics, Greenland, cannabis ventures, and life after the Teams. Buckle up — it's classic Mike Drop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Part 2 of Mike Drop Podcast Ep. 275, host Mike Ritland talks with retired DEA agent Wes Tabor about his high-risk undercover work in Venezuela under Chávez and Maduro — from diplomatic cover, assassination threats, and fortified life in Caracas to surviving contracts on his head. They dive into Maduro's recent fall, the power vacuum, María Corina Machado's potential role, U.S. strategy, narco-terrorism ops, foreign influences, and why tackling Mexican cartels is far riskier. Raw, insider insights on geopolitics and counter-narcotics in the Western Hemisphere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Ritland sits down once again with former DEA Special Agent Wes Tabor. Fresh off the high-stakes U.S. raid that captured Nicolás Maduro, Wes breaks down the decades of narco-terrorism, Cuban influence, proxy forces, and geopolitical chess that led to this historic moment. From on-the-ground intel work to the power vacuum left behind, this is the unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at one of the boldest operations in recent memory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Retired DEVGRU operator Eric Frohardt wraps up his remarkable journey. From reflecting on life after the Teams—navigating multiple career pivots across beverages, supplements, energy, real estate, and now a C-suite leadership role in investment/development—to candidly discussing the challenges of civilian leadership versus special operations, the importance of unbreakable standards, current events (Pete Hegseth, potential military action against cartels), and the fentanyl crisis, Eric shares deep insights on humility, business, and faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listeners will get an inside look at the unpredictable nature of BUD/S and Green Team selection, the intense reality of life at DEVGRU's Gold Squadron, high-stakes deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, unexpected big-wall climbing adventures (including a multi-day ascent of El Capitan with minimal prior experience), leadership in multi-national operations, and the profound challenges of transitioning out of the military — including loss of identity, purpose, and the lingering questions about the true cost and meaning of those wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Ritland sits down with former Navy SEAL Eric Frohardt for a raw and revealing conversation. Eric takes us from his upbringing on an Iowa farm to the pinnacle of special operations, detailing the intense focus of SEAL Team 5 and the elite world of DEVGRU. He opens up about the medical crisis—the loss of a kidney—that shadowed his career, the weight of constant deployments, and the profound challenge of finding a new identity after an unexpected medical retirement. This is a deep dive into resilience, the hidden costs of service, and the relentless pursuit of purpose beyond the Teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this final segment of Mike Drop Ep. 273, host Mike Ritland sits down with Nick Tran. Expect a candid, no-filter conversation covering Second Amendment absolutism, border security & immigration realism, energy independence, transparency in government (including frustrations with the Epstein files handling), term limits, and what truly sets apart a citizen-legislator from career politicians. Raw, principled, and America First. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices