SOFREP Radio

This week, we are excited to welcome Jack Devine back to SOFREP Radio.With a career in the CIA that spanned more than three decades, Devine knows more about the American intelligence apparatus than most today. From the Iran-Contra affair and undermining the Russians in Afghanistan to serving as CIA’S acting director of operations and associate director of operations in the mid-1990s, Devine is a spy’s spy.Since his first appearance on SOFREP Radio in 2017, Devine has been hard at work. He brings to this week’s episode a deep dive into the history of U.S.-Russian espionage, which has shown remarkable strategic consistency on the part of the Russians even as the tools of spycraft (especially cyber) have evolved since the Cold War.With this issue very much on the minds of our national security and policy professionals, our media, and informed members of the public, Devine’s new book, Spymasters Prism: The Fight Against Russian Aggression is a timely and informative look at the ongoing spy-vs-spy struggle through the eyes of someone who was intimately involved.Read the full review of Spymasters Prism on SOFREP here.Based on personal experience and exhaustive research, Jack Devine builds a vivid and complex mosaic that illustrates how Russia’s intelligence activities have continued uninterrupted throughout modern history, using fundamentally identical policies and techniques to undermine our democracy as recently as the 2016 Presidential Elections.Don’t miss this important episode that will change how you think about espionage, our enemies and the future of America. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio we welcome former Special Forces Green Beret Sean "Buck" Rogers.Sean Rogers join the military at the age of twenty-one. After a serious injury during Ranger selection, he changed course and went on to Special Forces. As a Green Beret he served two combat deployments to Afghanistan. When his military service was complete, he returned to serve his community as a member of the Denver Police Department. Always challenging himself, Sean earned a master's degree and committed himself to running ultramarathons.Today, he uses his experience to help the next generation of Special Forces hopefuls through his podcast, The FNG Podcast, and his YouTube channel, FNG AcademyThis week, Sean also tells us about his new book, Rising Above: A Green Beret's Story of Childhood Trauma and Ultimate Healing, which was just released.About Rising Above:A simple car accident changed the path of six-year-old Sean Rogers’s life forever. His single mother checked into the hospital as a vibrant young woman and checked out as a full-blown opioid addict. From that day forward, Sean’s life became a silent nightmare of abuse, neglect, chronic hunger, and slow, helpless withdrawal from everything and everyone he loved.In Rising Above, Green Beret Sean Rogers chronicles the toughest battle of his life: the long, painful fight to confront his darkest fears and reclaim his life. After struggling as a young man to accept the raw trauma of his past, he eventually learned to understand and embrace it, ultimately using it to become an elite Special Forces operator.Through this profoundly honest and inspiring memoir, Rogers explores what it means to make the pain of your past work for you, showing you how to harness the truth of your own reality and take control of your destiny. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio we are thrilled to welcome Jessica Donati.Donati covers foreign affairs for The Wall Street Journal in Washington DC, and has reported from over a dozen countries in the role. She joined the paper as the bureau chief in Kabul in 2015, and lived in Afghanistan for over four years.Previously, she worked for Reuters in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, covering both the conflicts in Libya and Afghanistan. Her work on a series on the war in Libya was chosen as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2012.In this exclusive interview with Jessica Donati, we dive into her new book, Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War, and hear first hand accounts from the Special Forces battlespace in Afghanistan.In her new book, Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War, Jessica Donati takes readers into the lives of U.S. Special Forces on the front lines against the Taliban and Islamic State, where a new and covert war is keeping Afghanistan from collapse.In 2015, the White House claimed triumphantly that “the longest war in American history” was over. But for some, it was just the beginning of a new war, fought by Special Operations Forces, with limited resources, little governmental oversight, and contradictory orders.Through successive policy directives under the Obama and Trump administrations, America has come to rely almost entirely on US Special Forces, and without a long-term plan, is failing to stabilize Afghanistan, undermining US interests both at home and abroad.Eagle Down is a riveting account of the heroism, sacrifice, and tragedy experienced by those that continue to fight America’s longest war.Don't miss this poignant, timely episode of SOFREP Radio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio, we're proud to host Mike Hayes, former Navy SEAL and commander of SEAL Team Two.Mike Hayes has lived a lifetime of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. He has been held at gunpoint and threatened with execution. He’s jumped out of a building rigged to explode, helped amputate a teammate’s leg, and made countless split-second life-and-death decisions. He’s written countless emails to his family, telling them how much he loves them, just in case those were the last words of his they’d ever read. Outside of the Navy SEALs, he’s run meetings in the White House Situation Room, negotiated international arms treaties, and developed high-impact corporate strategies.Over his many years of leadership, he has always strived to be better, to contribute more, and to put others first. That’s what makes him an effective leader, and it’s the quality that he’s identified in all of the great leaders he’s encountered. That continual striving to lift those around him has filled Mike’s life with meaning and purpose, has made him secure in the knowledge that he brings his best to everything he does, and has made him someone others can rely on.In his new book, Never Enough, Mike Hayes recounts dramatic stories and offers battle- and boardroom-tested advice that will motivate listeners to do work of value, live lives of purpose, and stretch themselves to reach their highest potential.You won't want to miss this straight talk with Hayes, exclusive glimpses into the book, and a handful of stories from his time in the Navy SEALs and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio we're excited to welcome our guest, Col. Michael Leonard (ret.), US Air Force pilot and author of the new book An American Combat Bird Dog Pilot: From the Battlefield of Vietnam and Beyond.In this exclusive interview with Leonard, we get a first hand account of his adventures, from his days before the military right on through to his years as an executive working for companies like the Ford Aerospace and Communications Corporation and Lockheed-Martin.Of note is Leonard's recounting of close calls as a O-1 Bird Dog pilot in Vietnam. As a Forward Air Control, or FAC, Leonard was often the only link between ground forces and friendly artillery fire. In his little fixed-wing plane, Leonard had to circle over hot battlezones, dodging enemy anti-air and small arms fire while calling in coordinates on enemy locations.Don't miss this glimpse into the world of the Bird Dog pilots of Vietnam; a job that consisted of “long hours of sheer boredom, interspersed by moments of stark terror.”About Col. Michael Leonard (Ret.)Leonard is a retired Air Force officer and highly experienced global business executive. He was a USAF Command Pilot with a military career spanning 20 years, including 2 combat tours to Vietnam in 1965-1966, and 1969-1970. Mike spent 4 years flying the VC-140B Special Air Mission aircraft during his time with the 89th Military Airlift Wing, the “Home of Air Force One”. His combat decorations include 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 9 Air Medals, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. About the BookAn American Combat Bird Dog Pilot is a compelling look at the life and times of a member of the Silent Generation. In it, Michael Leonard recounts flying a small, unarmed USAF spotter plane — called an O-1 Bird dog — near ground level risking life and limb just feet above the jungle canopy. Leonard and his Bird dog were the turkey in the proverbial turkey shoot.The recollection of the life and death struggle on Thanksgiving Day in 1969 with North Vietnamese forces hell bent on capturing or killing the crew of a downed chopper near the Cambodian border is about as hairy as it gets. Then the final straw — and the catalyst for the book — which took place more than 40 years later; Leonard made contact with one of the crewmembers from that chopper.Surviving combat instilled a chameleon-like sense of innovation in Leonard and a kind of ‘challenge accepted’ attitude you might expect from someone used to taking risks and operating on a wing and a prayer.An American Combat Bird Dog Pilot is now available in ebook and paperback versions. Don't miss this thrilling tale of an untold side of the war in Vietnam and hair-raising stories from a life just feet above the treetops. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this exclusive interview, Alec and Mark — alongside Michael Marks, who captured their story — pull back the cloak on the origins of the operation to build, test and field the first Predator drone and recall what it was like to view, for the first time, a live feed of a target area through the eyes of a UAV.Not only did the pair lead the clandestine mission, they actually put eyes on Usama bin Laden in Afghanistan — through the Predator — before the 9/11 attacks. After 39 months of back and forth with the CIA and DoD Publication Review Boards, their manuscript has finally been fully cleared for release.Their tale is chronicled in their new book, Never Mind, We'll Do it Ourselves.With commentary from Charlie Allen former Assistant Director of Central Intelligence, Lieutenant General John Campbell, USAF (Ret) and USAF Lieutenant Colonel Gabe Brown, survivor of the Battle of Robert’s Ridge, this book will introduce you to the unlikely team of patriots, innovators and rule-breakers who defied the odds to relentlessly prosecute America’s most pivotal mission. A testament to the accuracy of this book is that the CIA fought for almost four years to prevent it from ever being published.Don't miss this first hand account of the early days of the CIA's mission to track Usama bin Laden, the start of the War in Afghanistan and the legacy of the Predator Drone in modern warfare.Want to get SOFREP on your phone? Download our free mobile app for Apple and Android devices. Subscribe to get access to our podcast, SOFREP Radio, our library of veteran-authored books, and our exclusive Team Room Forum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP it is our esteemed honor to host Sergeant Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston.For the uninitiated, the sergeant major of the Army is the most senior enlisted member in the United States Army and reports directly to the Army Chief of Staff.As the sergeant major of the Army, Grinston is the Army chief of staff's personal adviser on matters affecting the enlisted force. He devotes the majority of his time traveling throughout the Army to observe training and interact with Soldiers and their Families. He sits on a variety of councils and boards that make decisions affecting enlisted Soldiers and their Families and routinely invited to testify before Congress. SMA Grinston is the public face of the U.S. Army's Noncommissioned Officer Corps, representing the NCO Corps to the American people in the media and through business and community engagements.While SMA Grinston holds a lofty office, he is no stranger to life as a grunt; Grinston has held every enlisted leadership position in artillery, ranging from cannon crewmember to command sergeant major.In this episode of SOFREP Radio, SMA Grinston pulls back the veil on the modern army, lending his decades of insight to everything from army-wide readiness to preparing the force for the future of war.But make no mistake, this is no discussion of policy or theory. SMA Grinston answers questions about the deaths at Fort Hood, military suicide and mental health, and even the controversial basic training 'Shark Attack' technique.Don't miss this exclusive interview with the U.S. Army's most senior enlisted member, SMA Michael Grinston. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan in the early 2000's as part of a Civil Affairs team. After his service, which included a stint at the Presidio of Monterey Defense Language Institute where he studied Arabic, Jacob relocated to New York City. In New York he worked for the New York Times and several other companies before joining forces with SOFREP as Editor in Chief.In this sit down with Jacob, we hear some stories from OEF and how he came to lead the team at SOFREP. Moreover, we get a glimpse at where SOFREP is headed and how the publication will refresh itself in the new year.Be sure to tune in as we put Jacob on the hot seat!Editor's Note: This episode was recorded the morning of January 6th. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio we decided to shake things up a bit. While we had a standard-issue podcast lined up for you, we thought we would take a moment to discuss the events that unfolded in Washington D.C. on January 6th — and the aftermath — in a segment we're calling Editor's Round Table.SOFREP contributor Sean Spoonts, Senior Editor Steve Balestrieri and Editor in Chief Jacob Sotak dive into the protest-turned-insurrection and try to answer some of the questions banging around the internal channels at SOFREP. What actually happened?Is what we witnessed sedition, or the impassioned outcry of American patriots? Who is responsible for the actions of the mob that entered the Capitol building? And what does this moment mean for our national security? Like so many Americans who are struggling to wrap their heads around the events that unfolded, our editorial team has more questions than answers. But, despite our differences in opinion, we believe the only way to approach clarity is through discussion and the sharing of differing perspectives.We hope this first foray into the Editor's Round Table helps start a conversation among our listeners and, if we're lucky, sheds a little light on what we believe hangs in the balance.And, in the name of discussion, we extend to you an invitation: Send us your thoughts at [email protected]. What did we miss? What do you think about the events of January 6th?Editor's Note: This conversation was recorded on January 7th. At the time of recording, President Trump had not released his video statement acknowledging the event and committing to a peaceful transfer of power on January 20th. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are honored to host Command Sergeant Major (Retired) Tom Satterly and his wife Jen in this very special episode of SOFREP Radio, and the first of the new year.Tom served in the United States Army for twenty five years. Not long after joining the Army in 1986, he passed the Special Forces Q Course and became a Green Beret. By 1991, Tom had moved to Delta Force where he served for the next 20 years deploying on countless missions across the globe.Most notably, Tom served in Somalia and fought in the Battle of Mogadishu — the longest sustained firefight in military history since the Vietnam War — which was depicted in the oscar-winning 2001 film Black Hawk Down.But for all Satterly's combat missions, his struggle with depression, pain and PTSD was the battle that nearly broke him. It was Jen who spotted something wrong and saved Tom from a suicide attempt. Tom's battle with PTSD took on a new light, and together, Tom and Jen started the All Secure Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to support struggling servicemembers and families and equip them with the tools and skills to emerge from their individual battles stronger and more resilient.In this episode, Tom and Jen discuss his deployments, his struggle with PTSD and their ongoing mission to end veteran suicide.This episode is not only the story of the Satterlys, but also a reminder to the families and friends of servicemembers and veterans; our fighting men and women need our support and resources like the All Secure Foundation — among many others — are out there to help, as Tom and Jen so poignantly remind us.We at SOFREP hope this episode encourages you to reach out to veteran or servicemember in your life and remind them they are not alone. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Christmas Day and we are honored and humbled to bring you an exclusive interview with veteran Joe Kent. Kent is a former Army Ranger who went on to join Special Forces Fifth Group where he logged eleven combat tours in Iraq and elsewhere. Kent rose to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer before leaving the SOF community.In addition to his decades of service in U.S. Army Special Operations, Kent is also a Gold Star husband. His wife, Shannon Kent, was a U.S. Navy intelligence operative who was killed while serving in Syria in 2019.In this very special episode of SOFREP Radio, we talk with Kent about his service in Iraq and Yemen, hear his thoughts on the missteps the U.S. has taken in the wars in the Middle East, and share in remembering the heroic service of his wife.Here is a recent video about Kent's experience and his stance on the 'Endless Wars.'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfCHddpPEyUWe're honored to have Joe Kent on this special Christmas episode; his story and his service is emblematic of the kind of selfless service carried out by so many in our armed forces and Special Operations units. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio we were joined by Bing West, Marine Force Recon veteran, former Assistant Secretary of Defense to the Reagan administration and prolific author. In this episode, West walks us through his latest book, The Last Platoon, and talks about the Corps, the war in Afghanistan and much much more.Read our full review of West's latest book on SOFREP.About Bing WestDuring the Vietnam War, he was a platoon leader in Force Recon leading over 100 combat patrols. When his tour (66-68) was completed, the Corps asked him to write a guide for Marines coming into the country. The guide was titled Small Unit Action in Vietnam and the military published over 100,000 copies of it.Bing West spent time in Afghanistan with Marines on the ground when he was 70 years old.Afterward, Bing served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs in the Reagan administration. His son, Owen West, was also a Marine officer in Force Recon. Owen later became the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict under General Jim Mattis with whom Bing has co-authored a book.Bing has authored 10 books centering on the Marine Corps. Many of them are about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where he made about 40 trips and spend time on the battlefields and with Marines in the field. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on SOFREP Radio we welcome Jeff Nyce, an over 30-year veteran of SWAT — 1981 to 2014 — who held the roles of operator, team leader and commander. Nyce completed over 4500 raids barricades with Montgomery Country SWAT during his time in uniform. Nyce participated in some of the most highly publicized events in law enforcement history, which generated national and even international attention, including the takedown of the DC snipers. He also involved in a hostage rescue incident by a lone-wolf domestic terrorist who the FBI determined was “the first suicide bomber with hostages in the United States” at the Discovery Headquarters Building in Silver Spring, Maryland, and the capture of a violent group of serial bank robbers featured on John Walsh’s America’s Most Wanted.At the height of his career as a SWAT commander, Nyce was struck down by two diseases that at the time were deemed terminal with no available cure: multiple myeloma cancer and cardiac amyloidosis. Doctors told him that he had less than two years to live—at best.Nyce prepared for what would be the greatest fight of his life. He overcame many obstacles, including “coding” in 2013 during a stem- cell transplant that required chest compressions and saline to bring him back to life and then a stroke precipitated in 2015 by the chemotherapy he was undergoing to forestall the myeloma and amyloidosis.To get through, Nyce applied lessons learned from his years in SWAT: “Never complain, never quit, and the mission comes first. Failure’s not an option as it relates to the mission.” Nyce's mission was simple: survive.Eight years have passed since his initial diagnosis, and Nyce is still alive and in remission. By all medical accounts, Nyce has defied the odds.Nyce's memoir, Failure is Not an Option consists of three elements: high-profile SWAT operations; his medical journey; and lessons on fitness, diet, and drug routines that have helped Nyce manage these medical obstacles and improve his quality of life.Don't miss this great episode of SOFREP Radio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Sarraille is the CEO of EF Overwatch, an executive search firm and talent advisory, and senior leadership consultant with Echelon Front. He is a former Recon Marine, Scout-sniper, and retired US Navy SEAL officer with twenty years of experience in Special Operations, including the elite Joint Special Operations Command.Sarraille is also the author of The Talent War, a mandate for harnessing talent in business to achieve growth and hit targets:"In this hypercompetitive business environment, the war for talent has never been more important, nor more complex than ever. Of 800 CEOs and 600 other C-suite executives polled in 2019, the overwhelming majority cited the ability to attract and retain top talent as their number one concern."You need to attract and retain the best talent for your organization to win, but without the right strategy or mindset, you won’t be able to compete. After all, your PEOPLE— not your product or service—are your strongest competitive advantage."The Talent War explores how U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) assess, select, and develop their world-class talent. You’ll learn how to adopt a talent mindset, the single greatest weapon you can possess in the war for talent. When your organization reflects this mindset, you will hire, train, and develop the right people, and put them in the best positions to make decisions that allow you to retake the advantage and win the war."Don't miss this episode of SOFREP Radio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, SOFREP Radio Host Steve Balestrieri sits down with Sam Culper, CEO of Forward Observer.Forward Observer is an Intelligence services company specializing in threat intelligence, trend analysis, conflict monitoring, and applied intelligence training. Culper started Forward Observer in 2012 when he transitioned out of the military intelligence community. He began looking at unrest in the United States and started to see indicators of low-intensity conflict — from both the left and the right — and began to track those indicators much like a military intelligence cell would.Culper and his team at Forward Observer use evidenced-based reasoning and structured analytic techniques to think clearly about the future of American conflict.They work to challenge status quo thinking about instability, collapse, systems disruption, and conflict through weekly analysis and intelligence reporting. They have a proven track record of offering high level, accurate insights and perspectives.Listen in this week to increase your situational understanding, make better decisions, and reduce your uncertainty about the future.Don't forget to check out Forward Observer, here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we rolled back the clock with journalist and author Kevin Maurer as we talk about his most recent book Rock Force: The American Paratroopers Who Took Back Corregidor and Exacted MacArthur’s Revenge on Japan.Corregidor, as known as “The Rock” or the “Gibraltar of the East” was the scene of one of the worst defeats in American military history. Corregidor was the largest of four fortified islands protecting the mouth of Manila Bay. It had been fortified prior to World War I with powerful coastal artillery. It was relatively small, just 3.5 miles long and 1.5 miles wide at its head, and only two miles from Bataan. Its widest elevated area, known as Topside, held most of the fort’s 56 coastal artillery pieces and installations. A labyrinth of tunnels connected the gun emplacements that housed 1,000 troops and a hospital.After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and invaded the Philippines, Corregidor came under siege from December 29, 1941, through April 1942. After the fall of Bataan, the Japanese landed troops on Corregidor. The bloody fighting continued until May when General Jonathan Wainwright, who commanded the American and Filipino forces after General MacArthur’s evacuation, surrendered.By late 1944, the war had turned and MacArthur was leading a monumental, but unnecessary, campaign to retake the Philippines. Thus, retaking “The Rock” was of huge symbolical importance to the Americans.Rock Force has been called a "genuine, compelling and utterly riveting" account of the harrowing fight for Corregidor in a way that "captures the language and trappings of World War II." It's truly a must-read for any history buff.Maurer is a very experienced author. He spent time embedded with Special Forces operators in Afghanistan and with the 82nd Airborne. He also co-wrote the book No Easy Day with Navy SEAL Mark Owen that recounts the raid that took out Osama bin Laden. So, he knows how to tell a military story.Don't miss our full review of Kevin's book Rock Force on SOFREP. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we're honored to host Lt. Colonel David "Bull" Gurfein, CEO of United American Patriots.For the uninitiated, United American Patriots is military advocacy group that works to defend service members accused of crimes while in service.UAP works with professional fundraising organizations to generate contributions for each service member, and uses those funds for attorneys’ fees, court costs, for family members to travel to the penitentiary and/or court hearings, and, for those released from confinement, UAP funds reintegration efforts like vocational training, psychological counseling, and offers stipends for housing and necessities. Over the past thirteen years, UAP’s sponsorship has helped dozens of combat Service members defend themselves at trial, upon appeal, and before military boards to upgrade discharges, thereby positioning these warriors for successes in civilian life.Most recently, UAP has helped raise awareness about the MARSOC 3, and assisted in the parole and release of 1SG John Hatley.Lear more about UAP's mission, HERE.About Lt Colonel GurfeinLt Colonel Gurfein enlisted in the Marines at 17, completed Boot Camp at Parris Island and went on to become the Honor Graduate from Officer Candidate School, Meritoriously Augmented as a 2nd Lieutenant out of The Basic School, and served as a Marine Corps Infantry Officer.With 25 years of service, he retired as a Lt Colonel after leading Marines operationally and in combat around the world - From a Rifle Platoon in the jungles of Panama; to a Mortar Platoon across the deserts of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait; to a Rifle Security Company on the fence-line at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; to a team of Future Operations Planners in the mountains of Afghanistan; to a Special Operations Task Force during the initial assault into the cities of Iraq; and as a Congressional Liaison on Capitol Hill for both the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, and the Marine Special Operations Command.LtCol. Gurfein also has extensive business executive management experience in diverse highly-competitive industries. To include as the CEO for ArmorSmith, defense technology; SVP and Partner with Holden International, business development consultants; VP for The Venetian and The Palazzo, five-diamond resorts in Las Vegas; National Sales Manager for MV Sport/Weatherproof, emblazoned sports apparel; COO for TeleVend, e-commerce start-up; and Associate with Goldman, Sachs & Co, Wall Street investment bank.In 2016, LtCol. Gurfein ran for U.S. Congress in NY’s 4th District and was endorsed by 5 parties (Republican, Conservative, Independence, Tax Revolt, and Reform). Although he lost, with over 40% of the vote (120k votes) he did far better than most expected he would as a first-time candidate in a predominantly Liberal Democratic district.LtCol. Gurfein received his MBA from Harvard Business School and BS in Speech Communication and Political Science from Syracuse University. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we sit down with Gretchen Smith, founder of Code of Vets. With Veterans Day right around the corner, we thought it was high time we talked about Code of Vets, a non-profit organization which works to raise money through small personal donations and deliver it directly to veterans in need.Code of Vets is a 501c3 that exclusively uses social media to raise donations and awareness for veterans in crisis and/or in need. With more than 340,000 followers just on Twitter (they have a following on Facebook as well), Code of Vets has raised over $2MILLION in two years to help thousands of veterans with suicide prevention, housing, food, clothing, medical and transportation just to name a few — with only 2% operating costs — nearly every penny that came in went right back out to veterans.Veterans receive near immediate care/assistance upon request because of their unique platform. Code of Vets has caught the attention of celebrities and public figures alike including Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Sidney Powell, Larry The Cable Guy, Oak Ridge Boys, Scott Baio, Herschell Walker and Charlie Daniels.The inspiration for Code of Vets came from Sgt. Danny E. Smiley, Gretchen's dad and Airborne Angel. He was a Bronze Star Medal recipient, a 100 percent disabled Vietnam Veteran - exposed to agent orange. He lost his battle with PTSD at age 57. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we welcome back to the show SOFREP friend and SOFREP Books author Eric Davis.Eric Davis is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and decorated veteran of the War on Terror. Eric has been recognized as one of the premier sniper instructors in the U.S. military and has served as a Master Training Specialist at the SEAL sniper school.Eric spent years developing, writing and executing curriculum for the SEAL Teams. By leveraging his expertise in the development of systems, structures, processes and practices Eric was instrumental in significantly reducing the failure rate, of Naval Special Warfare’s internationally recognized Sniper course. Since departing from the SEAL teams, Eric has worked in corporate performance, sales and leadership training bringing an unprecedented amount of innovation, efficiency and structure to the domain of business and personal performance.In his new webinar course, Eric shares his experience as a Navy SEAL instructor and help you apply three core lessons to life and breathing through to the next level. Tune in to learn about the webinar and Eric's 'Tribe 215.' Learn more here.Eric is the author of "Raising Men: Lessons Navy SEALs Learned from Their Training and Taught to Their Sons" and "Habits of Heroes: Being the Hero in Your Own Life" Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many, Donnie Edwards is known as a gridiron grinder. A fourth round draft pick out of UCLA who played for thirteen seasons on the NFL — eight with the Kansas City Chiefs and six with the San Diego Chargers — Donnie earned a reputation for doling out hit and having hands. During his time in the NFL he logged 23.5 sacks and 28 interceptions, just nine short of the NFL record for most interceptions by a linebacker.But for all his football fame, Edwards has come to be known in veteran and military circles for his veterans organization, The Best Defense Foundation.The Best Defense Foundation's main focus is brining closure to WWII veterans by returning them to the battlefields where they once fought. Edwards and his foundation have helped hundreds of veterans return to battlefields from Normandy to Iwo Jima, some of whom had not set foot in those places since the war.The Best Defense Foundation has also added to its mantle a mission for Special Forces soldiers. Dubbed simply the Transition Program, Edwards and BDF reintegrate SOF soldiers by "combining concepts from the battlefield with ideas forged on the gridiron" through "unique retreats that preserve bonds of brotherhood while providing tools and services that equip and empower our veterans to move forward."Tune in to this week's episode to learn more about the Best Defense Foundation and hear tales from the ground from gridiron great Donnie Edwards. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we welcome historian and author Paul Bruno to the show.Paul is an early Jeep historian who has just released a new book with MFM Publishing called The Original Jeeps, the true story of how the US Army created the Jeep some 80 years ago.He has spent more than 20 years researching, writing and studying early Jeep history. He visited key sites in this story, including the United States National Archives, and combined his knowledge of project management and history in his first book, Project Management in History: The First Jeep, published in 2014. The Original Jeeps further tells the story of early Jeep history and continues his journey into the depths of this important inspirational work of human ingenuity.Any historian, automotive buff, Jeep fan, or World War II enthusiast will love what he has to say. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's episode we rolled up our sleeves with Jay Dobyns, a tough-as-nails undercover federal agent who served for twenty-seven years before retiring in 2014.He achieved worldwide notoriety as one of history's most daring undercover operators during high-octane missions targeting America's violent crime. Often playing the role of a shrewdly-calculating hitman or mob debt collector infiltrating scores of deadly criminal enterprises while living among street and prison gangs, anti-government extremists, gunrunning groups, drug traffickers and organized crime members, bomb builders, home invasion robbery crews and "murder-for-hire" suspects.A defense attorney once described Jay as: "...a government-trained ‘Predator’ repeatedly sent on seek and destroy missions in search of drugs, guns and violence, with instructions to succeed at any cost and without regard for the agent himself or those he crosses paths with.”Jay is perhaps best known for his landmark effort against the notorious Hells Angels. He was the first-ever lawman to defeat the gang’s multilayered security measures getting inside to become a member of their legendary Skull Valley charter.Jay's book about that investigation - No Angel, My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels - is a New York Times and international bestseller.His follow-up book - Catching Hell, A True Story of Abandonment and Betrayal - is a bestselling memoir that details the events of his life and career. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During his heyday, Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel were pushing an estimated 70-80 tons of cocaine into the U.S. every month. DEA agents Javier Peña and Steve Murphy were stationed in Colombia and were assigned to take down Escobar and the Medellin cartel.Many Americans had no idea who Murphy and Pena were until the Netflix series “Narcos” was released. And although the series, like all Hollywood films, took some liberties with the true story, it finally brought Murphy and Pena to the forefront.The DEA agents worked in Medellin out of the police force base and were part of the Search Bloc (Bloque de Búsqueda), the CNP’s Special Operations unit in charge of the search for Escobar. The task force also included members of Delta Force, Navy SEALs, NSA, and CIA. It was the CIA that both Murphy and Peña remember as being as much at odds with the DEA as it was with the cartel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kristofer Goldsmith is the chief investigator and associate director for policy and government affairs at Vietnam Veterans of America, a congressionally-chartered veterans service organization. There he has been leading efforts to study the targeting of troops and veterans online for the purposes of fraud and disinformation campaigns by foreign entities. Kris's policy portfolio at VVA centers around "New Veterans," covering a broad range of issues from healthcare to education, and military personnel policy to post-service employment opportunities for veterans.He is the founder of High Ground Veterans Advocacy, a small nonprofit organization which trains veterans to engage successfully with government on policy changes meant to improve the lives of servicemembers, veterans and their families. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moe Davis is a retired Air Force Colonel, Director of the Air Force Judiciary and former Chief Prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay. Col. Davis has been a law professor, judge, speaker, writer, and national security expert for Congress.He graduated from Appalachian State and North Carolina Central School of Law. Shortly after he passed the bar exam, his father died of a heart attack. In part to honor his father, Davis decided to join the Air Force, the start of a 25-year career of service in the military.In 2007, while serving as Chief Prosecutor for Terrorism Trials at Guantanamo Bay, Col. Davis dared to publicly take on the Bush Administration. He refused an order to use evidence obtained through torture, believing it was both immoral and illegal and the evidence unreliable. That decision came at a price; to uphold his principles and maintain his oath, Col. Davis had no choice but to resign his prestigious position as Chief Prosecutor at Guantanamo Bay.For his stand against torture and the political pressure placed on prosecutors at Guantanamo, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) honored Col. Davis by including him in, “Those Who Dared: 30 Officials Who Stood Up For Our Country.”That was not the last time Col. Davis stood up for what he believed was right. In 2009, after retiring from the Air Force, he was working as an assistant director and senior specialist in national security for the Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress. But when he wrote an opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal that was critical of the Obama Administration’s handling of prosecutions at Guantanamo Bay, Col. Davis was fired.Col. Davis is currently running for election to the U.S. House to represent North Carolina's 11th Congressional District.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review!Editor's note: This episode was recorded on September 4th, 2020. Due to technological issues, the quality of some portions of this podcast is low. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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General Don Bolduc served as Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force commander and from 2012-2013 as Commander of the Combined Joint Special Operations Component in Afghanistan where he logged ten deployments. Today, General Bolduc is running for New Hampshire State Senate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest Dan Hampton is a retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1986 to 2006. He flew 151 combat missions in the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon and logged 726 career combat hours. Lt. Col (Ret.) Hampton is best known as a "Wild Weasel", or Surface-to-Air (SAM) site killer, recording 21 hard kills on SAM sites. Dan is also the author of Operation Vengeance: The Astonishing Aerial Ambush That Changed World War II. Pick up your copy on Amazon today!If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, host Steve Balestrieri speaks with Clint Lorance, a former Army officer who was wrongly accused of killing Afghan civilians. The military system, the unit chain of command, and the Army committed a grave injustice and put Clint in prison for killing enemy combatants who were getting ready to attack his soldiers.Thanks to being pardoned by President Trump, Clint is now a free man and is beginning law school so that he can help to fight injustice within the system. Clint is also the author of a book called Stolen Honor: Falsely Accused, Imprisoned, and My Long Road to Freedom that will be released on September 22, 2020. You can preorder your copy today!If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, host Steve Balestrieri speaks with Marc Goldberg, an IDF (Israel Defense Forces) paratrooper and author of the book Beyond the Green Line.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Ingrid Centurion, an Iraq war veteran and a small business owner who is running for office as a State Representative in Massachusetts. She began flying airplanes at 17 years old before moving to flying as a commercial pilot at 20 years old, and then moved on to an honorable twenty year plus military career where she operated in mission-critical environments from the cockpit of multiple aircraft platforms such as the UH-1H (Huey), UH-60 (Blackhawk), and RC-12P (Guardrail).If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this show we have two incredible guests. Host Steve Balestrieri discusses national security and childhood obesity nutrition with Rear Admiral Bob Besal (U.S. Navy Retired) followed by Brigadier General Gary Pappas (Massachusetts Army National Guard Retired).If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Born on July 4th and named after the great John Wayne, you could say that our guest John Wayne Walding was destined to be an American hero. He spent 12 years in the US Army and seven in the Special Forces Group serving his country. While serving, John suffered a devastating injury during the Battle of Shok Valley after being shot in the leg. After losing his leg during the battle, John continued to fight on alongside the other soldiers, which ultimately earned him the Silver Star, Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his bravery.Following his recovery, John’s determination and selflessness drove him to do what no one else had done before – enroll in the Special Forces Sniper School to become the first ever amputee to re-enlist as a Green Beret Sniper. As always, John was looking for another way to give back to the country he loves so much.To continue on his mission of giving back and serving his country, John is now co-founder of Live to Give, a company built on the premise of giving back and one that donates 50% of its net profits to charities supporting military, first responders and their families. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, John’s company has donated hundreds of cases of water to first responders and schools, partnered with likeminded organizations to help employ those who have lost work, and continued to give back in however possible.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest Jake Lockett was born and raised in central Texas, went to Texas A&M, studied Aerospace Engineering, and ended up studying German Language as well. He moved to LA in 2011 and has been acting ever since. His resume includes roles in the CBS SEAL Team series, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Community, Hawaii Five-O, and many others. Jake is a great guy who also teases out a Special Forces project he's involved with.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Steve Balestrieri (retired Green Beret and current SOFREP writer) interviews Jason Lewis, former Army Captain, veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and a man who is now helping veterans suffering from tinnitus and hearing loss.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stuart "Stu" Bradin is the President and CEO of the Global SOF Foundation. He retired as a U.S. Army Special Forces colonel in May 2014 after over 32 years of service. Stu’s Special Forces assignments include service with elements of Joint Special Operations Command, as Deputy Director of Operations at Special Operations Command Europe, and extensive service with the 7th and 10th Special Forces Groups (Airborne). He commanded several SFODAs (“A-Teams”) and served as a battalion Operations Officer as well as the Company Commander of the counter terrorist unit designated as the CINC’s In Extremist Force. He participated in Operation Just Cause, served tours as an adviser in El Salvador and Peru, and is a veteran of multiple unconventional and other special operations with 10th SFG(A) in the Balkans and numerous locations in northern and central Africa.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We had such a good time interviewing Bob Adams last week that host Brandon Webb had him back on for more.Bob Adams began his military career at the U.S. Naval Academy as a 5th generation career officer. After serving as Navigator and First Lieutenant on the USS Hamner (DD-718) he followed his dream to Navy SEAL training where he graduated as class leader. He served 14 years in the Navy – 12 in the SEAL Teams, active and reserve, and was a Navy Commander when he changed services to attend medical school on an Army scholarship to Wake Forest University Medical School.As an Army physician, he commanded various clinics providing full-service inpatient and outpatient obstetric, pediatric, medical, surgical and gynecologic services to a diverse population, with ages from birth to elderly geriatric patients, for both military and civilian institutions. He was honored to serve four years as the Command Surgeon for the US Army DELTA Force providing rapid deployment special forces combat medical services worldwide.He is the author of Six Days of Impossible Navy SEAL Hell Week, a Doctor Looks Back.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Adams began his military career at the U.S. Naval Academy as a 5th generation career officer. After serving as Navigator and First Lieutenant on the USS Hamner (DD-718) he followed his dream to Navy SEAL training where he graduated as class leader. He served 14 years in the Navy – 12 in the SEAL Teams, active and reserve, and was a Navy Commander when he changed services to attend medical school on an Army scholarship to Wake Forest University Medical School.As an Army physician, he commanded various clinics providing full-service inpatient and outpatient obstetric, pediatric, medical, surgical and gynecologic services to a diverse population, with ages from birth to elderly geriatric patients, for both military and civilian institutions. He was honored to serve four years as the Command Surgeon for the US Army DELTA Force providing rapid deployment special forces combat medical services worldwide.He is the author of Six Days of Impossible Navy SEAL Hell Week, a Doctor Looks Back.This episode was hosted by SOFREP Media CEO and former Navy SEAL, Brandon Webb.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Geo and Stavros sit down with Brandon A., a former Air Force AC-130 Spooky gunner and now a detective in a law enforcement department. We talk about his time in the Air Force, what goes inside a Spooky gunship, deployments, danger-close fire support missions in Afghanistan, and his transition from the military to law enforcement. You don’t want to miss this one!If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest, Senator Martha McSally, proudly represents the people of Arizona in the U.S. Senate and spent four years in the U.S. House of Representatives. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, McSally served 26 years in the Air Force, retiring as full colonel. She is the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat and first to command a fighter squadron in combat in United States history. McSally deployed six times to the Middle East and Afghanistan and flew 325 combat hours in the A-10 Warthog, earning the Bronze Star and six air medals. She lives in Tucson, Arizona.Her new book Dare to Fly: Simple Lessons in Never Giving Up shows you how to clear the runway of your life: embrace fear, transform doubt, succeed when you are expected to fail, and soar to great heights in this motivational life guide.This episode was hosted by SOFREP Media CEO and former Navy SEAL, Brandon Webb.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Support our veteran team and be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guest is Cee Freeman, Vice President of the National Desert Storm War Memorial Association.In 2010, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm was becoming just a side note in history. Its founder was moved to act and initiated the effort to construct a memorial in Washington, D.C. to both memorialize those who lost their lives and educate visitors from America and around the world.Since 2011, the National Desert Storm War Memorial (NDSWM) has worked to achieve its singular mission, construction of the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial. NDSWM is on track to complete and dedicate the memorial on Veterans Day 2021.This episode was hosted by SOFREP writer and Green Beret, Steve Balestrieri.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Steve Balestrieri speaks with Mike Broihier, a veteran running in a Senate campaign in Kentucky. Mike is on the show to discuss his personal story and perspective on life post-service (he has been a teacher, farmer, and local newspaper editor) as well as how his time in service has shaped his Senate run.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Chesney is the author of No Ordinary Dog, the powerful true story of a SEAL Team Operator and military dog handler, and the dog that saved his life.Two dozen Navy SEALs descended on Osama bin Laden’s compound in May 2011. After the mission, only one name was made public: Cairo, a Belgian Malinois and military working dog. This is Cairo's story, and that of his handler, Will Chesney, a SEAL Team Operator whose life would be irrevocably tied to Cairo's.Starting in 2008, when Will was introduced to the SEAL canine program, he and Cairo worked side by side, depending on each other for survival on hundreds of critical operations in the war on terrorism. But their bond transcended their service. Then, in 2011, the call came: Pick up your dog and get back to Virginia. Now.What followed were several weeks of training for a secret mission. It soon became clear that this was no ordinary operation. Cairo was among the first members of the U.S. military on the ground in Pakistan as part of Operation Neptune Spear, which resulted in the successful elimination of bin Laden.As Cairo settled into a role as a reliable “spare dog,” Will went back to his job as a DEVGRU operator, until a grenade blast in 2013 left him with a brain injury and PTSD. Unable to participate in further missions, he suffered from crippling migraines, chronic pain, memory issues, and depression. Modern medicine provided only modest relief. Instead, it was up to Cairo to save Will's life once more—and then up to Will to be there when Cairo needed him the most.This episode was hosted by SOFREP writer and Green Beret, Steve Balestrieri.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Be sure to subscribe to SOFREP Radio and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we sit down with our very dear friend Alex Hollings. A former SOFREP senior staff writer, Alex is now the Editor of Sandboxx. We discuss the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and how it affects military training and readiness and China’s information operations. We also touch upon how the pandemic might affect the journalism business.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duane Miller, age 95, lived through hell fighting against the Germans in WWII. Miller joined the U.S. Army as an infantryman in October 1943. He was only 18 years old. This American hero has had an incredible life and you'll get some insight in this interview conducted by Navy SEAL and New York Times best-selling author Brandon Webb.If you haven’t already, be sure to join our community at SOFREP and find the best tactical equipment and apparel in our store, The Loadout Room. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Big Phil Campion (British SAS) tells us about his recent experiences being locked down in Spain as well as a rought trip to Togo. This guy is always up to something interesting! If you haven’t already noticed, we have a ton of new SOFREP t-shirt designs and gear available in our store. As always, be sure to check out our Crate Club for Spec Ops grade gear hand picked by military professionals. See you all again next week! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we sit down with “Headshot” Don Bradley. Don is a former Special Forces operator and CIA paramilitary contractor with over 25 combat deployments. His life, however, was forever changed when he was shot in the head during a road rage incident back in 2018. Having barely escaped with his life, Don is now fighting to clear his name. Please consider supporting Don and his family by donating on their GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/head-shot-don-could-use-a-hand/ If you haven’t already noticed, we have a ton of new SOFREP t-shirt designs and gear available in our store. As always, be sure to check out our Crate Club for Spec Ops grade gear hand picked by military professionals. See you all again next week! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, SOFREP Managing Editor Stavros Atlamazoglou and former Delta Operator and SOFREP writer Geo sit down with Sensei James Williams. Sensei Williams trains the most elite Special Operations units of the country in combatives and knife-fighting. During their discussion, they talk about knife-making, combatives, and the right mental state for combat, among other things. They also go over some amazing stories from downrange and how Sensei’s combatives teaching has saved the lives of America’s best. If you haven’t already noticed, we have a ton of new SOFREP t-shirt designs and gear available in our store. As always, be sure to check out our Crate Club for Spec Ops grade gear hand picked by military professionals. See you all again next week! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our special host this episode is SOFREP writer and former Special Forces operator, Steve Balestrieri. He interviews Stephen "Butch" Whitehead, the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) national commander. Whitehead is a combat-disabled veteran of the Iraq War, was elected national commander for the more than 1 million-member DAV at the organization’s 2019 national convention in Orlando, Florida. A native of Trimont, Minnesota, Whitehead is a retired command sergeant major for 84th Troop Command Brigade in the Minnesota Army National Guard. Whitehead joined the Army in 1991 and completed two overseas deployments, receiving the Bronze Star in 2007 for combat service in Iraq. In 2012, he was awarded the Veterans Voices Award by then-Gov. Mark Dayton of Minnesota. Other military awards include a Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, five Army Achievement Medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal. Currently, Whitehead serves as executive director of the Disabled American Veterans of Minnesota Foundation. He has served as adjutant for the DAV Department of Minnesota and is chair for multiple department-level committees. He was also recently appointed to the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center Consumer Advisory Board, where he will serve for three years. If you haven’t already noticed, we have a ton of new SOFREP t-shirt designs and gear available in our store. As always, be sure to check out our Crate Club for Spec Ops grade gear hand picked by military professionals. See you all again next week! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Phil Campion is on time and on target from the British Ministry of Defence main building -- also called the Whitehall. He interviews a special guest, Johnny Mercer. In July 2019, Johnny was appointed the Minister for Defence People and Veterans in the Ministry of Defence and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs in the Cabinet Office. He is responsible for armed forces, veterans and civilian people policy. In short, he takes care of veterans and makes sure they are supported at the national level. This is a special interview that you don't want to miss. If you haven’t already noticed, we have a ton of new SOFREP t-shirt designs and gear available in our store. As always, be sure to check out our Crate Club for Spec Ops grade gear hand picked by military professionals. See you all again next week! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.