SOFREP Radio

Retired CIA Officer Thomas Pecora is back on with us this episode as we celebrate the release of his book, "Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of the CIA's War on Terror." If you haven't already listened to Thomas on Episode 410, you'll get a refresher on what the book is about, and from there we get into the many areas he's operated in from Bosnia to the Philippines. He has some excellent action-packed stories for us, including his time working with Special Forces legend Billy Waugh. He discusses the frustration in getting this book through the review process and the long road it took for "Guardian" to finally see a release. It's here now, pick it up, and if you're in the Milwaukee area, be sure to check out Thomas's book signing on May 14th @ 6PM taking place at spy-themed restaurant and bar, SafeHouse. Let him know what you thought of his appearances on SOFREP Radio! We also celebrate something else this episode, and that's the full pardon of 1st Lt Michael Behenna by President Trump. Behenna's case is one I personally followed for years while the young man was stripped of his freedom in Ft. Leavenworth after killing known terrorist Ali Mansur Mohamed in an act that he maintained was one of self-defense. Shortly after his release in March of 2014, we had Michael join us back on Episode 88, and it brings me joy in knowing that his name has now fully been cleared by our President, and that he can move forward in his life. Beyond that, we get to your emails on this one, and feel free to keep those coming to [email protected]. As always, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, and follow us individually on Twitter @JackMurphyRGR and @IanScotto. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kenneth Steiger served a Special Agent in the FBI from the 1980's until 2006, and was assigned to major cases in organized crime like the Colombo family. He even worked on the famous case of the largest Ponzi scheme in history with Bernie Madoff. We really get the lowdown on mafia crime in New York City from Steiger, and you do not want to miss it. Also on this show, Steiger gives his take on what he sees as a massive politicization of intelligence in more recent years, and from there we get into the highly publicized cases of Trump and Russian collusion, as well as Hillary Clinton's private email server. We discuss how things have changed from the days of primitive wiretaps, to threats made publicly on social media. We rarely hear from those with a background in the FBI on here, so it was a real privilege to sit down in studio for this nearly two-hour discussion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been called a "traitor" and a "defector" by the likes of prime time television hosts on mainstream media, military personnel, and even our current President. The narrative has also been that the Obama administration traded him for five terrorists, and the lives of American war fighters were lost in the process to get this man back in country. Michael Ames, co-author of "American Cipher" says not so fast, as he investigated Bergdahl's background in-depth, and learned the true story of what really went down. Michael spent a lot of time in Hailey, Idaho as a "glorified ski bum" as he puts in, and when the news broke of Bergdahl being freed, he realized that he was familiar with this young man who grew up there. His interest became the catalyst for the book out now co-written with Matt Farwell, and on this episode, Michael joins us in studio and gives us the facts behind such a major news event that became plagued with falsehoods and misinformation. Be sure to pick up "American Cipher: Bowe Bergdahl and the U.S. Tragedy in Afghanistan" to gain some real insight into American foreign policy and how the narrative often told to us gets out there before all the facts come out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Baer served as a CIA case officer, primarily in the Middle East, and has written renowned books on his experience including "See No Evil." Baer served with the Agency from 1976 to 1997, and as some of you may know, "See No Evil" became the inspiration for the critically acclaimed film "Syriana" with George Clooney portraying the role of Baer. This is Bob's second appearance on the podcast, and we're really honored to have him back a few years later to tackle some very important and timely issues. We start off with the subject of American military personnel being utilized in countries like Yemen and Haiti as we've recently seen, and the damage that this can cause. From there we get onto the subject of Blackwater founder and former SEAL Erik Prince now working with the Chinese, and Bob does not mince words when giving his stance on this. Another subject tackled this episode is the killing of Osama bin Laden, conspiracy theory surrounding it, and Bob's take on the controversial Seymour Hersh report. Baer's most recent book is "The Perfect Kill: 21 Laws for Assassins." Pick that one up, and dig into this episode, because we go deep! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We start off this show with a pretty big announcement some of you may have heard earlier in the week from myself (Ian Scotto,) that I have decided to move on from the podcast and work on some future endeavors. I greatly appreciate the positive feedback from any of you who reached out, and have loved both doing this podcast and getting to know such a top notch audience. I still have a whole month of great shows planned with some big name guests before I make the transition, but feel free to keep up with me, I will continue to interact with this audience as always. With that, our guest this show is writer Alex Hollings, who many of you are familiar with. We discuss his article on a downed Japanese F-35 aircraft still missing, as well the recent comments by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez praising the VA by stating, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." With unacceptable numbers of veteran suicides, some even killing themselves in front of VA hospitals, it's understandable why many in the veteran community find these comments appalling. We also answer your emails, including a question on Syria, and I rant for a few about "fake news." Jack Murphy's memoir "Murphy's Law" hit shelves this week, pick it up. It's available on Audible as well, and is read cover to cover by Jack himself. You can also check out Jack's most recent interview with Andrew Wilkow promoting the book if you're a Sirius XM subscriber and want to listen back On Demand. Downed Japanese F-35 still missing, officials say not to worry about China or Russia finding it first: https://thenewsrep.com/116438/downed-japanese-f-35-still-missing-officials-say-not-to-worry-about-china-or-russia-finding-it-first/ US Special Forces sabotage White House policy gone disastrously wrong with covert ops in Syria: https://thenewsrep.com/63764/us-special-forces-sabotage-white-house-policy-gone-disastrously-wrong-with-covert-ops-in-syria/ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining us this episode are previous guests of the show Doug Kechijian & CJ Woodruff. To refresh you on both of these guys, Doug is a retired Air Force PJ, physical therapist, and current CEO of Resilient Performance Systems, and CJ is a retired Marine, personal trainer, and social media personality. I decided to pair them up for a discussion because fitness is not only a huge part of military readiness, but there's also just a major demographic of listeners with a love for this subject matter. As you'll hear, although physical therapy and personal training are two separate routes in this field, these guys see eye to eye on quite a lot. We cover supplementation, government regulation and insurance issues in their respective professions, and what they feel qualifies for military effectiveness. We also cover my own article for The Loadout Room that went up last week titled, "E.A.R.N. - A simple but effective way of mastering your fitness regimen," and you'll hear why CJ and I share a great deal of respect for three-time Mr. Olympia Frank Zane. One of our listeners Sean also made me aware of an original Women's Army Corps officer and World War II veteran Sara Parsons celebrating her 100th birthday that wants nothing more than cards from all of you out there. So check out that article from Wausau, Wisconsin's ABC affiliate on where to send them. Be sure to visit Resilient Performance Training online at ResilientPerformance.com, which links to all of their social media and podcast, and follow CJ on Instagram @CJWoodruffOfficial. World War II Veteran asking for cards to celebrate 100th birthday - https://waow.com/top-stories/2019/04/15/world-war-ii-veteran-asking-for-cards-to-celebrate-100th-birthday/ E.A.R.N. – A simple but effective way of mastering your fitness regimen -https://loadoutroom.com/116032/e-a-r-n-a-simple-but-effective-way-of-mastering-your-fitness-regimen/ Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've all been waiting for it, "Messages From Beyond" by James "Smokey" West is finally here, and joining him in studio to talk about it is his co-author, Charlene da Silva. As you'll hear Jim discuss, this will be the first in a series of books, and this one begins at a time detailing the legendary Green Beret's brush with death in the late 1970's after a car accident. As Jim says to me, there were no bright lights for him. Some of the work that Jack Murphy started in helping to write Jim's memoir appears in here, but much of that will also be told in a later book. The natural question I wondered when meeting Charlene, is how does a young woman with no military background get into the mind of a seasoned warrior and fighter like Jim to tell a story from his perspective? We get her insight on that, and you'll hear why Jim holds her work in such a high regard. "Messages From Beyond" is out now on Amazon.com in Kindle and paperback, and we hope that you pick it up. We also encourage you to visit Charlene's website at CharlenedaSilva.com. Always a great time with Jim in studio, and I'm glad he introduced me and our audience to the writer he chose to help tell his story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fans of the Hurricane Group network of sites may be familiar with our aviation website FighterSweep.com, and it's former editor and writer for the site Paco Chierici has just today released his debut novel, "Lions of the Sky." The retired Navy fighter pilot who now captains a 737 and recreationally flies a Yak-50 is fulfilling his mission with this book in writing an action-packed thriller that only someone whose been there and done that could release. We get into Paco's background and some of the ego and fear that goes behind flying A-6E Intruders and F-14 Tomcats for the Navy. You'll also hear some of the fundamental differences between being accepted into this line of work with the military where guys who don't make the cut aren't welcomed back, as opposed to recycling back after failing to become an Army Ranger for example. Be sure to pick up "Lions of the Sky," it's out today on Amazon, and check out Paco's website with all links to social media at LionsOfTheSky.com. We also cover some major news of the week including WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being arrested in London, Benjamin Netanyahu being re-elected once again as Prime Minister of Israel sparking some conversation about term limits, and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard being labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S. We also answer your emails sent to [email protected]. A lot of ground covered on this installment of the podcast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With nearly three decades of service in Army Special Forces, also serving as a Special Agent in the DEA, authoring several novels, and inventing tools now widely used by the military like the R.A.T.S. Tourniquet, Jeff Kirkham's background is both versatile and impressive. He joins us this episode getting into stories that include his tourniquet innovation saving lives, how he and his partner behind Readyman Jason Ross decided to start writing military thrillers, and his ongoing heated debate in the gun community of the AR VS AK platform. Be sure to check out his latest book "The Last Air Force One," and follow Jeff on Instagram @Praetorian_Innovations. Also on this episode we get into the recent public deposition of Alex Jones, currently being sued by the families of Sandy Hook victims for concocting conspiracy theories on the mass shooting of their children. They claim this rhetoric incited harassment from both members of his staff and his audience. Where is the line on free speech and language that incites harassment and potential violence against private citizens? Is this Alex Jones finally paying the price for years of spreading false information? We get into it on Episode 446 of SOFREP Radio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining us for the first time on SOFREP Radio is 13-year Marine Corps veteran with Force Reconnaissance, Jose "Pep" Tablada. Calling Jose's background impressive would be a massive understatement, serving both as a team leader and platoon sergeant with qualifications including graduating as a combatant diver, scout sniper, SERE-C, HALO, and more. It's not often we have someone of Tablada's background on the show, so we dive deep into what Marine Force Recon is all about, and you're guaranteed to learn some new stuff. Currently, Jose is the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations & International Engagement with Marine Corps Forces Pacific, and he volunteers his time on the board of directors for the Marine Reconnaissance Foundation. You'll learn a lot about the great work that the foundation is doing for their brothers in arms, including a retreat in Hawaii for Gold Star families taking place next month. Be sure to check them out and donate at ReconFoundation.org. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can you believe that there are still 82,000 Americans that remain missing in action? This was the catalyst for Richard Jellerson's latest work "A Solemn Promise: America's Missing in Action." Jellerson has written and directed quite a few films that can be seen at StoryTellerFilms.TV including "The Personal Experience: Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam" for The History Channel. Prior to his film career however, Jellerson served with the 116th Assault Helicopter Company as a helicopter pilot during his first tour in Vietnam. His second tour, he was the personal pilot to General Abrams. Much of this is detailed in his book "The Healing: Pan Am Flight 001." The book's focus however is on the journey Jellerson took before coming home in healing from the scars of warfare, by going aboard a flight that went around the world, visiting various countries and meeting all sorts of interesting people. We learned about Richard from recent guest Marc Yablonka, and we hope you enjoy this discussion and check out both his book and latest film. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19th, 1995 in Oklahoma City stands as the most deadly act of domestic terrorism, killing 169 people and injuring nearly 700. Although perpetrator of the attacks Timothy McVeigh would take sole credit for the atrocity on that day, there have always been theories involving a nefarious "John Doe #2" at the scene that went dismissed. Our writer Joseph LaFave got to know Special Agent Kevin Waters as a college professor of his, but years prior to his teaching career Waters was there on that infamous day. Waters details an account of a man he saw on the scene days before with McVeigh, that he believes was someone other than the individual labeled John Doe #2. LaFave details the story of Waters in his exclusive piece for Newsrep, and LaFave now joins us on Episode 443 to relay this account that has gone unwritten until now. As someone who has always had a fascination with the topic seeing documentaries ranging from the conspiracy-ridden "Oklahoma City, What Really Happened?" (often uploaded by various users online) to the more mainstream account of the event "Oklahoma City" available on Netflix, as well as reading books like "American Terrorist" by Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck, it is fascinating hearing unheard information 24 years after the fact. I highly suggest reading Joseph's piece. He conducted a thought-provoking interview, and I hope that you learn something from this episode. Joseph LaFave piece for Newsrep: https://thenewsrep.com/114545/exclusive-a-former-dea-agents-firsthand-account-of-the-oklahoma-city-bombing/ "Oklahoma City, What Really Happened?" documentary: https://archive.org/details/OklahomaCity-WhatReallyHappened Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

C.J. Ramone is a friend to the show, and for the uninitiated played bass from 1989 on with pioneers of punk rock, The Ramones. Prior to joining the legendary New York band, he was a Marine, and has some great stories. As you'll hear, you may learn of some of these stories for a future project in the works, just one of two major announcements he drops exclusively for SOFREP Radio. What I can tell you now though, is C.J. has a new album coming out May 10th on Fat Wreck Chords titled "The Holy Spell." This will coincide with a world tour, the first dates of which are now up on his Instagram @TheeCJRamone. Also, if you're in the New Jersey area, be sure to come out to the New Jersey Horror Con & Film Festival where he'll be signing autographs and meeting fans this weekend. In addition, on Episode 442 we react to the massacre in New Zealand and Jack gets into the origins of the "eco-fascist" ideology of this murderer and NZ domestic terrorist. We also read your emails, including one about new Netflix film starring Ben Affleck "Triple Frontier." Last thing you need to know, we put together a very special offer for SOFREP Radio listeners looking to join Crate Club and get the best gear handpicked by former SOF veterans. For a very limited time, use the coupon code SOFREP at CrateClub.us for 20% off any crate of your choice. This is the biggest discount we've ever made available, and we don't know how long we'll be able to keep it going, so be sure to get on that! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robert J. O'Neill, author of "The Operator: Firing the Shots that Killed Osama bin Laden and My Years a SEAL Team Warrior," joins us for his third in studio appearance on SOFREP Radio. As is usually the case when Rob swings by, we have a lot of fun discussing all sorts of topics on this episode. We talk about the surreal moment for him of being interviewed by "King of All Media" Howard Stern after releasing his memoir, hanging with "Navy SEALs" star Charlie Sheen, being recognized by New York hiphop legends Onyx, and working with his pal Tim Montana. Don't worry, we also get into some more serious topics like the accusations of war crimes against Chief Eddie Gallagher, tensions between veterans of the SEAL community, his history with President Donald Trump, and Rob's views on foreign policy. Rob's been hard at work with his organization Your Grateful Nation in helping special operations veterans transition into corporate America. He also has some kick ass gear and signed books available over at RJO Apparel. Be sure to follow Rob on Instagram & Twitter @McHooyah where he's very active, and let him know what you thought of the interview. We'd love to have him back again, always a great discussion with The Operator. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By now, most of you are familiar with our featured guest this episode, Kristin Beck. The retired SEAL formerly known as Chris Beck made headlines with the CNN documentary "Lady Valor," but it has now been five years since the film first aired, and Kristin has since become involved in various projects. The biggest of which is becoming the National Advocacy Officer for The Military Order of the Purple Heart. Through this position Kristin has advocated for improved treatment for veterans with traumatic brain injury, as well as post traumatic stress related difficulties. We also dive deep into Kristin's history in the SEALs covering past deployments, as well as work in computer programming. We discuss the future of females in spec ops, as well as recent controversies in the SEALs, namely the war crime accusations against Chief Eddie Gallagher. This is the first time we've had Kristin in studio, and I was curious as to the reason behind the trip to New York City. Well, believe it or not, it involves a new exploration into the fashion world. As you'll hear, there is also a future movie in the works. So, Kristin is keeping busy, and I think you'll learn quite a lot during this interview. Be sure to follow Kristin on Instagram & Twitter @Valor4US. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So much for this being a shorter episode, you guys sent us a giant mailbag full of great questions to [email protected]. As the title suggests, we cover quite a wide array of topics, some critical, and some very silly. Learn about Jack's stories prior to becoming a Ranger, as well as my history in broadcasting. Crack one open, and enjoy two uninterrupted hours of us answering any questions you may have. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Schlitz has been a friend to the show for many years now, in fact you can hear Mike way back on Episode 66 getting into his inspiring story. For those who don't know, Mike was struck by an IED during a road clearing mission back in 2010 in Iraq, disfiguring and burning practically his entire body. This led to a grueling recovery process as one can only imagine which he describes in greater detail in his RangerUp published article. Through tragedy however, Mike sparked a deep friendship with actor and veteran advocate Gary Sinise leading to a smarthome that catered to Mike's injuries built by Gary's foundation as well as a position as a Military & Veteran Resource Manager. Mike now travels the country through his work, and is also a Special Adviser to another great veteran transition organization, GallantFew. We get an update on Mike's life, and discuss the future of helping veterans suffering from post-traumatic injury, and working to stop the epidemic of veteran suicide. Also on Episode 438 we cover former US Army Specialist Chelsea Manning being jailed for refusing to testify in a case regarding Wikileaks, Kristina Wong's piece for Breitbart about the lowering of standards for Green Berets, and we discuss the repercussions of clickbait journalism in today's society. With Jack's book a month away from it's publish date, he's also getting started on the publicity circuit. His first stop in promoting the book was an hour-long sit-down with Patrick Bet-David for Valuetainment, it's receiving an incredible response. We suggest you check it out. RangerUp article: http://rhinoden.rangerup.com/suicide/ Breitbart article: https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/03/11/exclusive-pentagon-investigating-army-two-star-general-for-retaliation-against-green-berets/ Valuetainment interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH0m17nevrI Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jake Zweig is a favorite of the podcast, although it's actually been a few years since we've had the former SEAL and star from "Dude, You're Screwed" and "Top Shot" join us. Jake recently reached out to me about a single mother struggling in her current financial situation, as he set up a GoFundMe for the woman he recently met. The initial goal is to help this hard working mom get a car which would be of great help to her, and he speaks with us about where he sees her going from there. Any help would be appreciated from the SOFREP Radio audience. Many of you are probably wondering what Jake's been up to since his reality show success, as he's currently working at the University of Illinois on player development for their football team. Football has been Jake's passion for years and he has a great deal of experience. You may also remember Jake introducing us to NASCAR driver Jesse Iwuji, and we get an update on what the Navy Officer has been up to. Things really get interesting this episode once we get into Jake's take on the Chief Eddie Gallagher war crimes situation. We end up having a larger discussion about crime and risky behavior in special operations, and the often times illogical behavior of a person who decides to go into this line of work. Jake tells us some crazy stories including an account from his adolescence involving the kidnapping of a banker's 10-year-old daughter at the house next door to him. I was able to dig up a 1985 article from The New York Times that matches what Jake describes. All that and much more on Episode 437. Crank it! GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/i-have-a-single-mother-could-use-pay-it-foward New York Times piece: https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/14/us/kidnapper-of-girl-was-in-prison-plan.html?fbclid=IwAR3JnDaKASgzKo1Xnps9YTCnnXX34XEt1W68740AbtDBmae0b4z-Ermiu5w Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SOFREP Radio has always had a heavy listenership from the law enforcement community, and that's why the book "Captain Black: True Stories of a Small Town Cop" peaked Jack's interest when he came across the book online. Captain Edward Black served for over twenty years in the small town of Kaufman, Texas and is since retired; he doesn't really have a presence on social media. Luckily we were able to track him down, and have him join us for this installment. Although we hit on some timely issues in the law enforcement community including body cams, anti-police sentiment, and how to deal with mentally ill individuals, don't get it twisted...the book is actually quite hilarious. Black's writing style is raw, honest, unfiltered, and you'll erupt in laughter at some of the crazy stories he relays from his time on the force. We urge you to pick up the book, available now at Lulu.com. As we've been teasing out, next week we will be doing a Q&A episode, which we'll be recording on March 14th. So, get your questions in before than. Keep them concise, to the point, and stuff we can really dive into for the show. I appreciate the guest suggestions, but those aren't what we're looking for on this particular episode. Shoot your best question for us over to [email protected], if it's good, we'll get into it. Link to purchase Edward Black's book: http://www.lulu.com/shop/edward-black/captain-black-true-stories-of-a-small-town-cop/paperback/product-23914614.html?ppn=1 Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining SOFREP Radio for the first time is Andrew J. Polsky. Polsky has been a professor of political science at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (known as CUNY,) as well as Hunter College, and is now the Dean of his department there. Polsky wrote a fascinating book released in 2012, "Elusive Victories: The American Presidency at War." It covers the decision making by the executive branch during times of war from the dawn of the American Presidency up until when the book was released. Although the book doesn't cover President Trump for obvious reasons, we get Polsky's take on what's happening now. He does a great job at drawing parallels we can infer between decisions made at the executive level of government in the past to current times. You can visit Andrew online at AndrewPolsky.com. As you'll hear Jack say, this episode is fundamental in understanding some of our previous episodes covering U.S. foreign policy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Tanto" is a man that really needs no introduction, but for the uninitiated, he's best known as one of the contractors who served on the ground during the attacks in Benghazi. Kris is a long time friend to the podcast but it's been a while since we've heard from him. We get into where he's been, and his break from the spotlight as he purged all his social media and felt a need to get away from the public eye for a bit. As you'll hear Kris get into, he's not someone out searching for new gigs in media, but sometimes being in his position, a great opportunity presents itself. The latest being "War Heroes," a docu-series created by Jack Thomas Smith spotlighting those who served in combat. We hear about the premiere for the series taking place in Succasunna, NJ tomorrow (February 28th) which you can attend, as well as a meet & greet with Kris. The details for that are up at WarHeroesTV.com. We also hear about Kris's charity work with 14th Hour Foundation, his training courses through Battleline Tactical, and his upcoming book "The Patriot's Creed: Inspiration and Advice for Living a Heroic Life." We get the former contractor's take on recent controversies in the field both in Yemen and in Haiti. As usual though with Kris, we also share some big laughs. Since Kris is starting over with his online presence at the moment, be sure to follow his new Instagram @real_kris_tanto_paronto, as well as his new website KrisTantoParonto.net. In addition to all that, we answer your emails sent to [email protected], and also get your reactions to "The Punisher" being cancelled on Netflix. We love hearing from the listeners. So strap in, this was a fun episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've been following Newsrep, or any news covering the special operations community for that matter, you're well aware of the arrest in Haiti of former U.S. Navy SEALs Chris Osman, Chris McKinley (who previously went by Chris Heben,) as well as former U.S. Marine Ken Kroeker. These three and several other men were hired as contractors in Haiti working security for the central bank. Due to the massive instability within the government there, matters were handled very poorly and you'll hear how this led to the arrest and eventual release of these men who are now back in the United States. We shoot down some of the wacky conspiracy theories going around since the news hit, and break down what we know so far. Following the discussion we get to our featured guest for Episode 433, Chief Master Sergeant Mike Lampe, a man who was there during the primitive years of Air Force special operations. Previously on Episode 391, Mike joined us to discuss his origin story and Vietnam service. This appearance we get into the next stages of his career, specifically his service in Desert One during the Iranian hostage crisis. As you'll hear though, we still have a lot more to cover in this man's career spanning three decades, so be on the lookout for a part 3. We hope you enjoy, and if you do, be sure to leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1975 a military man by the name of Ba Van Nguyen took the huge risk of boarding a Chinook CH-47 with his family to escape the communist soldiers of North Vietnam. He had no solid plan but knew he had to get his family out, and things somehow came to fruition once he encountered a Navy ship helping other refugees looking for a new life. The story of Ba Van Nguyen is an incredible one, and we are honored to be joined this episode by his son, Miki Nguyen who relays this story from the eyes of a six year old boy at that time, up until the last years of Ba's life where he got the chance to reunite with those men of the USS Kirk and salute them for their service. Miki got to tell this story in the 2015 Oscar nominated film "Last Days in Vietnam," as well as in the book he authored, "My Father the Badass: An inspiring real-life story of a true HERO." Be sure to check those out after you listen to this in-depth discussion. Also, you've heard us talk about Hurricane Media's first ever short film "Big Mountain Heroes" pushing the positive agenda of "thrills before pills" where special operations military veterans you know from the podcast ski and snowboard the French, Swiss, and Italian Alps. We even had the guys in studio to reflect on the adventure back on Episode 290, and if you're a Spec Ops Channel member (which we highly recommend) you've already enjoyed the film. For the rest of you, we have some great news, and that's the film now becoming available to stream in it's entirety on Youtube. So be sure to check out this incredible footage captured in HD, and spread the word! https://kcts9.org/programs/vietnam-war-40th-anniversary/finding-new-life-northwest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3wNTrvdqgk&t= Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Actor Max Martini has been seen in some amazing hit films, including many in the military/war category such as “13 Hours,” “Captain Phillips,” and “Saving Private Ryan.” It’s no shocker that we’ve gotten plenty of requests to get him as a guest to the podcast, and we’re excited to bring him on for the first time. His latest film “Sgt. Will Gardner” not only follows the story of a veteran struggling to transition to civilian life played by Max, but 30% of the proceeds are going to some amazing charities he’s involved in. These charities are focused on the mission of helping veteran homelessness, PTSD, and TBI. Max not only stars in the film, but he wrote and directed this, and it was truly a passion project which he hopes to make an impact with for a cause he feels so strongly about. Although Martini credits the VA with helping many veterans, he often hears about where they may be failing, and he discusses this with us. “Sgt. Will Gardner” will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on February 19th, so pre-order it now, and you’ll be able to check it out before you know it as we’re only a few days away from it’s release. You can follow Max on Twitter and Instagram @MaxMartiniLA. Let him know what you thought of the interview. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We cover quite a lot of material on this episode of SOFREP Radio. To start off the show, our friend Fred Galvin is back on with us, this time with some more unfortunate news due to the recent death of Congressman Walter Jones. For those who don’t know, Jones was instrumental in helping Fred and his men that were a part of MARSOC 7 become vindicated. As you’ll hear Marine Corps Major Galvin say, Jones personally vowed to him in what was expected to be his final term in office, that he would fight to clear their names. He kept his promise. From there, friend of the show and former Air Force PJ, BK joins us. Many of you know BK from his writings, his podcast, and of course, his hammering of social justice warriors and #WokeVets via Twitter. Well, after several suspensions, BK has now been tossed off the platform and is forced to Tweet under a new account (which you can follow @BKActualPodcast.) We have a funny yet thought provoking discussion about the de-platforming of figures on social media and whether or not it tends to be politically driven. As usual, BK’s appearances are not for the easily offended. Last we end on an urgent note. Another friend of the show, Rob Trivino, is in need of your help. The former Special Missions Unit operator recently suffered a life altering condition that is sure to cost his family a great sum of expenses. A GoFundMe has been set up by those verified to be close with Rob, and he needs your help in reaching their goal. In great news, as of now, over $60K has been raised for the former operator, so let’s get this audience engaged and put them over the finish line. Rob fought for us, let’s fight for him. https://www.gofundme.com/robert-quotratquot-trivino? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We begin this show with a dedication to a previous guest many of you may remember, a Navy SEAL Master Chief by the name of Ron Bellan. You may know him from his show Survive the Hunt, his company Reaper Outdoors, as well as his appearances on this podcast during episodes 126 and 139. Unfortunately, the massive warrior who sported an eye patch left us this week at 49 from a heart attack. Ron spent over half his life in the military, and we salute his life and service. Our featured guest is a good one. Marc Yablonka has written a great deal about the Vietnam war and is certainly a historian on the subject. His latest piece of work is the book “Vietnam Bao Chi: Warriors of Word and Film,” and as you’ll hear Marc discuss, the book is a first of it’s kind in it’s own right. Much has been written and filmed regarding the Vietnam war, including the stories from journalists who were there and covered it. This book differs however, because it details the accounts of those that actually served for the military as war correspondents both as writers and photographers. Each chapter is an account from a different individual that was there at the time. One of them being a previous guest, Jim Morris. You can see all of Marc’s great work online at his site, WarStoriesPress.com. Pick up the book! Also on this episode we dig into the latest happenings regarding a previous plea deal with convicted pedophile and billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. We discuss the large and tangled web of this perverse character and his ties to The Clinton’s as well as President Donald Trump. It’s a messy story to put it mildly. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past several years, former Marine and editor here at Hurricane Media Nick Coffman has been writing in-depth about the true story behind the men known as MARSOC 7. Much of what he wrote was from information relayed to him from the commanding officer of these men, Marine Corps Major Fred Galvin. While Galvin was still in the fight to clear his name, we had him join us previously on Episodes 198 and 206. You can go back to these episodes as well as Nick Coffman’s many articles covering what went down through court documents and testimony to learn the full backstory. Galvin joins us on this episode to speak of the good news of MARSOC 7’s name being cleared with this recent vindication. He expands on the unfair perception of what went down that was painted by the media and many political leaders. Galvin hopes to continue his career with The Marine Corps from here, and we get into that as well. We also get his take on the more recent charges of war crimes against Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher, as well as a discussion on China which we hope to expand upon for a future episode with Fred. We recorded this episode prior to learning of the death of Navy SEAL Ron Bellan. We learned about this through social media and do not have any further details at this time. Ron was a previous guest of this podcast on Episodes 126 & 139. He was a great man I had the pleasure of meeting at SHOT Show and we here at Hurricane Media are deeply saddened learning of this information. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doug Kechijian is the CEO of Resilient Performance Systems, a small business based out of New York that prides itself on helping others to achieve their physical goals through it’s focus on sports medicine, performance training, education, and consulting. Prior to receiving his education in physical therapy and co-founding the company, Doug served as a Air Force PJ providing troops with technical rescue capability and emergency medical care while deployed. It’s often said that we don’t have many Air Force Pararescue guys on the show, so much of the 2+ hours of this episode is devoted to hearing from Doug about what guys from his military background do exactly. Growing up in Manhasset, NY, Doug was also a personal friend of James Regan. As many of you know, Regan was a revered Army Ranger killed in action while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. You’ll get to hear about their adolescence together and exactly what type of a guy that Sgt. James Regan was. He is dearly missed over a decade later. We also get into the physical fitness end of things including Doug’s philosophy on PT and overall health. Also on this episode is Loadout Room writer Rex Nanorum. Rex gives us a recap of SHOT Show 2019, what was new, and some of the badass gear now on his wish list. He also recaps Crate Club‘s exclusive Oasis for Villains party that took place there. We get some laughs as well hearing the hilarious story behind why Rex doesn’t use his real name when writing. Crank it up and enjoy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Broderick is a United States Marine Corps veteran serving from 1986 to 1990 as a logistics/embarkation specialist with Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 167. Broderick's true passion however, has always been acting, and he's very excited to have landed his biggest role to date as Special Agent John Bowen on the third season of HBO hit series "True Detective." Not only do we get into Michael's history growing up in New Jersey, joining the Corps, and becoming an actor, but we also get into his passion giving back with veterans organizations like GallantFew, and being the father of a special needs child soon entering young adulthood. Although Michael's on the West Coast, we luckily were able to get him from a studio over there, so you'll hear a crystal clear connection like he's in the room with us. ...Pretty cool! As usual with SOFREP Radio, we also get into some interesting territory outside of our featured interview discussing various vivid dream stories, and also get into some great emails from you guys, the listeners, sent to [email protected]. Be sure to check out True Detective on HBO which airs Sundays at 9 PM EST. People are raving about this season, and we hope to have Michael back on soon! As always, also be sure to check out PelicanCoolers.com and score a free 22 oz tumbler with your order when you add it to your cart from the drinkware section and use the promo code "SOFREP." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newsrep writer Stavros Atlamazoglou joins us for the first time this episode to cover some news in the the special operations field from around the globe. For those who haven't gotten to know Stavros from his excellent work on Newsrep as a full-time writer with us, he has a unique background having served in Greece's 575th Marines Battalion and Army HQ prior to moving to the U.S. to pursue his undergrad in history at Johns Hopkins University. On Episode 425 we cover the story of the brave SAS operator who responded to a terrorist attack in Nairobi, Kenya. From there we get into recent issues involving war crimes in both Australia and the U.S.'s special operations communities, and the intricacies of this problem in parts of special operations culture. Stavros reveals a piece he's also currently in the works on involving a crucial DEVRGU op that took place in the 90s. Beyond his daily writing duties, Stavros has also been hard at work on Newsrep's Financial Report that we hope you become a member of today to secure a brighter future tomorrow. The guys from the site are hard at work feeding you great information on the defense sector and it's effect on global markets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leigh Tuttle and Crystal Cornwall are military spouses. Tuttle’s husband a member of the Army SOF community, and Cornwall’s a Marine. They’re on the show to expose the business tactics of Corvias Group CEO John Picerne as originally put out by Reuters in the article “As U.S. soldiers battle landlord, confidential records shine light on his lucrative business.” As you’ll see in the piece, the developer stands to earn $1 billion in fees from contracts to house Army families that will last decades. These ladies anger however is not at Picerne gaining great wealth from this business deal, but over the poor standards of living which they and many other military families with small children have had to endure. These issues include serious cases of black mold that appear to be completely brushed aside with little to no concern. You’ll hear more about the explanations of why this travesty has continued to occur straight from their perspectives, and what they hope to accomplish. You can visit the Facebook group of these military families affected under the name “Safe Military Housing Initiative.” The wives may be taking legal action enlisting the help of individuals like Houston lawyer James Moriarty, a man who takes these issues very seriously as the father of a Green Beret recently killed in action. We also get to your emails this episode sent to [email protected]. This includes our email of the week, the winner of which will be getting some awesome gear courtesy of Pelican Coolers and Crate Club. Be sure to follow the latest of what we’re up to @SOFREPRadio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter Guidry is a former Security Forces Air Force Airman, the co-founder of Las Vegas veterans group Forgotten Not Gone, and he uses kratom to treat his pain. He’s advocating that others do as well. I learned about Peter from the Chris Bell documentary “A Leaf of Faith” and I found his experience to be interesting. If kratom is a possible answer in getting veterans away from opiates, than I feel it is a topic that should be further explored. We get into Peter’s poor experiences with the VA, their reported over-prescribing of medications, and his own horrible experience with said medications throwing up blood due to prior conditions, and laying in bed depressed for days on end. He feels that kratom saved his life, and he tells us why. You can check out what his group does as ForgottenNotGone.org Jack Murphy also reacts to Republican infighting over non-interventionist foreign policy VS hawkish foreign policy between Senator Rand Paul and recently sworn in Congressman Dan Crenshaw. We’re also still running a contest to hook you up with an exclusive tumbler from our awesome sponsor, Pelican Coolers. Check out the show for further details on that. Dig in! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ed Darack, last heard on Episode 315, has a new book out titled “War Moments: Images & Stories of Combat in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Beyond.” The book is a compilation of photos shot by Ed while embedded with U.S. troops, and you’ll hear some of the amazing stories behind each photograph; from those that will touch your heart of dogs that military members became attached with, to tragic stories of guys we’ve lost like the man seen on the cover of the publication. Ed gets into the real dangers and fears of doing the job, as well as dealing with the loss of men he shared a bond with. Also, thanks to our latest sponsor Pelican Coolers, we have a pretty cool tumbler and Crate Club giveaway happening this week. You’ll hear all the details on that following our interview with Ed. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Newsrep writer Joseph LaFave last appeared on Episode 394, and we have him back on to give an update on some hard hitting news from around the globe. We first start off with news out of Venezuela, as covered in Joseph’s article, “The walls around Venezuela’s socialist Maduro regime are crumbling.” We later go to headlines out of Africa and give an update on the second deadliest ebola outbreak ever. Joseph gets into his findings on cruise ship crime and maritime law, a subject he’s intrigued by. We discuss two Americans fighting for ISIS who have now been captured. In addition, we get an update on the National Guard unit Joseph has embedded with which he previously discussed the last time he joined us. Most interesting of all probably, we get into a discussion on what happened to the body of Osama bin Laden. Jack does not buy the buried at sea explanation, and you’ll hear why. So don’t miss it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although we had some fun recording this episode discussing some lighter subject matter, as you can see from the title, we largely focused on the most serious military issue of our time, veteran and active-duty suicide. I am joined by Alex Hollings this episode as the former Marine and writer discusses why this is an issue he’s so passionate about. Alex recently wrote an article up now on Newsrep regarding the VA abandoning the issue and not using over 6 million dollars allocated for suicide prevention related media. Alex was disgusted by the move, felt that their explanation for the oversight was weak, and you’ll hear why. We also give some suggestions to those struggling with these thoughts, and point out that there are some great organizations like GallantFew focused on this crisis. In other news, Alex is now the editor for our aviation site, Fighter Sweep. He gets into his passion for the subject matter and why he jumped at the chance to run this site for Hurricane Media. Alex is currently looking for WWII bomber crewmen to interview for the site, so if you know someone, be sure to contact him on Twitter at @AlexHollings52. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul de Gelder was a Navy Clearance Diver and Army Paratrooper, but his life would change forever in 2009 when he lost his right leg and much of his right arm in a brutal shark attack during an equipment test with the Navy. Paul speaks with us for over an hour recalling his rough and troubling upbringing that led him to the military, and detailing the event that nearly ended his life. Paul has since become a motivational speaker, actor, and you likely have seen his work as well on Shark Week where he continues to put his life on the line diving for some incredible footage we see each year. He also documents his story in the memoir “No Time for Fear: How a Shark Survivor Beat the Odds.” Be sure to follow him @PauldeGelder on Instagram and Twitter as well. What an amazing and inspirational story! Beyond that we react to the swearing in of new members of Congress, as well as the arraignment of former SEAL and 19-year Navy vet Edward Gallagher for war crimes. Have any questions? Shoot them over to [email protected], and if you want them possibly read on the show, keep them concise. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2018 was a great year for SOFREP Radio. We recorded over 100 episodes of kick ass content, had more listeners checking us out than ever before, and a variety of awesome guests from all different backgrounds. Of those guests, here are excerpts from 5 of the most listened to of 2018. Pat McNamara joins the podcast as we discuss a HALO jump story as told to us by George Hand. Andrew Wilkow discusses hyperbolic news, national security, and knowing Steve Bannon prior to him joining the Trump administration. Ed Darack, who will be back on with us later this month, gets into the real story behind Operation Red Wings…and it’s a controversial one. Mike Vining recalls his experience in Vietnam and the tragic death of his teammate Ken Foster. We wrap it all up with Navy SEAL and now Congressman Dan Crenshaw, joining us early on in the campaign trail as we have a frank discussion on foreign policy. Much more to come in 2019, please spread the word and follow us on all social media platforms. Any questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jared Van Driessche is the co-author of “Public Figures, Private Lives,” and as the CEO of Asgard Technology Group, he’s been involved in protecting a long list of high net worth individuals in nearly every continent. These range from the most recognizable musicians and actors, to billionaire entrepreneurs that keep as low of a profile as possible. What’s the job like? If you want to know, this is an interview you do not want to miss. From anxiety inducing situations to funny stories, we cover it all with Jared right here. Beyond that, we react to the resignation of beloved General and now former Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis. We get into a discussion on the future of industry in America, and also read an email that I absolutely loved sent to [email protected]. Last, I’d like to make you aware of the latest at Newsrep, and that is our new Financial Report. We hope that you join us to get a better understanding of where to invest your money in an uncertain economy from our team of experts. With that, we hope you’ve enjoyed over a hundred shows from us this past year, and have a fantastic New Years eve celebration! We’ll see you folks in 2019. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It may be the day after Christmas, but that didn't stop us from hitting you with a brand new episode. Okay, truthfully, all credit to Newsrep writer Jamie Reed for insisting we give the people an update on the happenings in Ukraine. If not for him, you'd likely be hearing a "best of." It's been a while since the former British Reconnaissance operator joined us, and he was enthusiastic to give us some news on the region. It's a subject which he often writes about, as many of you Newsrep readers know. Also, interestingly enough, Jack Murphy and Jay first made contact in Syria, so we get the guys take on the withdrawal from the region. Hope you enjoy this episode, and most importantly, whether you got to spend the day with loved ones, or you're stuck overseas protecting our freedom, we hope you had a very Merry Christmas. To those ladies and gentlemen downrange, stay safe for us. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carmen Gentile is a journalist who has reported from war zones, embedded with Army units, to get the real story on the ground for the public to learn. In September of 2010 while in Eastern Afghanistan however, his livelihood and passion took a horrific turn when he was hit in the face with an RPG. This all happened as Carmen was capturing stories on the ground, and due to this, the entire ambush was caught on film and is now up on Youtube. As you can imagine after shattering and blinding his right eye, this led to a long and trying recovery process dealing with a lot of physical and emotional pain which he documents in his book, “Blindsided by the Taliban: A Journalist’s Story of War, Trauma, Love, and Loss.” Incredibly, Carmen went right back to work in the Middle East once he was healed despite many thinking he was crazy for it. In this interview we not only discuss Carmen’s story, but what it means to be a journalist working from war zones in this era. Carmen also relays a funny story involving the idol worship of Army generals he’s seen during his time, and in this case, General Patraeus. In addition to his work, Carmen is a motorcycle enthusiast and he’s currently tying this passion with a future story on the ground in Iraq. You’ll hear all about that right here on Episode 415…crank it up! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On December 16th President Trump went on Twitter to announce his plans in reviewing the case of Major Matt Golsteyn, a Green Beret who was charged with the murder of an enemy combatant. Gosteyn may have acted in a manner that goes against the Geneva Conventions and the Manual for Military Courts Martial article 118. This stemming from an interview during a CIA interrogation, routine for the job selection process, in 2011, and then during an appearance five years later on Fox News. Former Army Brigadier General A.J. Tata, now a regular on the podcast, wrote an excellent piece for Fox News explaining this. The op-ed also pans critics of the President’s that have snubbed his right in reviewing this important case. Tata also has a brand new book out titled “Dark Winter,” the fifth in his Jake Mahegan thriller series. We get into the inspiration behind this book dealing with tech giants censoring opposition voices. Also on this show is a former Marine with 3rd Recon Battalion, 1st MSOB, Chris Duplantis. What makes Chris’s background unique is his history in three different branches of the military. If you’re a member of the armed forces interested in going into a different branch, you may find this information useful. In addition, Jack and I dig into the conspiracy realm, and some theories often discussed by the alt-right. A whole lot covered on Episode 414 that you don’t want to miss! Enjoy the show? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, it’s quick to do and we love to hear your feedback. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you read Brandon Webb's book "Mastering Fear," you may recall an awesome story from Ramones bass player and Marine, CJ Ramone. This is the interview that inspired that story. CJ joined us back on Episode 273, and we split that interview into two. The first half for SOFREP, second half for Brandon Webb's Power of Thought Podcast. So for the first time, here's that great interview in it's entirety. CJ was fresh off of a tour with The Aquabats as we recorded this and was ramping up to go off to the UK for another tour. The guys talk their mutual love of travel and some of the great sites they've seen around the world. CJ's music is what allows him to travel so much, and he has a true appreciation for it. You'll hear about the trial by fire when he was asked to replace the legendary Dee Dee Ramone for rambunctious crowds not exactly thrilled to see a new member of The Ramones. His biggest fear? Running out of time, and you'll hear why. He also just released a vinyl pressing of his "Christmas Lullabye," which I must say would make a pretty kick ass gift for the punk rocker in your life! Be sure to pick it up. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Captain Jerry Yellin flew the final combat mission over Japan during WWII in the Battle of Iwo Jima. He flew the P-51 Mustang for the Army Air Forces (the branch's shortly lived name from the early to mid 1940's between being known as the Army Air Corps and the Air Force.) Yellin died this month a year ago, but just a couple of months prior, Brandon Webb had the honor to interview him on The Power of Thought Podcast. It very likely may have been the final interview of his life, and the last time he got to tell his incredible story. Some of you may have heard it, and some of you have not. So I wanted to celebrate the life of Yellin, his remarkable service, and the twist of fate when his son moved to Japan and married a woman he fell in love with there. Your legacy lives on Captain! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hurricane Group just held our end-of-year meeting for 2018 to brainstorm and discuss what we have coming up in the new year. It's all very exciting stuff, and I know that many of you, our listeners, have been with us for a long time and feel invested in what we do. So this episode is mainly for you guys, the diehards. Nick Coffman joins us in studio who was just promoted to the Editor in Chief across all of our sites such as The Loadout Room, while Jack Murphy remains dedicated in his role to Editor in Chief solely at Newsrep. Back on board with the site as a staff writer is Jamie Read A.K.A. Jay, I know that many of you are familiar with this work over the years. Staff writer Alex Hollings will now also be handling our site devoted to military aviation Fighter Sweep, in addition to his work at Newsrep (the man stays kind of busy.) In addition to that, we currently have an amazing giveaway sponsored by Crate Club and The Loadout Room for an Axelson Precision Custom Elite 6.5 Creedmoor Rifle Package at CrateClub.us/gaw; and this you do not want to pass up on! Beyond that we followup with Nick on the aftermath of his amazing work covering Fred Galvin and the MARSOC 7 being exonerated a decade later after false accusations of war crimes. So dig in, and get the full scoop on all of this with us. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For most Americans, the deadly attacks by Ansar al-Sharia on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi were their first exposure to anything relating to the CIA's Protective Operations Cadre. CIA Officer Thomas Pecora, however, was there during it's inception. With an incredibly impressive resume, he's been involved in Mogadishu, the resurgence of Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. We discuss the span of his career which will be covered in much greater detail when his book "Guardian: Life in the Crosshairs of the CIA's War on Terror" hits shelves on May 7th of next year. We highly recommend you pre-order what is sure to be a book breaking new ground in areas never written about prior to now. Beyond this exclusive in-depth interview, we discuss propaganda coming out of China, a tragic military death in Bahrain, and Marine combat veteran and Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr. now facing charges in misusing $250K in campaign funds. All that and more on Episode 410! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clint Emerson is a former Navy SEAL, best-selling author, the owner of a clothing line called Violent Nomad as well as a his security solutions company Escape the Wolf, and an undisputed favorite guest on SOFREP Radio. It's been a while since he's been on, so what has Clint been up to? Well besides the aforementioned, he has a new Deadly Skills Puzzle and Activity Book that many of you are sure to dig. It's fun, challenging, stimulates the brain, and beyond that was designed to be helpful for those with traumatic brain injury as well as post-traumatic stress. He goes into detail on the formula behind designing this new project. Many of you familiar with Clint by now may also know he grew up in Saudi Arabia as the result of his dad working in the oil industry. He is not fond of the culture or political corruption over there, and gets into how he reacted to the violent killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Also on this episode we pay our respects to three operators killed this week in Afghanistan from an IED blast. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Losing a family member in combat is an indescribably sad and tough experience, and each individual affected has to cope with the loss in their own way. For Renee Nickell, she decided to meet with some of the brave men who served with her brother, and self-publish a book that honors his legacy. Major Samuel Griffith served as a Marine Corps Officer & F-18 aviator, and was killed in late 2011 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Renee's book however, is not solely focused on her brother's tragic death, but the sibling bond they shared that was taken prematurely, and the many laughs that they enjoyed together. The book is "Always My Hero: The Road to Hope & Healing Following My Brother's Death in Afghanistan," and we hope that you give it a read. If you'd also like to cheer up a child of a service member killed in action for this Christmas and holiday season, Believe With Me is a great organization that Renee speaks highly of. This interview and more on Episode 408. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

J.T. Patten is a former counterterrorism intelligence adviser, and his wealth of knowledge and experience is likely a major factor in the praise he's received as an author in the past several years. That praise has landed him a deal with our friends over at Kensington Publishing with "Buried in Black." It's the first of the Task Force Orange Novel series, and his first book to be picked up after previous self-publishing endeavors. You're gonna love this in-depth discussion, so dig in! J.T. last joined us on Episode 199, still available in the archives at SOFREPRadio.com. Hope all of you listeners enjoyed your Thanksgiving, and we salute any of you who had to sacrifice time away from your families to serve us. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Post-Vietnam service, extraterrestrials, and UFO encounters? Sounds like a strange array of topics there, but Green Beret and author Jim Morris is quite a fascinating man of many interests. Jim was last on Episode 346, where we went pretty in-depth discussing his time in Vietnam among other things, so this episode we got into some different territory. "The Devil's Secret Name" is one of Jim's many books, and since Jack recently picked it up again, it was the catalyst for much of what we covered on here. Also on this episode we answer a thought-provoking question emailed to [email protected], and react to the charging of two Navy SEALs and two MARSOC Marines in the murder of Green Beret Logan Melgar. Last week we were also at the premiere for "I Am The Revolution" directed by Benedetta Argentieri. We both were very impressed and give our reactions to the film. With that, we wish ALL of you in our audience a very happy Thanksgiving Day. Especially those down range sacrificing time away from their families to protect us. Stay safe, and may God bless you all! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I first met Ricky as a regular at UFC Gym, and he was a guy that everyone knew, and for good reason. Poh has such a diverse background in his passion for fitness from being a physique competitor, Crossfit trainer, and Olympic weightlifter. I don't know how we got into it, but one day I learned in addition to all this he served in the Army as a drill sergeant and also worked his way up to being a Level 4 Combatives Instructor. Naturally, I asked him to come on the podcast a few times. It took some coaxing, but somehow a couple of years later as he also become a member of the NYPD, I convinced him to join us in studio...and you'll be glad I did. Ricky discusses with us why he joined the Army and why his background made for a natural transition to becoming a police officer. He also talks some of the difficulty in between that period of finding what career path he set to embark on. He also gets into how his Chinese ethnic background made for some interesting clashes from his career choice, to his interest in Japanese martial arts, which delivers some laughs. The guys also give their take on the first female to pass Special Forces assessment, and we read an email as well as a voice memo from our shipmate Gene Farnsworth sent to [email protected]. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.