There Will Be Bourbon

Former Director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center Joe Kent returns! We talk about what went into his decision to resign, the pushback and the positive attention it received, the power of influence that the Israelis have, thoughts on the current ceasefire, and what an alliance with Iran might look like. We wrap things up with a chat about the men of Gen Z and just how bright their future is.

Clay Martin returns to discuss the war in Iran and his thoughts on our friend Joe Kent resigning as the Director of the National Counter Terrorism Center. We then get into his church and its treatment for veterans with suicidal ideations. Clay served as a Marine and in the Army Special Forces specializing in the Middle East as a Green Beret before retiring.

Captain John A. Konrad V is a proud alumnus of the New York Maritime College, a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and a US Merchant Marine officer. In 2006, he founded gCaptain and has been serving as its CEO ever since, helping it become the world's most popular maritime news website with a record-breaking 2 million monthly page views. His entrepreneurial spirit also led me to co-found UnofficialNetworks.com, the leading mountain sports news platform, which has amassed over 100 million page views since its beginning.Holding a 'United States Master of Vessels any gross tons, upon ocean' (Master Unlimited) license, John's maritime leadership encompasses several world-record-breaking offshore exploration projects. He had the privilege to serve as Chief Maritime Officer during the discovery of Reliance KG-D6, the then world's largest natural gas deposit, in partnership with Mukesh and Anil Ambani. Later, as Chief Officer for Chevron, they achieved a world record for drilling the deepest well. His versatile skills also extend to managing shipyard operations and supervising the construction of cutting-edge vessels.John is an active member of the Council of American Master Mariners, American Merchant Marine Veteran Association, and the Navy League of the United States, and holds an Associate Fellow position at the Nautical Institute. His work in the maritime industry earned him the US Navy Combined Maritime Forces Naval Support Award and the Fort Schuyler Distinguished Alumni Of The Year award.

Larry Teakell, an Army veteran and recipient of the Soldier's Medal, returns to talk about his new book "From Fire to Forge" about his time spent as a combat medic in Iraq, his heroic efforts to save the life at the time of SPC Heredia, and how forging steel became his therapy for the PTSD that followed. Larry is truly the best of us in this country and his story is one that we cannot lose as we grow further from the GWOT.

Author Mark Sibley’s Mongol Moon explores how a global war ignites — and what follows when the world goes dark. In this in-depth expansion, Voodoo turns his focus to the African continent, showing how the conflict unfolds on the ground and in the lives of those forced to survive it. Drawing on his experience as an Infantry Officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, his deep recall of 20th-century warfare, and his love of a good scotch, he brings a gritty realism and human perspective to the chaos that follows when the lights go out and only the prepared endure.

King Mac of X at @Mac74King joins me to discuss Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, and the state of the Chicago Bears heading into the bye week, as well as gives his predictions for the World Series and Super Bowl.

Javier Mackey is a retired US Army Green Beret. He is a long time friend of mine and that's exactly how our conversation unfolds; like two normal, American dudes talking about life, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, being a father, AI bot farms fomenting anger online, the good that's come forth from the Charlie Kirk murder, as well as the bad and what comes next. Grab a glass!

Born in the rugged Appalachian town of Sylva, North Carolina, Anthony Dyer was raised in a world of untamed adventure, where resilience was a way of life. That same fearless spirit propelled him into the elite realm of Special Operations Aviation, where he spent over a decade as a USAF Combat Special Missions Aviator, flying into the world's most volatile war zones. Tasked with executing high-risk missions under relentless pressure, Anthony's career was defined by precision, courage, and sacrifice. But what happens when the mission ends?In Moon Child, Anthony delivers a raw, unfiltered account of his life in combat-the triumphs, burdens, and unseen wounds that follow Warriors home. He shares the harrowing details of his most dangerous operations, including the 2018 Jolly Green Rescue Mission of the Year, where split-second decisions meant the difference between life and death. Yet, beyond the battlefield, Anthony faced a far deadlier enemy: the silent battles of addiction, trauma, and the search for purpose beyond war.For those who have known war, for those who have battled addiction, and for those still finding their way-Moon Child is your story, too.

Bobby Burack of Outkick stops by the virtual bar to talk, well, just about everything. We get into the NFL North, Geo-politics, Sydney Sweeney's ad breaking the left, how Trump broke everyone, Michael Wilbon, Shannon Sharpe, and just why baseball is still the greatest game in America, among other things. Grab a glass!

Former Green Beret and Author Mike Bennett drops by the virtual bar to discuss his latest book, Memoirs From The Druze. Prior to picking up the pen and authoring this along with the Warlock series, Mike did some really cool things every day Americans should learn and know more about. Mike, motivated by the Iran Hostage Crisis, joined the US Army and went through the Special Forces Qualification Course as a young Officer before it was a branch of full time service, spent time in Haiti and Bosnia prior to the GWOT kicking off which would take him into Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mike tells some really insightful tales about leadership and the men who exemplified those traits the most along with just how he found himself back home with a pen in hand writing the aforementioned books. Grab a glass!

Braxton McCoy and "Lawrence of Iowarabia" drop by the virtual bar to discuss their new business venture into the beef industry with Pasture Peaks Farms. We discussed processing, the marketing gimmicks you see on packaging, origins of big box store beef, grading of beef, barriers to entry into the American beef market, what makes a good beef cow and how can you tell, plus much, much more. Grab a glass!

Lafayette Lee is a contributing editor at IM 1776, delivers excellent written works on his Substack, and also can be found on X @ Partisan_O. Lee dips into the virtual bar this time discussing the assassination attempts on President Trump, why Congress, no matter who is in charge, is the way that it is, if Vladimir Putin is stuck in Ukraine, and much more bourbon sipping worthy takes. Grab a glass!

Retired Sergeant Major and the man behind US Army WTF Moments along with other military pages collecting the most absurd true stories, as well as breaking some of the most poignant news impacting the force returns to the virtual bar. We are talking all things DoD including the new SecDef Pete Hegseth and just where we think his attention should be focused, plus much more. Grab a glass!

Buck Shamrock of X stops by the virtual bar to discuss his 30 year career in law enforcement from time in the jail to tactical teams on the street. We discuss the biggest changes and challenges he sees with the new hires joining the force, the "recipes" inmates cook in jail, the George Floyd riots, as well as sharing his unique takes on a variety of issues currently unfolding in the public space. Grab a glass!

Retired Army Warrant Officer Sam Shoemate stopped by the virtual bar to discuss the inspiration behind the viral Instagram account TerminalCWO, his work exposing the abhorrent behavior at the 101st Airborne Division during the Covid lockdowns as well as elsewhere in the military, the unlawful Covid-19 vaccine mandates, his work along with others ongoing to affect the DoD's acknowledgment of an unlawful order, the policy allowing wrongly discharged service members to return, as well as some hilarious banter regarding the Command Sergeant Major rank in the Army, and much, much more. Grab a glass!

Jeff Young from Around The Foghorn returns to discuss the 2025 San Francisco Giants.

Chief Cope stopped by the virtual bar to discuss in depth the logistics that went into supplying the Afghan National Army, the current state of the challenges facing the logistics chain, the struggle behind teaching the ANA, General Milley, and the potential for positive change throughout the DoD moving forward with the new Secretary of Defense.

"Viking Rob" joined me to discuss the early years of the Iraq War, including all of the maintenance and defensive innovation like the counter-EFP (Explosively Formed Penetrator), the current logistics and supply chain issues, the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, and the NFC North, and wrapping with a spirited discussion on music. Grab a glass!

Jesse Kelly returns to the virtual bar for a happy hour discussion about his recent book "The Anti-Communist Manifesto", the feeling of positivity in the air following the 2024 election, where we are culturally as a society, and just who is going to fight the next great war. Grab a glass!

Steve is a 23 year veteran of the United States Army and a newly published author. We talked about his "significant emotional event" that led him into the Army, growing up in a small town in Southern California, Iraq, Army recruiting, music, movies, and just what the hell happened to Metallica. Grab a glass!