Hazard Ground
356 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 585 ratingsServicemembers from across the military, sharing their accounts of combat and survival. Hosted by sports talk radio host and Army veteran, Mark Zinno, this podcast brings you firsthand accounts of war, with a perspective you only get from someone who has lived through it. From WWII to Vietnam, Somalia, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hear inspirational stories of service and resiliency from those who have fought on and off the battlefield!
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Episodes
Ep. 156 - Robert Patrick Lewis (Green Beret/Author)
February 25, 2020 07:00 - 1 hourIf you've ever wondered what it's like to be a Special Forces Medic, Robert Patrick Lewis can certainly tell you. They are some of the most highly trained field medical professionals in the world. Lewis signed up to become one after 9/11, and deployed multiple times to Afghanistan, Iraq, and North Africa, eventually finding himself on the receiving end of field medical care. He received the Purple Heart for wounds he sustained on one of those deployments to Afghanistan. In this episode, Lewis...
Ep. 155 - Terry Wilson (Army Combat Engineer)
February 18, 2020 07:00 - 1 hourOriginally, Terry Wilson wanted to be a Marine. But, following a brief education on the recruiting business, Terry opted for the Army instead when he learned his "guaranteed" MOS wasn't so guaranteed with the Marine Corps. He would eventually become a Combat Engineer with the Army, deploying to Afghanistan where his job was lead Husky vehicle driver, searching for IEDs during route clearance operations. Prior to his assignment as a Husky driver, Terry was blown up by three IEDs in the Buffalo...
Ep. 154 - Rudy Reyes (Marine Force Recon)
February 11, 2020 07:00 - 1 hourThere are Marines...There are Recon Marines...And then there is Rudy Reyes. At the age of twenty-six, Rudy joined the Marine Corps out of a desire to serve his country and honor the warrior mentality he had built within himself through years of rough upbringing and various physical challenges. After graduating Parris Island, Reyes earned a coveted spot to try out for Marine Force Reconnaissance. He would go on to complete the training and land a job in the Marine Corps that only an extremely ...
Ep. 153 - Brad Thomas (Army SOF/Musician)
February 04, 2020 07:00 - 54 minutesBrad Thomas returns to the show! Brad is a musician and retired 1st SFOD-Delta operator, who also fought in the Battle of Mogadishu - better known as "Black Hawk Down" - as an Army Ranger. Brad's band, "Silence & Light", were featured in Episode 58, just before they were getting ready to head into the studio to record their first album. Their self-titled debut album was released on December 20, 2019. All proceeds from the album are being donated to two veteran support organizations: Warriors ...
Ep. 152 - David Reeves (Ranger/Operation Just Cause)
January 28, 2020 07:00 - 1 hourIn honor of the 30th anniversary of the conclusion of Operation Just Cause, this week we bring you an incredible story of combat and survival from that campaign. David Reeves was a Ranger fire team leader with Charlie Co, 3rd BN, 75th Ranger Regiment during the invasion of Panama. His company's mission was to seize the airfield at Torrijos Airport, the international airport of Panama City. During the mission, Reeves was shot three times with an AK-47 at point-blank range while hunting down tw...
Ep. 151 - Patricia Collins (Army SOF/Athlete)
January 21, 2020 07:00 - 1 hourAs someone who was rising through the ranks and performing at a very high level in the Army's top tier, elite special operations unit, Patty Collins never thought she would suffer an injury that would end up taking her leg, when she wasn't serving in a war zone. But, in 2006, while riding her bike to work on Fort Bragg, she was struck from behind by an automobile. The marathon runner and triathlete, survivor of multiple combat tours, and recipient of both a Senior Parachutist Badge and the Mi...
Ep. 150 - Joe Kent (Green Beret)
January 14, 2020 07:00 - 41.3 MBAs far back as he can remember, Joe Kent wanted to be a soldier. He not only wanted to be soldier, but the history of the Green Berets drew him toward eventually becoming one. His intense dedication to serving as a Green Beret in the GWOT only made it that much more natural that he would eventually marry a Navy Cryptologist serving in Special Operations with an equal amount of passion and drive. Her name was Shannon, and like Joe, she knew deeply the meaning of selfless service and sacrifice...
Ep. 149 – MajGen (R) James Livingston (Marine)
January 07, 2020 07:00 - 27.8 MBIt is an incredible honor to have Marine legend and Medal of Honor recipient, Major General (Ret) James Livingston, on the show this week! Listening to him speak, you can tell that despite his age, he's just as tough as he was when his actions on the battlefield in Vietnam earned him the nation's highest decoration for valor in combat. In May of 1968, while serving as Commander, Co E, 2nd Bn, 4th Marines, General Livingston distinguished himself above and beyond the call of duty while leadin...
Ep. 148 – Kionte Storey (Marine)
December 31, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourBorn prematurely due to drugs and alcohol, to a mother he would never meet, Kionte Storey spent the first 10 years of his life raised by his second cousin. He would spend 8 more years in foster care, before he found the Marine Corps. Joining the Marines was a form of escape, but also a way to prove something to himself, and possibly a chance at a better life. Unfortunately, his time in the Marine Corps would be cut short by an IED in Afghanistan that took his right leg. Storey found new chall...
Ep. 147 – Geoff Hopf (Marine/Author)
December 17, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourAs an Infantry Marine, Geoff Hopf experienced a unique side of the Persian Gulf War we rarely hear about. Hopf's relatively small team was tasked with forming the first line of defense if Saddam Hussein decided to invade Saudi Arabia during the buildup of coalition forces prior to Operation Desert Storm. Left in the desert for week's on end, Hopf's team literally ran out of food at one point, while still carrying out the vital mission of defend and delay. The kick-off of combat operations wou...
Ep. 146 – Kevin Wallace (Combat Photographer)
December 10, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourAnytime combat photographer Kevin Wallace was involved in a firefight, he often had a critical decision to make: shoot back at the enemy, or pick up his camera and take a much different shot. The decision could be painstaking, but Wallace knew the importance of documenting combat, while still trying to help those to his left and right. The process weighed on him so much that he spent hours and hours training himself so that he could flip from camera to weapon and back without thinking about i...
Ep. 145 – Kyle Carpenter (Marine)
December 03, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourThere isn't much we can say about Kyle Carpenter to further accentuate just how special a human being he is. He served as a Marine in combat and received the military's highest award for valor with humility, strength, and optimism - qualities that were certainly tested by the years of pain and frustration that followed his exit from combat. Kyle was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Afghanistan on 21 November 2010. On that day, Carpenter threw himself on an enemy grenade in order ...
Ep. 144 – Dave Sabben (Battle of Long Tan)
November 26, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourUnless you served in Vietnam, you probably weren't aware that U.S. forces fought alongside other allies, Australia being one of them, and an important one at that. Dave Sabben was one of those soldiers who bravely led Australian military forces not long after the U.S. war in Vietnam began. Sabben joined the army as part of Australia's National Service program in 1965. By the end of '65 he had completed officer training, graduating as a 2nd lieutenant. Shortly thereafter he deployed to Vietnam...
Ep. 143 – Geoff Dardia (Green Beret)
November 19, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourGeoff Dardia's special operations career was pretty much over before it even began. Having rolled multiple phases of BUD/S due to injuries, at 21, Dardia had broken his body down to the point where the Navy was willing to compensate him for the rest of his life, if he chose. But having a goal to become a SOF operator, Dardia switched gears, enlisted in the Army, and relatively quickly worked his way to becoming a Green Beret. Perseverance would earn Dardia a successful career in Special Force...
Ep. 142 – LTG (R) Burke Garrett & Tim Banik (Veterans Day)
November 12, 2019 07:00 - 1 hourTwo completely different military career paths: one, a Lieutenant General who served over 30 years as an Army Infantry officer, the other an enlisted Infantry Marine who served four years, with two overseas deployments to combat zones. Both brought together though, by their experiences and unique perspectives serving multiple combat tours. Now retired, Lieutenant General "Burke" Garrett would go on to become the Executive Advisor to the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program, a nationally renowned...
Ep. 141 – James LaPorta (Marine/Newsweek)
November 05, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourLike many kids coming out of high school, James LaPorta just wanted to get on with life. His country was at war, and he had little interest in going to college - at least right away. So he joined the Marine Corps, signing up for the infantry. That decision would take him to Afghanistan, to fight in his country's war, and fundamentally change who he was as a person. It would also prepare him for life after the Marine Corps. He wanted to make the Marines a career, but the military had different...
Ep. 140 – Chad Balwanz (Green Beret/ODA 525)
October 29, 2019 05:00 - 1 hourBefore "Lone Survivor" - the story of Operation Red Wings as told by Marcus Luttrell, the only SEAL to survive that operation - there was ODA 525. Assigned a special reconnaissance mission inside Iraq on the eve of the Desert Storm ground war, the Green Berets of ODA 525 faced a moral dilemma of magnificent proportions when their hide site was discovered by local children. Poor intel on the hide site location put the men of ODA 525 in a populated area of the desert, where they would face over...
Ep. 139 – BG (Ret) Don Bolduc (Green Beret)
October 22, 2019 05:00 - 29.5 MBIt's only fitting that after serving his country for 36 years in the Army, retired Brigadier General Don Bolduc would decide once again to serve his country and his community at the highest possible level. He is currently running for U.S. Senate in his home state of New Hampshire. BG Bolduc was motivated to run by what he describes as a "crisis of leadership in national politics." Leadership is one thing the general knows very well, and has put into practice for over three decades. He's lead...
Ep. 138 – Jason Robinson (Infantryman)
October 15, 2019 05:00 - 1 hourAfter the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Jason Robinson felt a calling to serve in the military. Notably, he felt it was his duty to serve having been born into a free society - a way to earn his citizenship. He also wanted to do his part to ensure the U.S. military didn’t revert back to a draft to fight the Global War on Terror - something his sons could have faced as they grew older. Robinson chose the Infantry at age 34 - no easy feat. He literally had to fight his way into the I...
Ep. 137 – John Belman (Ranger/CSAR - Black Hawk Down)
October 08, 2019 05:00 - 1 hourWe've covered the Battle of Mogadishu - popularized by the movie and book, "Black Hawk Down" - multiple times on the podcast. But, we haven't covered it from the perspective of the combat search and rescue (CSAR) team sent in to rescue the crews of the Black Hawks shot down on October 3, 1993 over the streets of Mogadishu, Somalia. John Belman was a Ranger on the CSAR team that was dropped in to the first crash site. On arrival at the site, Belman and his teammates were thrust into a chaotic ...
Ep. 136 – John Stryker Meyer (Vietnam/Green Beret/SOG)
October 01, 2019 04:30 - 1 hourJohn Stryker Meyer earned his Green Beret in December of 1967. About five months later, he was based in Vietnam, fighting a very deadly and secret war in Laos and Cambodia. For John and his fellow Green Berets, the war in Vietnam was fought in the shadows. And they arguably gained considerable ground in the fight, despite virtually zero public recognition for their contributions at the time. Their efforts were audacious and struck at the heart of an enemy fighting an unconventional war - tric...
Ep. 135 – Zach Stinson (Marine Combat Vet)
September 24, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourOn November 9, 2010, Zach Stinson, a Marine fighting in Afghanistan, stepped on an IED. The blast took both of his legs, and a few fingers. But, the blast did not take his zeal for life. Listening to him talk about this experience, you would never think that he's faced great challenges and extremely low moments trying to get back to the normalcy of everyday life. He has handled his injuries with the same bravery and stoicism he displayed when taking "point" while searching the village compoun...
Ep. 134 – Pasha Palanker (Army Combat Vet)
September 17, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourWhen Pasha Palanker was 15, he and his family immigrated to the U.S. from Moldova. Although his family lived in a rough neighborhood on a very low income, Pasha was happy and proud to be living in America, whose opportunities far outnumbered those of his birthplace. In an effort to repay the U.S. government for the assistance provided to him and his family after they arrived from Moldova, Pasha enlisted in the Army, shortly after the war in Iraq kicked off in 2003. Following multiple deployme...
Ep. 133 – Joe Galloway (Military Correspondent)
September 10, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourNormally, this week's guest would be billed as a "Special Guest" as Joe Galloway was never actually in the military. But if history has anything to say about it, there's no doubt he's earned his stripes, going all the way back to his first overseas assignments in Vietnam. Early on, Galloway was embedded with the 1st Cavalry Division during the Battle of Ia Drang, the first major battle of the Vietnam War. He not only covered the battle, but also fought to save the lives of other American sold...
Ep. 132 – Patrick Murphy (Iraq Vet/Congressman)
September 03, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourPatrick Murphy is the first Iraq War veteran elected to the U.S. Congress, representing Pennsylvania. Following his time in Congress, he was confirmed as the 32nd Under Secretary of the Army, serving until January 2017. Murphy may be a veteran of U.S. politics, but this conversation is anything but a political one. Murphy deployed to Iraq in 2003 with the 82nd Airborne, and also taught at West Point during his tenure as a U.S. Army officer. He’s a special breed of leader who truly understands...
Ep. 131 – Gene Murphy (Vietnam/DAV)
August 27, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourWhile taking a semester off from college, Gene Murphy received what many young men his age feared at the time - a draft notice for Vietnam. Murphy considered it an honor to serve his country, so leaving his small, South Dakota farming community for the Army and Vietnam, was tough, but not a big deal. When he shipped off to Vietnam, he figured as a mortarman he'd probably be stationed at a basecamp somewhere and not spend much time in the jungle. But the situation changed rapidly when he hit t...
Ep. 130 – Michael Rutledge (From Navy SEAL to 160th SOAR)
August 20, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourAs far back as he can remember, Michael Rutledge wanted to be a Naval Aviator. He lacked the grades to get him there, so he enlisted in the Navy, eventually becoming a Navy SEAL. Unable to ignore his desire to fly in the military, after 8 years as a SEAL, Rutledge started the process to transfer to the Army to fly helicopters. All of this happened not long before 9/11. Despite his love for the Teams and its inherent brotherhood, Rutledge felt a greater calling to make it into the aviator rank...
Ep. 129 – Garrett Cathcart (Cavalry Scout/Mission Roll Call)
August 13, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourGarrett Cathcart had wanted to go to West Point since the 4th grade. When high school graduation approached, it was West Point or enlist. He secured an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, setting him on a course to become a combat-tested leader, as the Global War on Terror erupted only a couple of years before he graduated and entered active duty. Since then he has served as a Cavalry Scout, Troop Commander, and military advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cathcart sits down in-studio to r...
Ep. 128 – Harry Lockhead (WWII UDT)
August 06, 2019 06:00 - 43 minutesIt’s not too often we get the opportunity to speak with veterans of WWII. They’re a special breed, and Harry Lockhead is no exception. Joining the Navy when his country was at war, Lockhead went into the service as a cook. After the battle at Tarawa, the loss of Marines was so great, that the Navy asked for volunteers to learn how to perform reconnaissance and underwater demolition for future beach landings. Harry volunteered, and became one of the Navy's first Underwater Demolition swimmers,...
Ep. 127 – Mary Dague (Army EOD Combat Vet)
July 30, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourStaring down a very domesticated life path she had no interest in following, Mary Dague decided to join the Army, a few years after 9/11. Desiring a military job that was both dynamic and challenging, she signed up for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD). She loved being an EOD soldier and showed great promise as a young bomb tech on her team while deployed in combat. But it only took one critical incident to end all of that. On November 4, 2007, her military career came to an end when she lite...
Ep. 126 – Zachary Rhyner (Combat Controller/Air Force Cross)
July 23, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourFollowing his childhood dream to serve in the military, Zachary Rhyner joined the Air Force in 2004. He knew he wanted to serve in an elite group, that would no doubt face challenges in combat. Rhyner enlisted with the goal of becoming a combat controller. After a grueling two-and-a-half-year selection and training process, he became a special tactics combat controller. He would soon go on to serve with a Special Operations team, seeing their fare share of combat in Afghanistan. It was on one...
Ep. 125 – Chris Greca (CSM/Army Ranger)
July 16, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourEven though Chris Greca came from a military family, he never intended to join the Army. But, it was a spur of the moment decision at a red light one day that drove him to the recruiter’s office. And before he knew it, Chris Greca was on his way to a 31-year career in the Army. He would retire in 2017 as a Sergeant Major, fulfilling key posts all the way up to the 4-star command level. Serving much of his career with the storied 75th Ranger Regiment, he also racked up a large number of injuri...
Ep. 124 – Jeff Struecker (Ranger/Black Hawk Down)
July 09, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourAs a young Army Ranger, Jeff Struecker saw combat early, beginning with the operation to capture Manuel Noriega in Panama in 1989. But, it wasn't until his experiences during Operation Gothic Serpent - the op to capture Somali faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid - that combat took on a new meaning - a more violent and vicious meaning. Better known by its book and film title, "Black Hawk Down", Struecker shares with us his experiences fighting on the ground in Mogadishu, on 3 and 4 October, 19...
Ep. 123 – Brian Wood MC (Battle of Danny Boy)
July 02, 2019 04:00 - 56 minutesIn 2004 in the Iraq desert, British soldier, Brian Wood found himself on the receiving end of an order not given in battle in 25 years: FIX BAYONETS! In just a split second he digested that phrase, and began leading his men on a full-frontal assault against an entrenched enemy, charging into heavy oncoming fire. Outnumbered, he and his men engaged in a close-quarter battle, seizing the initiative and defeating the enemy force, saving numerous allied soldiers' lives. For his courageous leaders...
Ep. 122 – Remi Adeleke (Navy SEAL/Writer/Actor)
June 25, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourRemi Adeleke was destined to lead an unconventional life. He might say it was divine intervention. Whatever it was, it put him on a path most ordinary people never travel. Then again, Remi isn't an ordinary human being. He was born into Nigerian royalty, the son of a Yoruba chief. His father was also an entrepreneur, architect, and engineer, who worked to bring prosperity to Nigeria through innovative development projects. But, his father's untimely death would leave Remi's family penniless, ...
Ep. 121 – Matt Cothron (Uncle Chaps)
June 18, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourWe bring a little bit of levity to the show this week with our guest, Matt Cothron. Matt, better known by his online moniker, Uncle Chaps, is a successful (and humorous) blogger and podcast host. But, before that, he was a Marine, serving in combat as a bomb dog handler. In 2007 he was shot through the arm - an injury that would eventually contribute to medical retirement. Leading up to that event, he had been in over 40 fire fights and conducted over 100 raids in Iraq. His experiences in com...
Ep. 120 – Jason Redman (Navy SEAL)
June 11, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourWhen you look back on Jason Redman's career as a Navy SEAL, two words stand out: warrior and leader. We've said it before - those words get thrown around rather loosely. But in Jason's case, they are terms he continues to embody, even after his career in the Navy was finished. In this episode, he talks about what it means to be a leader, and what it takes to continue to grow as one, constantly learning and refining knowledge, lessons, and experience. He also goes in-depth on what happened to ...
Ep. 119 – Special Guest: Johnny Walker
June 04, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourWe have another Special Guest this week, and an absolutely incredible story of one man's quest to survive under Saddam Hussein's rule as well as the insurgency that plagued his country months into Operation Iraqi Freedom. He still goes by his code name, Johnny Walker, and for years - including through Desert Storm and the 2003 U.S. invasion - he dreamed of a better life for himself and his family. He didn't see a future in Iraq, but rather one nested in the American Dream. Johnny Walker disco...
Ep. 118 – Hershel “Woody” Williams (WWII – Medal of Honor Recipient)
May 28, 2019 06:00 - 54 minutesIt was an absolute honor to have Marine, WWII vet, and Medal of Honor recipient, Hershel “Woody” Williams on the show! Woody Williams grew up in rural West Virginia, so far removed from urban centers that his family had no access to daily news sources. So, Woody’s family had virtually no access to information about the military, let alone the events leading up to WWII. But, eventually it was the Second World War that would act as the catalyst for Woody joining the Marine Corps. While fighting...
Ep. 117 – Special Guest: Renee Nickell (Gold Star Sibling)
May 21, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourOur Special Guest this week is Renee Nickell. Renee became a Gold Star Sibling when she lost her brother, Marine Major Samuel Griffith in combat on December 14, 2011 in Afghanistan. Renee was very close to Sam; in her eyes, he was her hero. Losing him was devastating. Six years after his death, she decided to honor and remember Sam by writing a memoir about him, with the hope that it would help her and others who had lost a sibling, find some peace in the process of healing. The book is "Alwa...
Ep. 116 – COL (Ret) Lee Van Arsdale (Delta Force)
May 14, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourThis week, another legend in the Special Ops community joins us, as retired Colonel Lee Van Arsdale takes us through two pivotal operations for the storied 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta, more commonly known as Delta Force. Van Arsdale joined Delta Force in 1985, and spent 14 years leading some of the most elite soldiers history has ever seen. As a Major, he lead the Delta assault troop that captured Manual Noriega in Panama in 1989, personally restraining Noriega while he ...
LTG (Ret) Michael Ferriter (Army Ranger)
May 07, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourThere are many general officers in the U.S. military, but there are few who truly leave their mark on the organization after they have finished serving in its ranks. LTG (Ret) Michael Ferriter is one of those few. His commitment to not only serving his country, during multiple times of conflict, as a Ranger and beyond, along with his steadfast leadership have made the military a healthier and more lethal fighting force. LTG Ferriter is also responsible for bringing the Combatives Program to t...
Scot Spooner (Green Beret/Delta Force)
April 30, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourScot Spooner is a modern-day warrior. He joined the Army at a young age, earned his Green Beret, and eventually earned a spot in the Army's elite Delta Force. He's trained for war, instructed others in its finer and deadlier points; fought in combat and survived when others around him were less fortunate, and returned home, seemingly unscathed. But, ultimately, injuries deeper than skin surface came to light. So Scot, in the truest sense of the term "warrior," sought healing while discovering...
Eric Stebner (Ranger – Battle of Takur Ghar)
April 23, 2019 04:00 - 1 hourThis week we return to Afghanistan, 2002, and the Battle of Takur Ghar. Retired Army Master Sergeant and Ranger, Eric Stebner tells it from the perspective of leading Chalk 2 of his Quick Reaction Force up an over 10,000-foot mountain, under enemy mortar fire, to link up with his Platoon Leader’s chalk, which was already engaged with the enemy on top of the mountain. Stebner recounts the effort to climb 2000 feet, at a high altitude in the thin mountain air, and fight the battle to take back ...
Kevin Lacz (Navy SEAL)
April 16, 2019 07:00 - 59 minutesShortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Kevin Lacz left college to join the Navy with orders for SEAL training. He would go on to graduate with BUD/s Class 246, and eventually land with SEAL Team Three. By 2006, he was fighting in Ramadi, Iraq, working primarily as a sniper and medic. In 2008 he returned to Iraq, working again as a sniper, medic, and also breacher - SEAL certifications that made him the only member of his platoon qualified to participate in any operation the platoon ...
Annie Kleiman (CST & Tillman Scholar)
April 09, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourShe initially wanted to be an astronaut, jumping headfirst into the Civil Air Patrol program at a young age. But Annie Kleiman would end up taking a completely different path - one very unconventional within the ranks of the Air Force. She would ultimately try out for and be selected to deploy as part of a Cultural Support Team (CST) in 2012 in Afghanistan with the 75th Ranger Regiment, as an Air Force Officer. The CSTs would place her and other women like her on direct combat missions, perfo...
Joe Quinn (Army - Headstrong Exec. Dir.)
April 02, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourAn absolutely powerful episode this week with the Executive Director of The Headstrong Project, Joe Quinn, on the heels of launching a new chapter in Atlanta. Joe was in his senior at West Point when his brother died in the north tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Joe believed he was in the best spot to enact revenge on the perpetrators of the attacks, and maybe have a chance to feel somewhat whole again, as he was soon to be commissioned in the Army, and would soon fight ...
Duane France (Army - Vet Mental Health Counselor)
March 26, 2019 06:00 - 1 hourFollowing in the footsteps of immediate family, Duane France joined the Army prior to September 11, 2001. When the World Trade Center towers fell, France was stationed in Germany, away from the immediacy of GWOT planning, but ready to serve, wherever, and whenever. It would be a few years before he'd be "in the fight," but as with most people who served post-9/11, his time would come, with deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan during some of the bloodiest times of both campaigns. His exper...
Adam Mattis (Army - OIF)
March 18, 2019 04:00 - 1 hourHe's now living his life not just for himself, but for those he served with on the battlefield who never made it home. One of those soldiers, in particular, died in an instant right next to him. On December 8, 2005, Adam Mattis was seriously injured when his vehicle was struck by an IED containing several explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) near Sadr City in Baghdad. The attack occurred just 28 days before Adam's tour in Iraq was scheduled to end. The officer riding next him was a good frie...
Rachel Washburn (Combat Veteran & NFL Cheerleader)
March 11, 2019 04:00 - 1 hourShe went from performing in front of thousands of cheering fans in NFL stadiums, to executing one of the most vital missions in the Global War on Terror. Rachel Washburn was a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader before commissioning as a 2nd lieutenant in the Army. Her first assignment in the Army was to a Cultural Support Team (CST) in Afghanistan - a groundbreaking concept where women were embedded with Special Operations units in order to enable and help form enduring relationships with the lo...