Mike Drop
195 episodes - English - Latest episode: 22 days ago - ★★★★★ - 6.1K ratingsThe Mike Drop podcast is hosted by former Navy SEAL, Mike Ritland. It is a not so politically correct discussion of wide ranging topics that span from government, politics and war to health and fitness, from guns and survival skills to food and nutrition with music, BBQ and a touch of everything else in between. This is THE platform that is completely raw, totally unfiltered and in your face, while still intellectually sound with good intuitive dialogue between A-holes that know what they’re talking about.
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Episodes
Air Force Pararescueman Brandon Daugherty Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 182
April 07, 2024 22:30 - 2 hoursAir Force Pararescuemen, also known as PJ's, are the only elite combat force in the Department of Defense that are trained and equipped to perform personnel recovery. PJs are highly trained special operators who rescue, recover, and return American or allied forces in times of danger or extreme duress. It's a dangerous position from any angle - air, land, or sea, PJ's are there when others are not. Just take it from Brandon Daugherty. With seven back-to-back deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan,...
Astronaut Rescue Air Force PJ Brandon Daugherty Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 181
March 31, 2024 22:30 - 1 hourSubscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop Brandon Daugherty rescues Astronauts. It's a complicated notion for a such a simple statement - where do Astronauts need to be rescued from, exactly? How many Astronauts are you rescuing in a given month, or even a year? And how does a guy like Brandon go from diving out of helicopters to snatching cosmic explorers right out of the ocean? Turns out, it all starts in the A...
Former Secret Service Agent Evy Poumpouras Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 180
March 24, 2024 22:30 - 1 hourSubscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop You might not know it, but the United States Secret Service does a lot more than simply protecting the President. They're acting security for any Heads of State, including those foreign and domestic, alongside their families and any close confidants that require around-the-clock service. They also investigate crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United State...
Former Secret Service Agent Evy Poumpouras Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 179
March 17, 2024 22:30 - 1 hourThe United States Secret Service is one of our nation's most important federal agencies. Serving under the Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service Agents are charged with conducting criminal investigations, protecting U.S. political leaders and their families, and ensuring the safety of visiting heads of state, no matter the cost. Just take it from Evy Poumpouras - she's a former NYPD Officer turned Secret Service Agent with over a dozen years of experience, having served under the pr...
SEAL Team Eight Sniper Sam Mackey | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 178
March 10, 2024 22:30 - 2 hoursSam Mackey retired from the U.S. Navy with over 20 years of service in SEAL Teams, having served first as a Sniper at SEAL Team Eight before pivoting to SEAL Team Four. During his tenure he deployed to the likes of Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda, Cameroon, and more. He's also nearly a record-holder, having taken a shot at the title (literally) with a particularly long-distance engagement during his time in Afghanistan. Today, he's the CEO and Co-Owner of Outsider, a high-quality outdoor lifestyle ...
Arizona Border Sheriff Matthew Thomas Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 177
March 03, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourThe crisis at the southern border is a hotly-contested topic among Americans, but few have seen the realities of the situation quite like Arizona Chief Deputy Sheriff Matthew Thomas. During his 31 years on the force, he's served in a variety of roles, from SWAT to Detention to Narcotics, and he's seen firsthand just how awful human beings can be to one another when there's something to be gained. In fact, that's why he sat down with Mike in studio in the first place - to talk about the very r...
Arizona Border Sheriff Matthew Thomas | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 176
February 25, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourMatthew Thomas is an active-duty Chief Deputy Sheriff in Pinal County, Arizona - one of the fastest growing counties in the country, in no small part due to it's proximity to the southern border. During his over 31 years of duty, Matthew's served in Detention, Patrol, Traffic, Training, Academy, Narcotics, Anti-Smuggling, Motors and SWAT. Not only is Matthew a tried and true on-the-ground resource for the current crisis at the border - he's also a bellwether for how judicial precedence has wo...
SEAL Team Seven Defense Strategies Group Mike O'Dowd | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 175
February 18, 2024 23:30 - 2 hoursAnyone can be Special Operations - or at least, that's what Mike O'Dowd thinks. To him, Special Operations is a mindset - one about never accepting failure and refusing to settle for mediocrity. He's a 9 year Navy SEAL Vet with SEAL Team Seven, having deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He's served as a Breacher, Fighter, Waterman, Weapons Instructor, and he's even qualified as an NCAA Division 1 Athlete in rowing. He even founded Defense Strategies Training Group, a collective of Special Opera...
SEAL Team Seven Canine Handler Chris Cappa Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 174
February 11, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourTraining an animal to move, obey, and communicate effectively is no easy feat - especially when you're serving at the Tip of the Spear. That's where SEAL Team Seven Canine Handler Chris Cappa met Mickey anyway - a scrappy pup that would go on to become an absolute beast on deployment, snagging bites and catching bombs for nearly every op he went on. Of course, that's only part of the story, and finding out the full weight of the military's might in the wake of the coronavirus scare, traveling...
SEAL Team Seven Canine Handler Chris Cappa Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 173
February 04, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourEvery warrior has a different reason for going over the wire. For Chris Cappa, it was almost destiny; a chance encounter at a local gym turned into a series of relationships that were suddenly severed in a 2011 Afghanistan Boeing Chinook shootdown - otherwise known as Extortion 17. Soon after, Chris found himself headed to bootcamp, and before long, deploying at the Tip of the Spear with SEAL Team Seven in West Africa and Afghanistan. It wouldn't be long before Chris would find his real pas...
Marjah Marine Infantry Squad Leader Ryan Rogers Part Two
January 28, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourThere's more to being a Marine Squad Infantry Leader than simply telling other Marines what to do. You're not only responsible for your squad's successes, but you also feel the weight of the most devastating of failures. But The Battle of Marjah isn't where Lions of Marjah author Ryan Rogers' story ends - a resurgence of vengeance, a Five-Day War, and getting out alive is all an integral part of the tale. Remember - it's not about the choices, it's about the chances. ---------- Get Your Co...
Marjah Marine Infantry Squad Leader Ryan Rogers Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 171
January 21, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourThe Battle of Marjah. A knock-down, drag-out, world class brawl. Featuring over 15,000 soldiers from all over the world, it was the largest joint operation in Afghanistan up to that point. And Ryan Rogers knows it better than most - he was a Marine Infantry Squad Leader for the whole damn thing. He was on the ground for the first day, and the next, and the day after, making the sort of decisions most wouldn't dare face. He's also the host of the Choices Not Chances podcast, and he's the autho...
Ret. CIA Security Officer Ryan Fugit Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 170
January 14, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourAfter 7 years of flying as an Apache Helicopter Pilot for the Army, Ryan Fugit knew it was time to settle down. So naturally, he moved back to the States, settled in with his family, and immediately joined the CIA as a Collection Management Officer. But working at The Agency isn't all office work - Ryan spent time in Europe and North Africa, rubbing elbows with some of the most unique individuals in spy craft. He even took his kids on a couple of operations, though they'd never know it at the...
Army Apache Helicopter Pilot Ryan Fugit Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 169
January 07, 2024 23:30 - 1 hourRyan Fugit is pretty good at seeing the bigger picture. Nowadays, he's a podcast host - hosting 'Combat Stories,' a weekly interview series dedicated to sharing war stories from some truly incredible veteran warriors - but before podcasting, he was a veteran himself, having served over seven years as an Army AH-64 Apache Helicopter pilot in Afghanistan in the post-9/11 era. After that, he spent eight years at the CIA (or 'The Agency', as it's known internally), supporting warfighters indirect...
Top Gun Fighter Pilot Instructor Jack Stewart Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 166
December 31, 2023 23:30 - 1 hourWait a minute, TOPGUN only trains students to become instructors? Turns out, there's quite a few details the Tom Cruise movies missed when it comes to the most elite flying academy in the world - but when it comes to real world dogfighting, it's not all about academics. It's truly a mental game, where you mean to outwit the opposite pilot before they can get the jump on you. Just take it from Jack Stewart - after he passed through TOPGUN he too became an instructor, before pivoting into comm...
Dog Training Q&A with Navy SEAL Teamdog Founder Mike Ritland | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 167
December 29, 2023 11:30 - 1 hourWhy's my dog so aggressive? How can I start to train them more effectively? And what's the secret to getting any dog to truly obey your commands? There may be a million ways to skin a cat, but dog training doesn't have to be that complicated. Just ask Mike Ritland. When he's not hosting his podcast, he's hard at work over at Teamdog, training elite protection dogs and providing nutrition, supplies, and insight solutions for dog owners everywhere. That's why he's sitting down for a special end...
Top Gun Fighter Pilot Instructor Jack Stewart Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 166
December 24, 2023 23:30 - 1 hourJack Stewart always wanted to fly. Following in his pilot father's footsteps, he pursued a career in aviation at the U.S. Naval Academy before serving 23 years as a fighter pilot, flying combat missions from three different aircraft carriers and deploying to Afghanistan as a member of an Air Force Tactical Air Control Party. He's also a graduate of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known as TOPGUN, both for it's esteemed reputation of bringing up the finest dogfighters in the count...
French Foreign Legion Navy SEAL Taylor Cavanaugh | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 165
December 16, 2023 23:30 - 2 hoursThe French Foreign Legion - a unique corps of the French Army that, unlike nearly any other army in the world, allows foregin nationals to enlist at will. It's a diverse fighting force, deploying all over the world into any conditions necessary. They're also the home of Taylor Cavanaugh, a former U.S. Navy Vet that enlisted just a few years ago. But Taylor's not just any veteran - he's a former U.S. Navy SEAL from SEAL Team Seven. Safe to say there's a lot of questions to ask here - why's T...
Knife-Forging SEAL Nomad Shane Hiatt Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 164
November 26, 2023 23:30 - 2 hoursMike Ritland and Shane Hiatt have been friends for a long time. Which is a surprisingly rare thing in the veteran community - the odds that two SEAL Team guys would run into each other again and again aren't quite as high as you might think. But Shane's a nomad - a wandering traveler, that's been living out of his truck with just his dog and the natural beauty of the American countryside for over 15 years. Fortunately, he's not just panning for change out there on the open road - Shane owns...
Knife-Forging SEAL Nomad Shane Hiatt Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 163
November 19, 2023 23:30 - 1 hourIt takes all sorts to make the world, but only a select few are chosen to lead. Just ask Shane Hiatt - he's a former Point Man for SEAL Team 3, where he met and served together with our very own Mike Ritland. Since then they've been good friends for over 25 years, with Shane swinging by to visit whenever he's in town. He's a modern nomad, living out of his truck for over 15 years (a self-described 'van-lifer' before it was cool) and he owns SH9, an elite knife company that ships products all ...
Navy SEAL Immigrant Drago Dzieran Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 162
November 12, 2023 23:30 - 2 hoursRetired Navy SEAL Drago Dzieran has a complicated past. Before serving twenty years at the Tip of the Spear, he was a political prisoner in his home country of Poland after they assumed Communist rule. After immigrating to America, he became a citizen, joined the military, and not long after started serving with Jocko Willink over at SEAL Team 2, before eventually transitioning to SEAL Team 4. He's operated all over the world, stopped a lot of bad guys, and even archived his travels in his me...
Navy SEAL Immigrant Drago Dzieran Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 161
November 05, 2023 23:30 - 2 hoursDrago Dzieran was born in Poland while under Communist rule. After spending time in a Communist prison (also known as a Gulag) as a political prisoner for his activism against against censorship, he immigrated to the United States in 1984, becoming a full U.S. Citizen in 1991. That same year he joined the Navy, where he'd go on to be assigned to SEAL Team 2, SEAL Team 4, and Naval Special Warfare as a BUD/S Instructor. He's been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, The Navy Commendation Medal, and ...
Ranger BORSTAR Actor Vince 'Rocco' Vargas Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 160
October 29, 2023 23:00 - 1 hourNobody understands the border crisis quite like Vince 'Rocco' Vargas. Though most know him now as the actor behind Gilly Lopez on FX's 'Mayans M.C.', Vince is also a retired specialized law enforcement BORSTAR agent, where he operated for years on both sides of the border. He's also a veteran, having been deployed as an Army Ranger, and the author of 'Borderline: Defending the Homefront', where he shares more stories from his work in law enforcement. Having traveled the country and witnesse...
Ranger BORSTAR Actor Vince 'Rocco' Vargas Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 159
October 22, 2023 22:30 - 1 hour'Going Hollywood'. It's a phrase that's all too familiar to Vince 'Rocco' Vargas - a veteran turned actor, Vinny's appeared in FX's Mayans M.C. along with a handful of features that have had a surprisingly large impact online. He's also a former Army Ranger, prison guard, drill sergeant, and BORSTAR agent, and nowadays he's an author, podcast host, father, and husband. From afar, it might seem like Vince has had an easy go of things, but that's far from the truth. Struggles in schooling and ...
Retired CIA Operative Instructor Jason Hanson | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 158
October 15, 2023 22:30 - 1 hourJason Hanson knows how to keep a secret. It's part of his job, actually - he's a former officer of the CIA, or 'The Agency' as insiders call it - along with an instructor in escape and evasion via his his tactical spy school, a frequent media guest on television programs around the world, and even a New York Times bestselling author with his book 'Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life.' And with a resumé ranging from surveillance to Shark Tank, safe to say Jason's got more than a few good stori...
Recon Marine Fox Special Forces Host Rudy Reyes Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 157
October 08, 2023 22:30 - 1 hourRetired Recon Marine Rudy Reyes has got quite the resumé. He's a wildly popular Call of Duty character, he played himself on HBO's Generation Kill, he hosts Special Forces: The World's Toughest Test on FOX - and that's just the popular stuff. He even founded a veteran nonprofit, Force Blue, that's dedicated to changing the world through ocean conservation, all while helping veterans along the way. Some might say Rudy's 'gone Hollywood', but pushing celebrities to their limits every week on n...
Recon Marine Fox Special Forces Host Rudy Reyes Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 156
October 01, 2023 22:30 - 1 hourCall of Duty. Generation Kill. Special Forces: The World's Toughest Test. For Rudy Reyes, it's all in a days work, but Hollywood's far from his only priority. It's change that matters most to Rudy - you can see it at Force Blue, his veteran nonprofit dedicated to ocean conservation, and in Special Forces on Fox, where he teaches stars to test their limits every week. How does a recon marine go on to host one of the most daring shows on television? How does he end up playing himself on the b...
Navy SEAL Crossfit King Dave Castro | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 155
September 24, 2023 22:30 - 1 hourEvery year, CrossFit's toughest athletes enroll to compete in The CrossFit Games, a three-week global competition designed to find the Fittest Man and Fittest Woman on Earth. It's a grueling endeavor, filled with agonizing events and creative challenges that are guaranteed to weed out the weak and crown the victors in glory. Just take it from Dave Castro - he's a retired Navy SEAL that's been organizing the games since 2007, way back on his parents ranch in Aromas, California. Since those e...
Functional Medicine Nutritionist Rachel Scheer | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 154
September 17, 2023 22:30 - 1 hourChronic pain. Adrenal Fatigue. Veteran Care. When it comes to meeting the needs of the average American, western medicine has a lot to answer for. Doctors today are quick to prescribe an all-in-one solution, but does that really help? Rachel Scheer doesn't always think so. She's the Founder and CEO of Rachel Scheer Nutrition, host of the Scheer Madness podcast, and actually a returning guest on Mike Drop, from all the way back on Episode 49. So what's she been up to since she's been away? A...
Black Hawk Down Delta Force Operator Tom Satterly | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 153
September 10, 2023 22:30 - 2 hoursAs a senior non-commissioned officer of Delta Force, the most elite and secretive special operations unit in the U.S. military, Command Sergeant Major Tom Satterly fought some of this country's most fearsome enemies. Over the course of twenty years and thousands of missions, he's fought desperately for his life, rescued hostages, killed and captured terrorist leaders, and seen his friends maimed and killed around him. Since then, Tom's found an incredible partner in Jen Satterly, started a ...
MARSOC Raider Government Hacker Michael Bloch | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 152
September 03, 2023 22:45 - 3 hoursMARSOC. Intelligence Hacking. Dagger Ops. For Staff Sergeant Michael Bloch, doing rad stuff is all in a days work. And after 12 years of service to our country as a Marine Corps. Raider, Bloch's been busy - he's served as a combat instructor, deployed as a contractor, and even founded his own company, EBS Defense Consulting, along with Project Vetworx, a veteran nonprofit. It's a lot for any one person to handle, much less a vet suffering post-traumatic stress. Fortunately, the V.A. has optio...
Army Ranger K9 Police Officer Jon Lindsey Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 151
August 27, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourAfter only 18 months at Savannah PD, Officer Jon Lindsey made the jump to SWAT - partly due to his Army experiencing serving on The 75th Ranger Regiment, but mostly due to his outstanding work ethic and a natural knack for the job. Paired with K-9 Jas, the two got into their own fair share of scrapes and close calls, but nothing too serious. That is, until a race to a scene went all too wrong in July of 2021. Fortunately, when it comes to working dogs, Mike knows a thing or two about loss.---...
Army Ranger K9 Police Officer Jon Lindsey Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 150
August 20, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourOfficer Jon Lindsey is what you'd call a 'dog guy'. He's also a husband, a father, and a veteran - he served as a Multi-Purpose Canine Handler while a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. After the Army, he took up at the Savannah Police Academy in Georgia, where he trained police K9 prospects, until he officially joined the department in 2019. Since then, it's been a wild ride serving the good people of Savannah, but it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows. Let's meet the man. ----------Chap...
Air Force PJ Jason Sweet - Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 149
August 13, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourJason Sweet's darkest days seem to be behind him now, but last we heard he still had a ways to go. In his most dangerous engagement yet, Jason digs into Mission #0427 Alpha and his closest call in pararescue before stumbling into playing Division 1 Football at the University of Arizona (yes, really) and getting his start in training the next generation with SOCOM Athlete, an elite training group for aspiring SEALS and BUD/S participants. ----------Chapters:00:00 - Intro01:09 - Mission #0427 A...
Air Force PJ Jason Sweet - Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 148
August 06, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourJason Sweet isn't like other PJ's. As a members of Air Force Special Warfare, Pararescue Specialists (PJ's) are directly responsible for the rescue and medical treatment of downed military personnel all over the world. And saving lives is only a part of his service record - Jason also spent a spell in Afghanistan, roomed with his own father while he was at boot camp, and even played on special teams for University of Arizona Football.Nowadays he's running an elite Special Operations training ...
Navy SEAL Filmmaker Remi Adeleke | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 147
July 30, 2023 22:45 - 2 hoursRemi Adeleke has a lot on his plate. Between writing, directing, acting, producing, and even authoring his new book 'Chameleon: A Black Box Thriller', it's safe to say he's busier than ever, and that's in an industry that's not always easy to work in - film and television. He's also been on the show before - avid listeners might remember his appearance back on Episode 32 to talk about his military career as a SEAL, or when he came back again in Episode 59 to catch up and talk current events. ...
BORTAC Spec Ops Marine Erin 'Jammer' Switzer - Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 146
July 23, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourBORTAC: Border Patrol Tactical Unit. An elite arm of the United States Border Patrol, BORTAC works in conjunction with other law enforcement departments to stop criminals, catch smugglers, and protect the U.S. from dangers at home and away. Just take it from Erin 'Jammer' Switzer - he's been a part of BORTAC for years. And the border isn't the only place he's smashing heads - he's also appeared in Call of Duty and Amazon's 'The Terminal List' too. But what exactly does BORTAC do? How do they ...
BORTAC Spec Ops Marine Erin 'Jammer' Switzer - Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 145
July 16, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourCall of Duty. The Terminal List. In the entertainment world, Erin 'Jammer' Switzer is already a stud - and that's without mentioning his service record. Throughout his career, Erin spent 23 years in the special operations community after serving as a Reconnaissance Marine, where he worked alongside several K9 teams and developed a passion for working dogs. Eventually, he adopted Rex, who would eventually land roles Call of Duty, The Terminal List, and more, along with joining him in his work ...
Human Traffic SEAL Jeremy Mahugh | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 144
July 09, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourThe word 'Caim' is Gaelic for 'Protection'. It's at the center of everything Jeremy Mahugh's doing at Caim Technology, an organization dedicated to preventing fraud and human trafficking. And Jeremy's perfect for the job - as a retired Navy SEAL sniper with Spec Ops and Intelligence Community experience, he's seen firsthand just how terrible people can be.Since then, Jeremy's dedicated his career to fighting human trafficking with his team at Caim, and they're only just getting started. With ...
MARSOC SERE Instructor Christian Holloway - Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 143
July 02, 2023 22:45 - 2 hoursMARSOC - an elite component command of the United States Special Operations Command that comprises the Marine Corps' contribution to SOCOM. Just take it from Christian - he was one of the first Marines admitted into the Corps' elite program. Since his days in deployment, he's pivoted; a turn as a Texas State Trooper on Border Patrol and a police officer in Austin certainly don't hurt his already outstanding resume. But titles are more than just accolades - they're a sterling reminder of the g...
MARSOC SERE Instructor Christian Holloway - Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 142
June 25, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourChristian Holloway was just a mild mannered, all-American, belt-fed marine, right up until he found himself being deployed as infantry to the second battle of Fallujah. It was far from the only time he'd find himself in a tough spot - Christian's got more than one story of close calls, stray squirters, and unexploded rocket-propelled grenades courtesy of Saddam's best and brightest.Eventually his experiences led him to becoming one of the earliest members of MARSOC, the Marine Special Operati...
Ret. Army Ranger Police Officer Greg Anderson - Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 141
June 18, 2023 22:45 - 2 hoursLast week on the podcast, Mike talked to Greg Anderson about his background and military service - after a turn as an Army Ranger with 14 overseas deployments and some additional work in private contracting, Greg stepped into law enforcement as a U.S. Marshall, and later a Police Officer for the Port of Seattle in Washington. All of these moments are things that would define anybody else's biography - soldier, contractor, Marshall, officer, and even Jiu-Jitsu gym owner would all be enough for...
Ret. Army Ranger Police Officer Greg Anderson - Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 140
June 11, 2023 22:45 - 1 hour'No one is coming to save you.' It's not quite as dour as it sounds - to Greg Andseron, it's a phrase that he says all the time at his Electric North Jiu Jitsu Academy in Washington. It reminds him to chart his own course; that you yourself are truly the only person blazing the trail for your own life. And it's perfect for him too - not all that long ago Greg was an Army Ranger with 14 overseas deployments, with an added turn in private contracting and even a brief stint as a national U.S. Ma...
Ret. Green Beret Zach Garner - Part 2 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 139
June 04, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourZach Garner's career as a Green Beret was on thin ice. Following his first seizure, he quickly discovered that something deeper was beginning to rise to the surface - a cavalcade of medical maladies that nobody could've predicted. Fortunately, Zach's no quitter, so he shifted gears, transitioning seamlessly into contract work and participating in Iron Man marathons around the country.But sometimes there's more to life than simply being resilient, and some illnesses aren't so easily remedied -...
Ret. Green Beret Zach Garner - Part 1 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 138
May 28, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourResilience is a word that gets thrown around a lot when it comes to describing the warriors and veterans that fight for our freedom, but few embody the term moreso than Zach Garner. On the surface, he's a retired Green Beret from 7th Special Forces Group that completed multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. But a peek under the hood tells a different story - surgeries, seizures, multiple-month hospital stays, and even a brutal fight with an absolutely devastating flesh-eating bacteria ...
Heroes & Horses Ret. Navy SEAL Micah Fink - Part 2 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 137
May 21, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourKnow thyself - that's what Micah Fink says. And out on his Double-H Ranch deep in the backcountry of Montana, that's exactly what he's teaching combat veterans to do - providing a solution that doesn't include prescription medications or even traditional psychotherapy, but rather the opportunity to use tools to rediscover their own inner strength. But Micah didn't just up and decide to create an environment like this. It comes from a place deep within, tapped from a well of memories he'd much...
Heroes & Horses Ret. Navy SEAL Micah Fink - Part 1 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 136
May 14, 2023 22:45 - 2 hoursMicah Fink is on a mission - to un-program the programmed. Deep in the backcountry of Montana, out on the Double-H Ranch, that's exactly what's happening - every year, 32 male applicants are hand-picked from a pool of thousands to join Micah at Heroes & Horses to unpack the human mind; to uncover the true meaning behind this vast experience we all call life. Considering Micah's background as a 10 year Navy SEAL, it's probably fair to ask - what's it all mean? What's it all for? And how exactl...
Ret. Green Beret Storyteller Scott Mann - Part 2 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 135
May 07, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourOn Episode 134, Scott Mann talked about his humble beginnings - enlisting in the Army, working his way up to Special Ops, and discovering some of the most untold parts of the world in a way only a good soldier can. But Scott's leadership, and the struggles that came with it, were only small part of that story. In Part 2, Scott digs into the challenges that come with leading, and the often absurd political machinations that come with it, before diving into the aptly named Operation Pineapple E...
Ret. Green Beret Storyteller Scott Mann - Part 1 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 134
April 30, 2023 22:45 - 1 hourLt. Col. Scott Mann is a retired Green Beret with over twenty-two years of Army and Special Operations experience around the world. Over the course of his career he's deployed to Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He's also an award-winning author, speaker, CEO, playwright, and actor, and that's all when he's not being a loving father and husband. He's appeared on Fox News, CNN, and other national platforms as a thought leader on countering violent extremism, building organizatio...
Warzone Humanitarian Ret. Navy SEAL Ephraim Mattos | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 133
April 23, 2023 22:45 - 2 hoursVenezuela. Ukraine. Burma. Africa. A former Navy SEAL Sniper, Ephraim Mattos is the founder of Stronghold Rescue & Relief, a humanitarian aid organization dedicated to protecting families in conflict zones all over the world. Keen listeners of the show may recall that Ephraim's actually been in the studio before - way back on Episode 53, when he was just getting started and finding his way. Now, thanks to the support of listeners just like you, he and his colleagues are saving lives and chang...