Hazard Ground

This week…Marine and bestselling author of “Echo in Ramadi,” Scott Huesing returns! Scott was first on the show before “Echo in Ramadi” was released (Ep. 50), and now he returns to pick up where he left off. This episode focuses on the human condition and the idea of human connection through war and the bonds of the military. It’s really what the book “Echo in Ramadi” is all about – the immeasurable strength of the human spirit! Check it out! www.echoinramadi.com | www.savethebrave.org | “Echo in Ramadi: The Firsthand Story of US Marines in Iraq’s Deadliest City” Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors! Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes!

What lengths would you go to, to change the world…to inspire others to change the world? Alex Evans, along with three other military veterans, is rowing a boat across the Atlantic Ocean to do just that. He’s part of the 1st all-American Military veteran team – aptly titled “Fight Oar Die” – that will race across the Atlantic Ocean in December 2018, in the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge – a race that has challenged individuals and teams from around the world for years. Their goal is to increase “awareness of and support for the cognitive, behavioral, and physical health of U.S. Military/Veteran personnel” and inspire them and others to live their best life. In this episode, we sit down with Team Skipper Alex Evans and team psychologist and Iraq veteran, Dr. Jacob Hyde, who will be monitoring the team throughout the race to better understand the effects of mental trauma and extreme duress on the human body. Hear firsthand how this seemingly crazy idea came to fruition, and where it will take the Fight Oar

It’s hard to put into words the magnitude of Joe Getherall’s service to country from the time he enlisted in the Marine Corps to his retirement as a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department.  One thing is certain though, he embodies the qualities that every great leader should and needs to possess: selfless service, humility, mental-toughness, and courage under fire. He displayed those attributes during his three tours in Vietnam. Known as the “Iceman,” he was wounded three times during the war, and was eventually awarded the Silver Star for his actions in combat. That award is now under review for upgrade to the Medal of Honor under Bill H.R. 974, sponsored by Congresswoman Napolitano and endorsed by Senator McCain, for Joe’s heroic actions in Quang Tri Province on December 22, 1966. Hear Joe’s description of the battle and what led him to return to Vietnam so many times in spite of the constant bloodshed, on this very special and inspirational episode of HAZARD GROUND! Support the podcast by support

Thinking he would go to college & follow a much different path, Alex Juedes ended up “dropping out” to follow in his father’s footsteps & become a Marine. He loved being a Marine in fact. But, on January 25, 2014, Alex Juedes was manning an MRAP gun turret in Afghanistan when an RPG slammed into the feed tray of his machine gun. Immediately, his right hand was gone and he was bleeding from shrapnel piercing his femoral artery. Alex made it out of Afghanistan alive though, but would never return to the Marine Corps as a rifleman. If he had to do it all over again, he says he would head right back to Afghanistan to fight as an infantry Marine. He speaks humbly of his injuries & what he endured half a world away & back at home. But deep within is a warrior spirit that truly shines through in this episode. He is now helping others exponentially & giving back to those who followed a similar path, returning from combat never to be the same as when they left, through his non-profit, Purple Heart Cruise. This is a sp

If you’ve ever wondered what the power of the mind looks like, and you’re also looking for some inspiration, then this is the episode for you! John Timar is a former Navy SEAL, who is now the Chief Sales Officer for Kill Cliff, a leading clean hydration and sports nutrition brand for elite athletes. John is also a successful, long-time entrepreneur. As a young man he set his sights on becoming a Navy SEAL despite the many naysayers along the way. In this episode John takes us through the long, grueling journey to become a Navy SEAL, what life was like in the SEAL teams in the ‘90s, and what led him to become a successful entrepreneur. So, if you’re looking for a shot of motivation, or just want to learn how to become a badass in the business world, then check out this latest episode of HAZARD GROUND! www.killcliff.com This week’s episode is brought to you by all of our sponsors: PATAGONIA, FIVE TEN/ADIDAS, HYDRO FLASK, ONNIT, MOOSEJAW, MOUNTAIN GEAR, & UNCHARTED SUPPLY CO. Go to www.hazardground/sponsors an

This week we step off the beaten path and cover an oft-forgotten operation, and the stellar career in special operations of Steve Dawson. Steve spent 25 years in the Army – most of those with Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Special Forces. He spent the better part of his career as an operator with Delta Force. He also took part in the rescue operation of Kurt Muse, an American civilian living in Panama and held captive during Noriega’s rule in Panama in the late ’80s, also known as Operation Acid Gambit. Acid Gambit is considered one of the most daring hostage rescues ever attempted. In this episode Steve gives a firsthand account of the successful rescue operation, along with some lighter moments as a Delta operator going through the Special Forces Q Course. Hear all about it this week on HAZARD GROUND! This week’s episode is brought to you by all of our sponsors: PATAGONIA, FIVE TEN/ADIDAS, HYDRO FLASK, ONNIT, MOOSEJAW, MOUNTAIN GEAR, & UNCHARTED SUPPLY CO. Go to www.hazardground/sponsors and check ’

On April 11, 2011 former Marine, Brian Aft stepped on an IED in Kajaki, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, while on a routine foot patrol. The blast ended up taking both of his legs, and ultimately leading him down a very dark path. He turned to hardcore drugs to numb the pain, and simply get through every day life as a double amputee. Then one day he was approached by former NFL linebacker, David Vobora in a parking lot. Vobora approached Brian with such enthusiasm that Aft thought the giant former pro football player was going to mug him. It turns out, Vobora simply wanted to know what happened to Aft, and if Brian was interested in joining his gym, the Adaptive Training Foundation, as a means of recovering physically, mentally, and from drug addiction. Hear about Brian Aft’s unlikely road to recovery with the help of a former NFLer, on this special episode of HAZARD GROUND! www.adaptivetrainingfoundation.org | www.highfivesfoundation.org This week’s episode is brought to you by all of our sponsors: PATAGONIA, 

Ryan Hepworth worked on some of the most intense trauma cases as an Army nurse. He knew he was going to experience those situations when he volunteered to work in combat trauma. A decision he says was based on a willingness to "know" the patients he was working on. Working in the combat hospital in Afghanistan brought him face-to-face with the worst that humans can do to one another in war. So much so that every time Ryan talks about his experiences in Afghanistan, his words take him back to the moments, the intensity, the smells when so many heavily injured servicemembers were brought to him for urgent, lifesaving care. And it also stirs up memories of those he couldn't save. Talking about it is the therapy that helps him with PTSD, a direct result of his time spent in Afghanistan. This is an emotional episode, but one that is intended to help us all better understand the dark effects that war has on those who've experienced it, and what's needed to keep that darkness from taking one more life. www.shadowwar

Richard Prince fought in one of the most horrific battles of Vietnam, and one that often gets overlooked. The battle for Hue City during the Tet Offensive of 1968 was an all-out grudge match & street fight that lasted for several weeks. Prince found himself fighting in one of the most hellish engagements of the battle, below the Dong Ba Tower at the city’s imperial Citadel, where many Marines perished. During the fight, Prince was shot through the neck by a sniper, permanently damaging his vocal chords. Fortunately, Prince made it out of the Citadel, and the battle, alive. Fifty years later, Richard Prince returned to the reconstructed Dong Ba Tower in Hue City, with The Greatest Generations Foundation, a nonprofit that provides free visits to battlefields where Vietnam and World War II veterans served. Hear about Prince’s fight to survive and save other Marines, and his bittersweet return to the place that had once been hell on earth for him & so many others, on this episode of HAZARD GROUND! This week’s epi

This week we return with another episode with the living legend, Mike Vining. Mike has taken part in so many unique missions as an Operator and EOD Technician. And we cover a handful of those in this week’s episode. From Vietnam to Presidential elections, to prison riots, to the bombing of Khobar Towers, Mike Vining brings you firsthand accounts of rare special missions, and some pretty intense moments on the ground and in the air. Check it out, on this Part II episode with Mike Vining! Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors! Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes!

This week’s episode is a little less about combat engagements, and more about another deadly threat amongst veterans: suicide. Master Sgt. Orlando Reyes served in three combat deployments to Iraq, but never faced a greater enemy than the one within. The stress from those deployments, the PTSD, and the failed relationships that resulted, drove Reyes to attempt to take his own life. Luckily for him, and others, he wasn’t successful, and because of that, he’s vowed to help save others from suicide. He has since become a top suicide prevention trainer for the Marine Corps, and was even named Marine Corps Times’ 2014 Marine of the Year. Once a Marine who worked tirelessly on the battlefield to keep Marines alive, now Reyes works to save the lives of those Marines who have left it! Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors! Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes!

Wanting to do more for his country and serve in a time of war, Ben Kesling joined the Marine Corps to become an officer at the start of the Global War on Terror. As most conflicts do, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan changed him. But not in a way where he wanted to bury their memory, but more along the lines of understanding them and what effects they have on not just veterans coming home from war, but also those whose soil has been occupied. So, following his time in the Marine Corps, he went back to school to become a journalist, in hopes of putting his experience in war to good use in conveying the seemingly never ending conflict to those who had never been. He now reports for The Wall Street Journal, and spends a good portion of his time focusing on veterans affairs. He’s a unique individual with a rare perspective on two wars that have affected so many people, and he shares that perspective on today’s episode of HAZARD GROUND! Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsor

We’re back from a short hiatus, with an incredible guest! Retired Air Force Colonel Tommy Goode has led an unconventional career as an Air Force helo pilot. From the story behind how he made it into the flight program, to flying the rescue/recovery mission after the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, to now flying fire attack helicopters…Tommy Goode is no ordinary pilot. He’s about as humble as they come, but when you hear him talk about his time in the air, you know he’s the real deal! Check out the complete story this week on HAZARD GROUND! Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors! Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on iTunes!

He completed five combat deployments between Iraq and Afghanistan as both an infantry Marine and Marine Special Operator. He has been awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for Valor for actions on the battlefield during those deployments. He has seen the hellish, unlucky, and simply chaotic side of war, and lived to tell about it. After eight years of service, he left the Marine Corps to become a writer. Now Elliot Ackerman is an accomplished author, who has plenty of life experience to keep the pen on paper for years and years to come. And out of all of the living that he has done, and accolades earned, he approaches life with a humility unexpected from someone so accomplished. And that’s what makes his story a must-listen. Hear all about it on this episode of HAZARD GROUND! “Dark at the Crossing” | “Green on Blue: A Novel” This week’s episode is brought to you by our newest sponsor, Onnit! Looking for Total Human Optimization? Head over to www.hazardground.com/sponsors, and click on the Onnit banner and c

Facing a draft notice and challenged by his Marine father to prove his mettle, Jim Hackett signed up for the Marine Corps in 1967. The war in Vietnam was heating up considerably in the late '60s, and Jim Hackett the Marine - and a crack shot at that - was heading right for the meat grinder. Except a funny thing happened at boot camp graduation: Hackett wasn't immediately sent to the infantry. Instead, as a top graduate of his class, he was sent off to "Secret School" to learn how to track the enemy on the battlefield, at close range no less. By the time Jim made it to Vietnam, the war was quickly headed toward the height of chaos. Two Purple Hearts and a full enlistment in the Marine Corps later, Jim Hackett left the military to take on other pursuits. He bounced back from his combat experiences to become a working actor, and live an incredibly interesting life after the war. Hear all about it on this episode of HAZARD GROUND! The Greatest Generations Foundation This week's episode is brought to you by our ne

This week, in honor of Mother's Day, we have a very special guest. Dianne Layfield is the proud mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Travis J. Layfield, who was killed in action on April 6, 2004 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dianne was gracious enough to sit down with us and share Travis' story, as well as talk about her journey coping with his passing, and experiencing some unexpected and amazing discoveries that followed. Parent or not, this is one episode everyone can take a little something from. Dianne has done an incredible job keeping her son's memory alive, and we are absolutely honored to have her as our guest on this week's episode of HAZARD GROUND! This week's episode is brought to you by our newest sponsor, Patagonia clothing and gear! Whether you're into fishing, hiking, climbing, surfing, or just need a good rain jacket, backpack, or travel gear, find the sustainable and ironclad solution at Patagonia. Backed by their Ironclad Guarantee, you will not be disappointed with their products and customer ser

What an absolutely amazing story! Driven by a keen interest in medicine & a desire to give back to his country, Karl Holt joined the Army to become a Green Beret medic. After several years of assessment, selection, & special forces training, Holt found himself in the heat of combat, putting his SF medic training to use. On one particular mission though, while trying to escape an overwhelming counterattack, the helicopter Holt was riding in crashed & literally fell out of the sky into a 2-story building. There were few survivors. Badly injured, Holt managed to escape the wreckage with the help of his friend & fellow SF teammate. Following recovery & many, many surgeries, he decided to pursue his Medical Degree, so he could continue to serve & help others as a physician. With the help of the Pat Tillman Foundation, through which Holt is a Tillman Scholar, he is on his way to completing medical school at UNC-Chapel Hill. If you’re looking for motivation…inspiration, you’re certain to find it in this unbelievable

This episode with JC Glick could have gone on for hours…That’s how good conversations with JC, especially those about leadership, can be. JC went from battle tested Army Ranger, serving over 11 combat tours between Iraq & Afghanistan, to leadership consultant, couch & author. He’s been tested in just about every way imaginable, from making it through a difficult childhood to leading special operations soldiers at some of the highest levels in the US military in combat. And what came out of that cauldron is one of the finest leaders you’ll ever meet. JC Glick now works as a leadership consultant who advises at the strategic, operational, team, and individual levels, including at Fortune 500 companies & for the Denver Broncos & Carolina Panthers of the NFL. Hear how he went from combat Ranger, to struggling with PTSD and suicide, to arguably one of the greatest modern day thought leaders on education, development & resilience on this cerebral & very inspirational episode of HAZARD GROUND! www.kenningassociates.

A combination of factors led Lewis Nelson to enlist in the Army after college – 9/11; a family history of military service; and a history degree with a job that was going nowhere. So Nelson enlisted to become a linguist, and after several years of specialized training found himself in Iraq on two separate deployments with the 101st Airborne Division. While deployed, Nelson ran the gamut of combat occupations, from intelligence collection, to running convoys, to helping combat arms soldiers clear houses. All of it seemed pretty natural and exciting to someone who lives life on the heels of the next adventure. But the return home & reintegration with normal life is where the adventure of war caught up with Nelson. He found himself battling a new enemy – PTSD. Hear his story & how he worked through those struggles on this very enlightening episode of HAZARD GROUND! www.wanderingveteran.com | “Life After Loyalty” Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors! Help grow the show!

Matt Gallagher thought he was just keeping a regular blog of his time spent in a war zone as a way to chronicle daily life as a Platoon Leader during the Iraq War in 2007-08. Little did he know that his blog, aptly titled, “Kaboom” was a much bigger hit on the internet than he thought. His chain of command was even okay with it, until, as Matt puts it, “they weren’t.” And soon the US Army was shutting the young officer’s blog down. But, with the internet being the internet, Matt’s war journal & war memoir-in-the-making never left the internet (you can still find it online today). And what “Kaboom” did was help Gallagher organize his thoughts about the war, provide levity to the daily grind & sludge factory that war often becomes, & help shape an author-in-the-making. Matt Gallagher is now out of the army & is an accomplished author. His work has appeared in “The New York Times,” “The Atlantic,” “The Paris Review Daily” & “Wired,” as well as other publications. Hear how he went from “Kaboom” to novelist on thi