Militaryfares.com President Scott Lara was working at the Kmart camera department when his supervisor asked him what he wanted to do with his life. Scott replied that he had no idea. His supervisor said “Well, join the Navy and see the world!” Scott DID enlist, serving from 1979 to 1988 as a radar man. Scott never traveled much as a young man but t…

The 299th Combat Engineer Battalion was the only combat engineer unit to land on both Omaha and Utah beaches during the D-Day invasion. Some of the engineers landed before any other allied soldiers set foot on the beaches earning them the nickname “First on Omaha”. Chief Warrant Officer James W. Tucker was among them. His daughter Jean joins us to …

“In Strange Company” author Ronald Tiso, Jr. highlights the role played by allied partners in Iraq. Iraq is often thought of as “America’s longest war”, but troops from dozens of other countries made up the coalition forces. Colonel Tiso served as a war planner at US Central Command, and as Senior Military Advisor of the Arab Peninsula Shield Force…

“Rough men” is a phrase used to describe the brave warriors who volunteer to stand the watch and do what is necessary to protect our nation, freedoms and families. It is drawn from the quote “People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” Sergeant Major Charles Ritter certainly qua…

Jeff Nelligan is an Army Veteran that is recognized as one of the foremost commentators in the world of American Parenting. His book “Four Lessons from My Three Sons; How You Can Raise Resilient Kids” spent four months on the Amazon Parenting Best Seller’s List. His works have also been cited in numerous parenting magazines. In addition to his Army…

Code Name Nemo was the name eventually given to one of the most daring and audacious missions of World War II – the effort to capture a German submarine intact. Charles Lachman joins us to share this fascinating and still little known story. The capture of U-505 was the first time since the War of 1812 that an enemy vessel was boarded and captured.…

Alex Kershaw is one of the foremost authors writing on World War II subject matter, having written multiple best sellers. He was born in York, England and taught history before becoming a journalist. He has written for various publications including the Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Sunday Times and the New York Times. His 2002 book “The B…

Belleau Wood is the site of one of the most storied battles in US Marine Corps lore. Marine Veteran Jason Angell gathered up his family and made a “pilgrimage” to this famous World War I battlefield. His experience is recounted in the Havok Journal article “A Pilgrimage to Belleau Wood”. Jason is a ten year Marine Corps Veteran with three deploymen…

The Hazard Ground podcast was created by Mark Zinno to allow members of our military to share their stories of combat & survival and deliver inspirational stories about resilience. Mark was studying communications at Loyola University and joined the ROTC to help pay for his tuition. His original intent was to simply complete his four year commitmen…

Fueled by the Fallen founder Kevyn Major Howard never served in the military. He has 31 film and television acting credits and is perhaps most recognized for his role as combat photographer “Rafterman” in the iconic Stanley Kubrick Vietnam war film “Full Metal Jacket”. We spend some time discussing the films production and the experience of working…

“Chamber Divers”, a new book by Rachel Lance, uses recently declassified documents to recount the story of a somewhat ragtag group of scientist who forever changed special operations. Lance is a biological engineer and blast injury specialist who works as a researcher on military diving projects. She spent several years working with the US Navy bui…

Air America pilot Neil Graham Hansen’s livelihood began in a manner that might portend what the rest of his career would be like. At age 23 he was the a private pilot for Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. When I became apparent that Hoffa would be taking a “Federal Vacation”, Neil began looking for a new job. He responded to a newspaper ad seeking pilots…

“Bobbie the Weather Girl” may have been the most popular celebrity of the Vietnam War, eclipsing even Adrian Cronauer of “Good Morning Vietnam” fame. Her real name is Barbara Keith. Barbara grew up a military “brat”. Her father served in WWII, Korea & Vietnam and her mother was a Navy Nurse during WWII. She believes that “If you don’t do something …

Al “Hollywood” Billings developed a reputation as a Maverick while flying for the Sea Wolves. The Sea Wolves (Helicopter Attack Squadron Light 3) were formed specifically to support Navy Special Warfare and Mobile Riverine Forces during the Vietnam War. They would become the most decorated Navy squadron of the war. We talk to Billings as part of ou…

Sam Mackey admits he isn’t always the smartest or strongest guy in the room but he puts in the work. His philosophy is “To find something that I can do better than everybody else and take enough responsibility where I can’t be replaced and do it the best that I can.” Mackey served 20 years in the military including time with the elite Navy SEALs. H…

“Homefront Stories” is a collection of fictional short stories written by Victoria Kelly inspired by her life as a military spouse. Her 2015 work, “When Men Go Off to War” is a collection of poems written while her husband was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and captures the hopes, anxieties and intimacies of the military spouse during times of wa…

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has the principle responsibility to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and our nation. It was created in January of 2015 by merging the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command along with several functions of the Air Fo…

Stephen Paul Campos surmised it would be better to volunteer and choose his military specialty rather than be drafted during the Vietnam War. The recruiter asked what he wanted to do and Campos replied “I don’t know what I WANT to do but I know I DON’T want to be infantry.” Based upon his intake evaluations the recruiter told him he could be sent t…

“Service to CEO” podcast creator Kristen Costlow left a promising military career to pursue her dream. She served as an air traffic controller in the Navy and was rising fast in rank. She soon found herself supervising sailors 10 years her senior. The day after she notified her supervisor of her plans to leave the military, she was promoted to Chie…

Blackwater Security Company developed quite a reputation. Morgan Lerette was a contractor with Blackwater in Iraq for 18 months from 2004-2005. His sometimes funny, sometimes tragic experience is documented in his book “Guns, Girls & Greed: I was a Blackwater Mercenary in Iraq” Morgan joined the Air National Guard right out of high school in order …

Our first check in of 2024 with Havok Journal owner Charles Faint. Charles is a retired Army Intelligence officer with seven tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. We begin by discussing the latest on the Israel/Gaza conflict. Charles expects Iran to continue supporting terrorist proxies but will avoid a direct confrontation with the US. His ration…

“Damn the Valley” was written by Will Yeske and describes his deployment to the Arghandab River Valley in Afghanistan. The valley has seen its share of conflict. From Alexander the Great up to the Russians – and now Americans. To US troops it became known as “the meat grinder”. Will was posted there with Bravo Company of the 508th Parachute Infantr…

Jana Monroe wanted to be a law enforcement officer ever since she was 13. She would go on to become the first woman to join the FBI’s elite Behavioral Science Unit. She says her motivation is the fact that she loves the freedoms granted by our country and she hates bullies. Jana began her law enforcement work as a probation officer and then joined …

“Dead Man’s Hand” is Brad Taylor’s 18th installment in the Pike Logan series. Brad served more than 21 years in our nation’s military, 8 years as a member of the elite 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta, more commonly known at Delta Force. He holds a Master’s of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, with a c…

The Warrior Surf Foundation uses the calming and spiritually regenerative power of the ocean to help Veteran families deal with the difficult transition to civilian life. The organization was established on Folly Beach, South Carolina in 2015. The Foundation addresses post service transition challenges like PTSD, moral injury, survivor’s guilt and …

Jim Lopez flew an amazing one thousand combat missions. For perspective, World War II bomber crews were required to fly 25-35 missions before they rotated out. Even in today’s high paced combat, the 1,000 mission threshold is still rather rare. Jim joins us as part of our educational partnership with the Distinguished Flying Cross Society. Jim and …

Joe Lowrey was deployed with the 7th Special Forces Group in Afghanistan. In July of 2014 an enemy machine gun round pierced the front of his helmet, traveled across the top of his skull and exited the back of his head. He was given an 11% chance of survival and his Green Beret teammates gathered by his bedside while Joe was administered the Last R…

“Hot Mics and TV Lights: The Armed Forces Vietnam Network” is the latest work from Marc Yablonka. The book provides the first person perspective of thirty seven individuals who served with the Armed Forces Vietnam Network (AFVN).The AFVN was the military broadcast network that served American service personnel during the Vietnam War. Navy Chief Pet…

Holiday separations are an unfortunate but necessary part of military service. As civilians we should recognize that the reason we are able to spend our holiday peacefully and safely with friends and family is because members of our military and first responder communities have volunteered to be apart from theirs. This burden is particularly heavy …

Green Beret Foundation Director of Programs and Services Anna Richardson joins us for an update on their programs. The mission of the Green Beret Foundation is to provide Special Forces soldiers and their families with emergency, immediate and ongoing support. Since inception, the GBF has provided support for over 14,000 families. For Anna, her wor…

Rick Kaiser always had a fascination with the sea, so at the age of 17 he visited the Navy recruiter with the intention of joining the submarine service. However, while sitting in the office, he picked up a pamphlet about the SEALs and decided that was the course he would rather follow. Rick would go on to serve with both SEAL Team 2 and SEAL Team …

Wreaths Across America plans to lay more than three million fresh wreaths at the graves of Veterans in more than 4,000 locations this year. Co-Founder and Executive Director Karen Worcester joins us to explain more about the organization and their initiatives. This year’s event will take place December 16. Karen’s husband Morill visited Arlington N…

Electronic Combat crew member Alex Underwood has several achievements during his Air Force career, including being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. We talk with Alex as part of our educational partnership with the Distinguished Flying Cross Society. The mission of the Distinguished Flying Cross Society is to honor, preserve and teach the leg…

Havok Journal owner Charles Faint joins us for another update from my favorite website for all things military and first responders. Charles served 27 years in the Army, including seven combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan attached to various special operations units. We being with the article “Give Your Flowers to the Living”. The crux of the arti…

USAA recently conducted a poll of Veterans, active duty personnel and the general population. The survey centered on the topic of Veterans Day. The results were surprising. John Bird, USAA’s Senior Vice President of Military Affairs joins us to share more. Some of the results were disturbing; 28% of the civilian respondents didn’t know or were unsu…

Brandon Caserta always dreamed of being a Navy SEAL. He was well on his way when a series of tragic events led to him taking his own life. As a legacy to his memory, his parents fought for new rules that will help other military members who are struggling. By all accounts, Brandon was a happy go lucky young man and always ready to help others. Patr…

Joe “Peppy” Sciarra was 16 years old when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He was drafted into the Army the day after he graduated high school. He had planned on enlisting anyway. Sciarra was assigned to an 81 mm mortar squad of the 25th infantry division under General MacArthur. After 9 months training in New Caledonia and a stop for supplies on …

Bob Willis may not be a Veteran but his heart beats passionately for those who have served. He has organized ten living history events that allow Veterans to share first hand stories with the rest of us. The whole endeavor began when Bob and his boys watched the “Band of Brothers” series. His boys asked if it would be possible to meet some of the s…

Veteran Powered Films was the brainchild of accomplished actress and Navy Reservist Julia Ling. Julia has starred in over twenty independent films and is best known for her roles in the NBC series “Chuck”, “E.R.”, “Grey’s Anatomy” and “House”. The mission of Veteran Powered Films is to empower Veterans and service members to create and tell their s…

When Andra Kniep entered the US Air Force Academy, women were prohibited from flying in combat. Two months before she graduated, the rules were changed and she became the third woman assigned to fly the A-10 attack fighter. Andra was awarded two Distinguished Flying Cross medals on two consecutive days and joins us as part of our partnership with t…

Wingmen are an aviation term used to describe a pilot who is positioned behind and outside a leader in a formation, allowing them to watch for threats to the primary aircraft. It can also refer to a person who helps, guides or supports another. Adam Lazarus’ new release “The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship between John Glenn …

“The Pledge to America” author Drago Dzieran grew up under the oppressive socialist/communist government in Poland. The book describes his journey from political prisoner to a Navy SEAL. Drago says that “The Pledge to America” was not intended to be a “SEAL book”. Rather, his reasoning for writing the book was to provide a lens for fellow Americans…

SecureIt Founder and CEO Tom Kubiniec had planned to be a rock star – literally. He started playing guitar at 12 and was performing regularly in local nightclubs by the age of 16. He moved to Hollywood to pursue a music career. Guitar Player Magazine has just done a feature article on Tom when he developed tendonitis, ending his guitar career. He t…

Artificial Intelligence and the impact it is having on modern combat is the subject of a fascinating new book by Paul Scharre titled “Four Battlegrounds; Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. In his book, Scharre argues that four key elements will define this struggle: data, computing power, talent & institutions. Scharre is a former Army Ra…

Vinnie Montez knew he wanted to be a law enforcement officer from a young age. He grew up watching the Ponch and John characters on the CHIPs TV show and loved the way they were pictured interacting with the public in a respectful way. Vinnie joined the law enforcement cadets program as soon as he could and became a deputy in 1998. He has now serve…

Silencer Central owner and CEO Brandon Maddox joins us to address the most common misconceptions about weapon suppressors. He is a nationally recognized thought leader on Class-3 Firearms. Brandon began his professional career as a pharmacist. A marriage moved him from the Southeastern US to South Dakota and he soon found himself hunting varmints. …

Historical Officer Joe Winslow served 21 years in the US Marine Corps. Part of his duties included a posting in the Marine Corps History Division. The mission of an artifact and historical officer is to accompany assault units in combat zones and record what they are doing. This includes recording first person oral histories and gathering relevant …

ZeroEyes CEO and Co-Founder Mike Lahiff joins us to share the story behind their Artificial Intelligence technology for detecting weapons. ZeroEyes is the only AI-based gun detection analytics platform with a Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation. They have contracts with schools, military bases and both government and private sect…

The Hunter Elite; Inside America’s Secret Force Against Terror by Leon Wagener describes the transition of the Secret Service from being a strictly defensive organization to a proactive one. One could be fooled into thinking the book is a work of thriller fiction but it describes real people and situations. Leon says that getting inside the Secret …

Special Forces Veteran Rick Lamb is somewhat of a legend in the community. He has led soldiers in operations spanning across 49 countries and 5 continents. He was involved in almost every major battle from Operation Eagle Claw to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Rick is a member of the SOCOM Commando Hall of Honor, the Ranger Hall of Fame and was 2015 reci…