Podcast
Mike Drop
Hosted by Mike Ritland · EN
Mike Drop, hosted by former Navy SEAL and bestselling author Mike Ritland, is a no-holds-barred platform that dives deep into the stories and experiences of extraordinary individuals. Known for his candid and unfiltered approach, Mike interviews guests ranging from special operations veterans and elite athletes to renowned authors and thought leaders, offering listeners a exclusive glimpse into the human side of those who have excelled in their fields. Whether it's discussing the intense challenges of combat or the resilience required to overcome personal adversity, Mike Drop provides a space where real conversations happen.
119episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From Ship Boardings to the Senate Floor: Adam Schwarze on Iran, COVID, and Running for Office | Ep. 291 | Pt. 2
May 1401:05:45Tap to summarizeAdam Schwarze—Marine infantryman turned Navy SEAL officer, Harvard-educated warrior-scholar, and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Minnesota—sits down with Mike for part two of a raw, unfiltered conversation. From completing BUD/S as a seasoned combat veteran to conducting 75–100 real-world ship boardings in the Middle East, Adam's operational resume is as uncommon as his path to politics. The conversation cuts through the noise on Iran, the lessons learned from splitting forces across Iraq and Afghanistan. Adam also breaks down the ground-level mechanics of running a grassroots Senate campaign in one of the few states where money and name recognition don't automatically win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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WAR With Iran Would Be a DISASTER... And Nobody Wants to Admit It | Ep. 291 | Pt. 1
May 1201:01:30Tap to summarizeAdam Schwarze enlisted in the Marines three weeks after watching the Twin Towers fall live from his senior year English class and never really stopped fighting. Nine deployments, 70 plus countries, classified undersea SEAL operations, and now a grassroots Senate run in Minnesota with no establishment backing. This one gets into all of it, the rocket shots in Iraq, the brother who died in his arms, what it actually took to cross from Marine infantryman to SEAL officer, and why he believes boots on the ground in Iran could turn into another Middle East disaster. The conversation gets brutally honest about what veterans understand about Iran that politicians don’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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We Suck at Combatives: How One SEAL Chief Rebuilt the Teams' Fighting Program | Ep. 290 | Pt. 3
May 800:51:43Tap to summarizeRandy Rozzell returns to close out his conversation with Mike Ritland, pulling back the curtain on what it took to rebuild Naval Special Warfare's combatives program from the ground up. From hand-to-hand fights for his life on deployment to standing in front of admirals and master chiefs and admitting the Teams sucked at close-quarters combat, Randy held nothing back. He also opens up about life after the Teams — navigating the Covid fallout inside San Diego Fire, his journey to black belt, moving to Texas, and why he finally wrote the book he never thought he'd write. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Was It Worth It? A SEAL's Honest Reckoning With Combat, Sacrifice, and Afghanistan | Ep. 290 | Pt. 2
May 700:57:10Tap to summarizeRandy Rozzell—retired Navy SEAL, 22-year veteran, and former Chief of Naval Special Warfare Combatives—goes deep on the missions that defined his career. From a grueling five-day firefight in Marjah to covert operations he still can't fully detail, Randy pulls back the curtain on what it truly means to serve at the tip of the spear. He also wrestles with the harder questions: the cost of war, the weight of leaving Afghanistan the way we did, and whether it was all worth it. Raw, honest, and unapologetic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Survived Hell Week 4 Times & Built the Combatives Program That Changed NSW Forever | Ep. 290 | Pt. 1
May 500:59:04Tap to summarizeRandy Rozzell is a retired SEAL Chief with 22 years in the teams, multiple combat deployments with Team Seven, the guy who rewrote how Naval Special Warfare teaches hand-to-hand combat. A small-town Texas kid who ran away from home at 14, fought his way into and out of BUD/S more times than most guys even attempt it, then went on to build one of the most operationally relevant combatives programs in special operations history — Randy's story is one of the most raw, honest, and flat-out relentless journeys I've had the privilege of putting on this show. This one's worth every minute. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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SOG One-Zero School, Post-War Reflections & Views on Vietnam, Iran & Modern Conflicts | Ep. 289 | Pt. 3
May 101:43:36Tap to summarizeMACV-SOG operator Travis Mills continues sharing his extraordinary journey. He discusses running the One-Zero School at Long Thanh to train new SOG team leaders, the profound sense of purpose that emerged from surviving the FOB 4 sapper attack, his transition out of the Army, and decades of post-service work—and shares his straightforward views on current threats like Iran, nuclear proliferation, and the need for clear military objectives backed by decisive action. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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MAC-V SOG in Vietnam: Silent Movement, Supply Route Ambushes, and the Night FOB 4 Was Overrun | Ep. 289 | Pt. 2
Apr 3001:38:03Tap to summarizeVietnam War veteran and former MACV-SOG operator Travis Mills shares raw, firsthand accounts from his time with the elite Studies and Observations Group. He details the extreme challenges of small-team reconnaissance insertions deep into enemy territory, the silent movement techniques essential for survival against overwhelming odds, high-risk missions blocking North Vietnamese supply routes, a harrowing first recon extraction under fire using McGuire rigs, and his intense personal experience surviving the devastating sapper attack on FOB 4 at Marble Mountain on August 23, 1968. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Inside MAC-V SOG: The Green Beret Who Ran the Most Classified Missions of the Vietnam War | Ep. 289 | Pt. 1
Apr 2801:48:32Tap to summarizeMy guest today is a man who existed in the shadows of one of the most classified units in American military history — a Vietnam-era Green Beret named Travis Mills who helped build the legendary MACV-SOG one-zero school, ran recon deep into Laos when we "weren't there," got shot multiple times during one of the deadliest single-night attacks ever to hit Army Special Forces, and lived to sit across from me and tell the whole story. This is the kind of conversation that reminds you what the word "operator" actually means before it became a hashtag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Rowing the Pacific: 60 Days at Sea, Endurance & Ocean Expedition | Ep. 288 | Pt. 3
Apr 2401:07:51Tap to summarizeIn the final part of Episode 288 on the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland continues his conversation with retired Army Ranger and jiu-jitsu academy owner Greg Anderson. They dive into Greg’s upcoming 3,100-mile unsupported ocean rowing expedition from Washington to Maui, including boat logistics, team dynamics, extreme endurance challenges, and the personal drive behind pushing human limits. The discussion also covers his book Courage Through Adversity, lessons on leadership, ownership, and becoming a better man, plus reflections on writing, self-publishing, and inspiring the next generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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America First Foreign Policy: Isolationism, Israel, Iran & Endless Wars | Ep. 288 | Pt. 2
Apr 2301:09:00Tap to summarizeIn part 2 of Episode 288 on the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland sits down with retired Army Ranger Greg Anderson. They discuss America First foreign policy, skepticism toward endless wars and foreign aid, reflections on World War II and government trust, and when (if ever) the U.S. should get involved overseas. The conversation then turns to Greg’s work building community through jiu-jitsu, the five-day dry fast he completed, and his upcoming 3,100-mile Pacific rowing expedition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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