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This is an iHeart podcast. The US electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com I'm here with Spinquest where you can play and win from the comfort of your own home with hundreds of slot games and all of the table games you love with real cash prizes. Right now, $30 coin packs are on sale for $10 for new users. It's all@spinquest.com that's S P I N Q. Spinquest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spendquest.com for more details. Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and The News Agents USA listening to the News Agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now I don't know if you've heard but Mint's Premium Wireless is $15 a month. But I'd like to offer one other perk. We have no stores. That means no small talk. Crazy weather we're having. No it's not. It's just weather. It is an introvert's dream. Give it a try@minmobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan, $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See mint mobile.com we don't give a damn about fashion trends. We are public rec and our whole brand was built as a cheat code for guys who want to look good and feel even better in lightweight, breathable classics made to wear all day any day, especially in the fall. And right now you can get 30% off every single thing we sell during our friends and family sale. 40% off. Sign up for email shop comfortable classics, no bs@publicwreck.com radio bu never change. Welcome back to Marine 250 from sea to Shore right here on Real America's Voice. All right. Welcome back to Real America's Voice. Thank you to Stephen K. Bannon handing it off to us. A lot going on today. Moms for Liberty is holding a huge event in Florida. Bo is there for us in California. We've got Ben. It's Ben and Bo. We got it all lined up for you here today. We've got some great coverage here for you today. Ben Berkwam is at Camp Pendleton. Bo is there at the Moms for Liberty event in Florida. That is so we're excited to bring you all this great coverage. Who do you want me to go to first? Let's start with Ben Berkwam. All right. All right, Ben Berkwam. That's where we're gonna go. We got a lot of moving parts here today, a lot of great action. The Marine 250 event, Sea to Shore. It's a celebration of the United States Marines 250th anniversary. And Ben, I understand you have a really important member of the military there with you this morning. Yeah, she's coming over with me in just a second. Lieutenant Colonel Pyrak, she's joining us. But I just want to kind of set the scene for where we're at. I'm gonna let her explain exactly what we're going to be seeing here. We're out at Camp Pendleton. This is my second time on the base and what an honor to be out here. Right behind me, we're going to be seeing the demonstration, the Marine demonstration. You're going to be seeing amphibious vehicles coming onshore. You're going to see Navy seals coming. We're going to have parachutes coming down, artillery, weapons over here. We've got the training center over here. It's just an incredible spot. Vice President Vance, we're going to have Pete Hegseth going to be getting a demonstration on the other side of the mountain. And it's just, I mean, you talk about a cool place to be. I couldn't think of a better place. Lieutenant Colonel, are you ready for it? All right. This is Lieutenant Colonel Pyrek Lindsey. Talk to us about what we're going to be seeing and the signif. First off, to all the Marines out there, thank you for your service. I know we're not Quite to the 250th date yet, the birthday, but we're out here celebrating this. But what does this mean to you as a Marine and to the Marines in general? We couldn't Be more excited to be here. Marines, we train, we operate from the sea. And this is just an ability, a chance to show America and our partners and allies exactly what we can do. This is what we train for. We're excited to execute it. We're going to have Marines jumping out of C130s. They're going to parachute in. We've got SEALs supporting us. They're going to shape the beach before our landing force comes in. We've got air that is going to be integrated into this mix as Marines flow ashore, and that is our bread and butter. And they're going to come across in 24amphibious combat vehicles. They're going to drop ramps. They're going to filter or clear through combat town. And then the Navy in support of us is going to come bring our equipment ashore on landing craft. Air cushions, LCACs, they're the hovercraft, and they are our most robust ship to shore connector. And so then, boy, there's a lot that's going to happen today. We've got air overhead that will do close air support. Both Navy and Marine Corps. We've got our joint air tactical controllers on the ground. They're the ones that call in the air. And, you know, the Marines practice that we can do this on behalf of the entire joint force. And to demonstrate that, we're going to have a B1 bomber who's going to fly in support of us today. So this is really a joint effort as the Navy and Marine Corps team comes together to celebrate our birthday. What an amazing day. And then along with that, we're going to have some artillery. So I'm looking forward to the concussion. Hopefully. I can feel that here. I think you're going to feel a little bit of overpressure. You know, we have been rehearsing this for weeks. We're going to make sure that we do it in accordance with all safety protocols. We are. We're being good neighbors, but we are really excited to show off our capabilities today. Yeah. No. What a. What an incredible, incredible day. And as an. A proud American, I never got to serve. I haven't served. But I just want to thank you and pass on the message from Real America's Voice News, our entire team. To you and everybody who swears that oath and upholds that oath and potentially puts your life on the line, that we appreciate you. God bless you. Thank you. Semper Fi. Amen. Semper Fi, Steve. There you go, Ben. You know, actually, they haven't been practicing for a few weeks. Have been practicing from what I can tell here for 250 years. So we celebrate that. And thank you to the lieutenant colonel for being here with us. They will talk more with you in a moment. Now we're going to shift gears and go to Moms for Liberty. Big event down in Florida. Bo Davidson is down there. He's been there for the last couple of days. I mean, a lot of big developments down there about protecting freedom, making sure that men are not participating in women's sports, that we're bringing, you know, the Christian aspect of America back where it belongs in the classroom, in the public square. Bo, good morning. Good to have you here. I guess it's afternoon now, but what can you tell us? Bo, big event down there. Big event. We had Benny Johnson speak earlier, Steve. Coming up, we've got Pastor John Amanchuku, who actually will be joining us within the hour. And then we'll have Congressman Byron Donalds, probably the future governor of this great state of Florida, will be speaking. I'll also be interviewing him around 1:30. We may take that live. So we've got some really good speakers coming up today, obviously focused on the family, Steve, education, parental rights. Florida, where we are, has set that standard, Steve. And I even learned today, even earlier in Steve Bannon's show, that he had a representative on from Texas, that Florida's kind of been kicking every other state's butt when it comes to parental rights. It's been happening 30 years ago with school choice. So we're in a great state here that is setting the paradigm of for what parental choice and parental rights should be. That's what the last several days have been. There's more to come. They're even getting into artificial intelligence when it comes to parental rights and getting activated there. Also. Got to tell you this, too, interviewed Ryan Walters yesterday. You probably know him, former Oklahoma school superintendent starting an alliance for teachers that is an alternative to the teachers unions. They've talked a lot about the teachers unions because Moms for Liberty has been in their crosshairs. But now we have an alternative to that, thank God. Thanks to Ryan Walters. So a lot of great developments and technological improvements, everything that's happening right here at Moms for Liberty at this Joyful Warrior Summit. Steve There you go, the joyful warrior summit. Look, there's no question that parental rights both have been the cornerstone of some political uprisings, if you will, in this country. Virginia elected a governor here four years ago because of parental rights. It was the focus of what happened in Virginia. Florida leading the way. The Free State of Florida, as you said. But it's never been more critical for parents to stand up and say, listen, these are my children. They do not belong to the government. They belong to me and my family and we'll make the decisions. Bo, that's really what the cornerstone of that event's about, isn't is it is it's medical freedom, it's religious freedom. We just heard a panel talk about the religious freedom aspect of everything. There are three bills that are currently going through Congress right now that deal with this when it comes to Covid restrictions, religious exemptions. One of them, I believe, is led by Tom Massie. So you're hearing a lot of the legislative pushes as well. So there's the grassroots activist aspect of it, Steve, and there's also the legal aspect to it. Where can we go with the courts? Where can we stick it to people right now that are infringing on our rights as parents? I think it's amazing. And then, you know, Steve, we're contrasting this Marine 250 today and moms for Liberty with no Kings protest going on right now. There's one in Orlando happening right now all across the country. What a contrast. What a contrast. Yeah, what a contrast. Absolutely. Look, you gotta step on the head of the serpent. I read that somewhere, an important book that I read one day. You have to step on the head of the serpent. Look, this is an important event down there. Like Bo said, we'll be going back there live to check in from time to time. Ben Berklam. I want to go back to him one more time before we get into some other things we're going to cover here today, including Pete Hegsest, some of the comments he's made. We're going to reflect on Charlie Kirk and his Medal of Freedom that was awarded posthumously here a couple of days ago. But Ben, I was at the Army 250 parade. What a remarkable event. I was at the Navy 250 celebration here just a couple of weeks ago. It is an important time in America as Donald Trump is returning us to a point where we are not just feared, but respected. And part of that respect comes from the great military, including what's happening there at Camp Pendleton today. And what a, what a perfect day. I mean, I can see the weather there. You're standing on the shores. It is spectacular. Spectacular. You've got to be excited to be there. Oh, no. You know, I couldn't think of anywhere else I'd want to be today. In fact, I was supposed to be covering as Bo was talking about one of those no Kings protests that will more than likely turn into riots. You consider the dichotomy of where we're at in our country as we sit here and celebrate the warriors that have shed blood and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms that we have for 250 years. And you look at the enemies within our country that are actually trying to tear us down from within. And it's the exact thing our founders warned us about. We're not going to be destroyed from without. We're going to be, if America is ever taken down, it's going to be destroyed from within. And that's the battle that you see right now as we celebrate the warriors for America. You have people that are trying to undermine America and just actually a few miles away from here, their plan. We're anticipating around 3,000 protesters coming to Camp Pendleton. Imagine that on the day that we celebrate the warriors that shed blood for this nation, you're gonna have people coming here to protest no kings, which is what we fought against. That's why we have our nation, because we got rid of kings. It's just. It's totally insane. So I just look as a proud American, as a husband and as a father. I couldn't, as I mentioned earlier, I can't think of a better place to be to be flanked on one side by Secretary Hegseth and VP Vance on the other side. It's just amazing. It's incredible. Ben, let me point something out to the folks. The 3,000 folks anticipated there to protest the American military. The, the military men and women that keep this country safe every single day. If truly there was a king in America, a no kings protest would not be allowed at the gates of Camp Pendleton or anywhere else in this country. If we truly had a king, none of this would be happening. Can you go explain this to the crowd for us please? Well, I'm telling you, I'm hoping that we get done and they're still out there because I've got my real or I've got my real American voice hat on, but I've got my make America great hat in the car. So if I get a chance, I am definitely going to go out there and let them know we don't have a king, help them out with a little bit of their history. And the irony is the people that are out there protesting actually want a dictator. Most of this is coming from leftist anarcho communists that, that actually they would be just happy to have a communist dictator in this nation, which is much worse. Than a king, by the way, can be. I mean, you've had some terrible monarchs in history, but. But the irony of this is that's what they want. It's just a king by a different name. And so, yes, if I get a chance, I'll do my best to try to educate them. Well, nobody's more prepared than you to go out there and try to, you know, teach them a thing or two. If we had a king, boys and girls, we wouldn't have protests that would scream no kings. That's pretty simple stuff. But they seem to have missed the memo. Ben, we'll be back to you in a few minutes. Thank you very much. We appreciate that. I mean, the irony is so remarkable, my friends. No kings. We don't have a king because if we did, this wouldn't be happening across the country. 2100 locations. Hey look, I support them. Go ahead, protest. It's part of the American Constitution, part of the first Amendment. To peaceably assemble. To peaceably assemble. That's. That's the key. We'll see if they behave themselves today. 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I'll take a break and be right back with our celebration of the United States Marines 250 years and the great event in Florida for Moms for Liberty after this with more marine 250 from sea to shore only on Real America's Voice. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and winning from the comfort of your own home. I'm here with spinquest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all the table games you love and you could even win real cash prizes. New users $30 coin packs are on sale for 10@Spinquest.com SpinQuest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion. We're public rec, the cheat code for guys who want to look just good enough. Lightweight, breathable classics made for fall and 30% off now during our friends and family. 40% off with email. Shop comfortable classics, no BS@PublicWrec.com radio BU NeverChange Mint is still $15 a month for premium wireless. And if you haven't made the switch yet, here are 15 reasons why you should. One, it's $15 a month. Two, seriously, it's $15 a month. Three, no big contracts. Four, I use it. Five, my mom uses it. Are you, Are you playing me off? That's what's happening, right? Okay, give it a try. @mintmobile.com Swift upfront payment of $45 per three month plan. $15 per month equivalent required. New customer offer first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. CementMobile.com For 250 years, the United States Marine Corps has stood as the world's most formidable fighting force. From the founding at Ton Tavern to the battlefields of today, their legacy is one of sacrifice, courage, and uncommon valor. Today, we honor that legacy with a historic salute. Marine 250 from sea to shore starts right now. All right, my friends, here on Real America's Voice, continuing live coverage of the event at Cap Camp Pendleton, California, where the Marines are spending 250 years celebrating their events. And in Florida, we've got Bo Davidson down there, Moms for liberty. He's got a special guest down there on stage. Bo, what do you got? I do. I do. Steve. I've got Pastor John Amon Chukwu with me right here. Before we came on, just two seconds ago, Pastor said that I had white privilege because I had better hair than him. I don't know if that's true or not, but guilty as charged. I guess it's true. You know, the Lord gave it to me on my chin, but he. He. He took it away on my head. But you know, the Bible says the Lord giveth and he taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. But that is white privilege. I told him earlier that if I had hair like that, I would be in Hollywood if my hair could just lick to the side like that. Come on, man. Well, Pastor, thank you. I think. I hope the God has blessed us both, right. We're doing better than we deserve. You know, Steve, you teed this off so well. Pastor Amanchukwu, you've been at the forefront. You've had some tremendous altercations with school boards in the past. You've highlighted pornographic books. What did you take away from those altercations? Number one, there are three takeaways. Perverts are perverting the hearts and the minds of our children. Number one, we can't call these people just unjust people. They're perverted, that's what they are. All right, Number two, parents are unaware of what's going on. You know, when you send your child off to school and you don't know what's in the curriculum, you don't know the guidance counselor or who their principal truly is, you are setting your child up to be corrupted. If you send your child out to Babylon, don't be surprised when they come back as Babylonians. And then ultimately, pastors have failed to do their job. And that's why I took up the mantle and the role not only as a father, not only as a man, but as a pastor, traveling the country now to 22 states, fighting for our children, fighting against DEI, critical race theory, gender theory, queer theory. I've been labeled a white supremacist. Go figure, right? Yeah. Just because I. I stood strongly against those ideologies. And so it's. It's. It's now or never, and we have to double down. So, Pastor, get. Give. Give the audience, give our viewers some bullet points of what they can do to be proactive so that things like this don't happen. You've been at the forefront of it. You're going to multiple states. What can the parent do? First and foremost, the Bible says train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he's old, he will not depart from it. And so it's your job to be the pedagogue, to be their first educator and their first teacher. If you've taught them things that the school district goes against and you need to question that. Right. If in your home it's, you know, God created us male and female, but when they get to school, they're finding about. Finding out about all of these different pronouns. There's 72 different genders today, and counting parents, you should be alarmed. You should speak up about that. And so what do you do? You go to the teacher, and if the teacher doesn't hear what you have to say, go to the principal. If the principal doesn't hear what you have to say, escalate it to the school board and go down there and give them the what for. Now I have to say this, that the mama bears are doing a phenomenal job. Yeah, Moms are speaking up. The problem is the soft and timid and spineless fathers. We need dads to stand before lecterns and square your shoulders and speak up like a man and defend the nuclear family. I believe that much of what we're seeing taking place in the culture today when it comes to gender theory and queer theory, and even men competing in women's sports. When dads stop sitting in the bleachers and taking in the games and start getting on the track field and on the, and on the basketball courts and saying, no, this is not going to happen, we're going to protest until we stop this, things are not going to change. That's a really good point, Pastor, because I think about even what Black Lives Matter said in their own constitution about disrupting the Western prescription of the nuclear family unit. That's unbelievable to me. So you're speaking on a panel on fatherhood. You just mentioned it. But what is the role of the father if more fathers need to stand up? First and foremost, the father is called to be a provider, a protector, and a priest of the home. If danger is coming upon the family or there's an encroach, encroachment on the family, the father should be on his guard as a watchman. But the role of a watchman is to do more than just watch. You have to react, you have to act, act towards what's taking place. And so that's why the Bible talks about the sons of Issachar is because they understood the times and they knew what Israel should do. Men must know the times. We're living in a day where femininity has been hijacked and the direct beneficiaries of femininity is men. But men are robbing women of their femininity. But pastors today are more like Joel Osteen. They don't want to engage. They want to pacify the problems of our culture. You can't pacify it. You must address it. And so that's why I found myself handcuffed at a school board meeting. I've been kicked out of eight school board meetings. I've been threatened even by law enforcement to be jailed if I continue to speak up. But I have to continue this mission because as a protector, not only am I protecting my family and my three children and my beautiful bride, I'm protecting America's children. Yeah. I became a dad 20 months ago, Pastor, and so I fully know exactly what you're talking about. Being the defender not just for your own kids, but for others. Steve, you want to jump in here and ask Pastor Amon Chukwu a question? I know you're still there. I know you probably got some, some insight too and want to ask the pastor a question. Here's my question, Pastor, because as we've seen since the 10th of September, there's been a revival in the churches. Bible sales are up, what, 42% downloads of Christian apps on the phone up 80%. There is a resurgence in, and some people call it a revival. I hear some other Christian people say it's not a true revival. What do you think is happening in the country in the wake of the death of Charlie Kirk? Is it a revival or is it a resurgence of people at least having an interest? Because look, if they have an interest, maybe they get saved. Maybe they find their path. Jesus Christ. What are your thoughts? It's a revival. Just. Just consider. Since the intentional assassination of Charlie Kirk, you know, you have to keep in mind that 130,000 requests have come in for people to join Turning Point USA campuses, that is on high school campuses and on college campuses. That's revival. 277,000 people touched down on the grounds where, where they had the memorial. That's revival. A million people signed up to attend. That's revival. But here's the problem that we have to contend with even within this revival. The fact that 36% of senior pastors have a biblical worldview, that's troubling. Only 13% of teaching pastors have a biblical worldview, that. That's troubling. And 12% of youth pastors have a biblical worldview, that's troubling as well. And so as we see this revival take place, we need to make sure that these people are going to churches that are Bible based and grounded in the word of God so that they can find the necessary nourishment for them to contend for the faith and follow after righteousness. You know, Pastor, I was really encouraged earlier. Steve, I'll tell you this too. About an hour ago, we interviewed two young people, kids who were part of Turning Point USA's first chapter for Middle schoolers. Wow. Wow. They had build a bears that were dressed like Charlie and had his words actually within the bear, which I thought was amazing. Apparently the girl convinced Charlie that, hey, we need to start a middle school chapter. He's like, ah, I don't know, try it out. And now you've got a true pilot program coming out of Land O Lakes, Florida, which I think is incredible. Pastor, if you would. Also you mentioned earlier about the perversion of what you saw in these school board meetings with your respect to the lyric literature. Sure. We talk about good and evil, the front lines of it. Where is ground zero of the battle of good and evil? Right now? It's in the school system. You know, just keep in mind there was a woman by the name of Alice Bailey, who in the 1920s, around the 1930s, that time frame put together a 10 point plan on how to deconstruct Western civilization. Number one, she wanted to remove prayer from the public school system. We saw that take place in 1960 with the Ingle v. Vital Court case. And during that time frame, a wicked woman by the name of Madeline Murray o' Hare wanted to remove prayer, in particular school sponsored prayer, from the school system. And zero Christian organizations came forward to bring a brief to stop her. The church was silent then and the church is silent today. Number two, she wanted to rob parents of their parental freedom. And it flies in the face of just common sense. Parents are responsible for their children, not the state, not the government. I am the father of my three children, not the government and not the state. You're the father as well. And so when we see this take place, we have to know that this is not a new plan or a new strategy. This has been a plan for decades. And so what we're contending with right now is Marxist atheists who hate the God of the Bible. Romans chapter one talks about haters of God and inventors of evil things. Transgenderism is a evil invention, but the Bible spoke of it. And so what we're seeing today is clear. It's true. And the more that we have men on the front lines, I know we're at a, at a Moms for Liberty conference, but the more we see men tackling these issues head on, we'll see the true turn in revival that we desire. You know, I heard Pastor Benny Johnson speak earlier. He said something about maybe starting a Dads for Liberty. And you're here on this panel here talking about fathers and the importance of the role of the father. I know in the African American community that's just as viable and just as worthy of talking about. Do you see the grassroots groundswell of potential a Dads for Liberty or some sort of paternal grassroots movement that even you could start? I think that the groundwork is there. Now. Respectfully, fathers are not in the position to be as more available as some moms are because of particular roles at times. You know what I mean? And if you're going to be the provider, oftentimes you may not be available to, to get to the school board meetings and things of that nature. And that's, that's come. And I understand that. However, you know, if you have time to tinker in your garage and go to the gym and hang out with the bros, you have time to defend your children. Yes, I would be interested in leading a group like that. It's Necessary. But we need the right man. We don't need a soy boy at the top, some cowardice, leaning titty guy. You know, we don't. We don't need that. We need a strong, courageous boy, bold lion, compelling men to get off of their rear ends and get into the marketplace of ideas and contend for the family. It's amazing what feminism has done to. To men into making so many of them Betas. I think it's really, really tragic. Yes. Steve, I want to toss this back to you just in case you have another question for the pastor. I think his earpiece popped up, but did you get it back in? No. Oh, he didn't. Okay. Well, Steve, go ahead and ask and I'll make sure to translate it maybe over to the pastor. Well, he said something there. Real quick, Bo, you said something there I want to touch on. We need more fathers in America. That's the bottom line. More real men. They can talk toxic masculine masculinity. They can call it anything. But the fact of the matter is, we need more dads in America leading the homes and raising better children. What does he have to say about that? That is spot on. You know, headship was given to the man, given to the father. But there's a priority, proper way that it has to be meted out. The father is the first one who understands the totality of being a. A sacrificial lamb for the family. And when men speak up, when they're in their rightful place, we see major trends across this nation where children are less likely to be impoverished, less likely to experience teenage pregnancy, they're less likely to. To drop out of school, so forth and so on. There's so many enriching benefits when men do more than just be sperm donors, right? When a man says, you know what? I'm going to marry this woman, then we're going to have children. I'm going to provide for my family. The family is blessed by that. Oftentimes also, if a husband gets saved and gives his life to Christ, the family follows 90% of the time. Fathers are significant, but we can't allow feminists to rob us of our voice. And that is part of the problem. There you have it. All right, gentlemen, I'm going to take a break here, and we're going to be back. We're going to be back in Florida for this great event. We back at Camp Pendleton in California for that great event with the United States Marines. Sit tight. Thank you for being here on Real America's Voice on a Saturday. We'll be right back with more marine 250 from sea to shore only on real America's voice. The US electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and The News Agents USA listening to the Newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion. We're public rec the cheat code for guys who want to look just good enough. Lightweight, breathable classics made for fall and 30% off now during our friends and family 40% off with email shop comfortable classics, no BS@PublicWrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. That's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business. We're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities. Like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealthbreak podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with Elite Checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more, because at Accu your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristianCu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Welcome back to Marine 250 from sea to Shore right here on Real America's Voice. All right, back to it. Special coverage on Saturday. Thank you for being with us here on REAL America's Voice. We certainly appreciate your patronage, but so many great things to cover in this country. You know, while the left is screaming about a no Kings Day, of course there wouldn't be a no Kings Day because there is no king. And that wouldn't be allowed if there were simple stuff here to understand. Ben Berkwam is out at Camp Pendleton as the United States Marines get ready to celebrate 250 years. You know, Thomas Jefferson was told by the Barbary Pirates, just pay us a fee, pay us a bounty, and we won't bother your ships. And Thomas Jefferson said, I have a better idea. He went back, created the United States Marines and he went over to Tripoli and he killed them. That was his solution. Don't pay the freight, make them pay the price. That's the way it's been ever since. Ben, I know you've got a special guest with you. Carry it on from there. Yeah, Steve, you know, speaking of that, moving from a position of strength, you look at where we're at as a nation now, it's only because of the Marines and those again and all of the branches of service that have decided to swear that oath, to take it upon themselves to protect this nation, to defend it from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. And it is just such an honor. And actually, if you can see behind, you can't see it too well right now, but you will be seeing it better later. We've got the USS Teddy Roosevelt that's going to be coming in to shore. It's going to be part of the demonstration. But I'm with Lieutenant Colonel Pyrek. We're talking about this. So obviously November 10th is the actual birthday of the Marine Corps. Why are we doing it today? Why are we doing the celebration today? And what does that birthday mean to you as a Marine? You know, as a Marine Corps, we are proud of the heritage and the legacy of those that came before us. We stand on their shoulders. So on November 10, it is tradition that Marines anywhere in the world, we're going to pause and we're going to say happy Birthday to those that are with us and cut a cake, whether that's an MRE pound cake or a fancy cake, a gala or a ball. So we are doing this today in the lead up to this 250th birthday. And, you know, we really got to bring in our Navy partners today. So to get all of these capabilities and assets into one place for an integrated demonstration is going to be really incredible. Our Marines, you know, we are just happy and excited to train at any possibility. This is what we do. This is why we joined. And so to be able to showcase what, what we're going to do and land a landing force onto Red beach at Camp Pendleton is going to be truly, you know, an incredible thing to see. And I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this is the lead up to America's 250th birthday. And so this is a years long campaign that's going to be running through till July 4, 2026. And, you know, we're all just really excited to be here. You know, as anybody who has friends in any combat force, you see the banter back and forth, whether you're Marine, your Navy, your Army. But you know, on a day like today where you've got joint Forces, Marine and Navy, talk to us about the coordination between the two branches. Absolutely. You know, and we are a Navy Marine Corps team first and foremost. Marines operate from the sea and the Navy enables us to be able to do that. And so we have been training, we've used this for opportunities to get our Marines on ship over the last couple weeks. You know, we are ready to go on a moment's notice. And this really demonstrates our ability to do that. And from a capability standpoint. You were talking to me about some of this. What I love, Steve, about this the most is, you know, we're talking about some of the tactical things you guys are doing, and some of it I haven't even heard about yet. The technology and the aircraft. We're going to be seeing an F35 fly overhead and then hover I mean, some of these, we're going to have hovercrafts coming on, but the technology that you see, sometimes you hear people try to disparage America's military, talk to us about our fighting capabilities as a nation. As of today, the Marine Corps is a lethal force. End all, be all, and we never enter a fair fight. So we are equipping our Marines with the technology that is going to enable them to defeat the enemy swiftly and completely. And the Navy and the Joint Force is going to enable that. So we have different sensors that enable our Marines to collect information so that when they hit that beachhead, they are set up for success and they are going to win. I love it, Steve. And they are going to win. Go ahead. She's got something more. Did she say something else there? Maybe I misunderstood. No, I think there's something else in our ear. I don't know where that one came from. All right, fair enough. Could be the voices in my head. It's okay. It's gonna be a great day. They were in mine, too, so that's okay. I understand. Yeah, I understand. When does it all get started, Ben? That's what I do want to know. I mean, you're standing there on the shores I look for. You know, there is something. We just got 21 brand new F15EX2s, I think they're called, state of the art fighter, just delivered to Michigan. There is just something special. When you look up and you see that raw power come over the top, I mean, there's just something. It wells up in me. It's an emotional experience, isn't it? No, it absolutely is. When I came in yesterday, I saw the Ospreys that were flying over. We've got the F35s, the new generation of the F35s. And what's the new one? The hovering Marine. So the F35 Bravo has a V stall capability. And I'm going to screw up that acronym. I apologize, but it can hover. So it allows our Marines to land in austere places. They can land anywhere, rearm, refuel. We'll have Marines on the ground ready to do that. And then they will be able to take back off without requiring a manicured Runway to do so. Yeah. So think of a fighter jet that can land and then take off again from a stall position. It's going to be incredible. Again, we're going to have 24, 24amphibious combat vehicles are going to hit this, hit the beach. Those are our new swimming tank. Essentially, for lack of a better Word and they, they are up armored vehicles that are going to carry Marines ashore from the sea. They're going to hit the beach and they are going to run through to their objective. They will clear through their objective. So we're going to have all of this going on. Basically, it's a beach clearing operation. You're going to see all of the different components and the staging of those. Which ones come on first. To give you an idea, Marines and sailors are coming from the air, land and sea. So we are going to have reconnaissance. Marines are going to parachute in. We're going to have Navy SEALs jumping out of a helicopter and swimming ashore. They will be followed by aircraft that are shaping the battle space, both Navy and Marine Corps. They can provide precision strikes as well as close air support. Then our ACVs roll ashore, they deliver the landing force. And those Marines are when combat power has massed. And then following in trace, we're going to have the hovercrafts that bring our equipment. We're going to have our nemesis, the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System. Sorry. As well as the artillery is going to come ashore, they're going to establish their beach hold and then we are going to demonstrate the ability to mass fires into a training range, including in Camp Pendleton. Yeah. And apparently they are shutting down. This was under a little bit of contention originally. You guys were debating on shutting down five, decided it wasn't necessary. Now it appears the governor of California is going to shut down 5. And it seems like in an attempt to cause some issues. I'm not going to get into it political while you're here, but some issues with the base, but we're going to get to witness it. We're going to be front row seats over here. And Steve, everything's kicking off. So Amanda Head is down at the main site where the, the, the setup where all the speakers are going to be going off. The initial speakers are going to start noon local time. So three o' clock Eastern. And then all of the demonstrations that we're going to get to witness are around 1 o' clock local time, 4 o' clock Eastern. And I just want to have Mason turn this camera just so you see kind of what everything that's going on. We've got Combat Town over here, but off to behind us. So go ahead, we'll show Combat Town. So this is where the guys, the Marines will actually go through. They'll be clearing the houses. Ultimately, they'll end up coming back to Vice President Vance and saying the mission is clear at the end they will report, Mr. Vice President, the objective is secure. And then behind us to directly behind Mason, we've got the. What do you call this again? So this is our command and control facility. It, it is. Blends in with the terrain, and it is an all domain command and control center where they are able to talk to the ships, they're talking to the aircraft, they're talking to the Marines on the ground at the point, and they are ensuring that our. Our fires are integrated, that aircraft is deconflicted, and where it's needed at the moment it's needed. They are delivering rounds downrange, on time, on target. I mean, it is. It's just a pretty spectacular thing to be able to witness this again as a civilian, being able to come on here. But this is just your daily life, huh? This is our daily life. I am proud to be a Marine. God bless you, Steve. On the beach, is that where the amphibious vehicles are going to come on shore, right there right next to you? Yeah, yeah. So if you turn the camera back this way, they've actually been clearing the ground. And typically we were talking about this off camera earlier. So when you say this was a beachhead, I was just in Normandy last year and had the honor of being able to witness that, to think about the heroism of those Marines and sailors and Rangers that went on the beach. But you use caterpillars today. But typically this beach, if you were actually, this was a combat beach, you would have obstructions and things that you'd have to talk to us about what that would actually look like in combat. We're not going to get to see that exactly today. Absolutely. So that is why we send in the shaping forces. So our reconnaissance marines, the Navy SEALs, they come in to prepare the beachhead for a landing force. So the SEALs and the recon guys, they're going to disable as many obstacles as possible, clear out any enemy strongholds so that the landing force can get as far ahead up the beachhead as possible to be able to then continue follow on operations. So I'm not the expert. I would need to get one of my Navy counterparts to talk about how they prepare the beachhead. But there's a science that goes into making sure that the hovercraft can land safely and that we can deliver our troops ashore at the correct time. But basically, if you look behind me, I'll kind of have Mason kind of move this camera again, basically from this point where we have the USS Teddy Roosevelt. As we pan out this way, I'll get out get out of the shot. This is. This, this entire beach is where all of these operations are going to be taking place. You're going to have Navy SEALs coming aboard onshore. You're going to have Marines dropping in from the sky. You're going to have them on electric bikes, motorcycles coming up these. It's just going to be an incredible thing to see. And off in the distance near those cliffs, that's where the artillery is going to be firing over the I5 into the mountains behind us. So really, really neat. I gotta jump. Thank you for that, Ben. We've got. We've got to jump to the stage down there in Florida. Ben. Doing a great job, by the way, on the shores there. I look forward to seeing that. But here's Byron Donald's on stage. In Florida culture in the United States of America. And if moms are active, America is on the right course. And I thank you for all of your hard work. I wish that, you know, my mom, I think my mom would probably be a mom for liberty if I was a kid today. But the things that you have advocated for have been crucial to our success. The young ladies that just walked off a stage, I got a chance to see them as they were coming off and coming out. And all I'm thinking is that these young girls with all they want is just a fair shot and a fair opportunity to compete. And so we have fought hard to make sure there's going to be no boys in women's sports. That is done. But look, we got to be honest. The work is never over. You chapter chairs all across America, thank you for your hard work. Because the work you do in your communities not only brings truth to what's going on in our country, it also helps voters understand how critical their voice are when it comes time to make choices about elected officials. We still have some who think that it's okay for boys and women's sports or it's okay to take away puberty from children. But I will tell you that in our movement that stands for truth and stands for children, we will always protect the innocence of our children. We will always do this. We will always make sure they're getting the best education possible. You know, Tina and my wife, they go back a long way. They were school board members back in 2014, 2015. During those times and during that time when they got elected to the school board, I'm literally at home watching my wife come home from these meetings and, and just see the level of one frustration in what was happening, but also a passion to do everything that was necessary to have real change and to have real facts and real honesty come into the debate of how our children will be educated, how our children will be nurtured in order to become the adults that we need them to be. And it is your organization here, Tina. Moms for Liberty. We would not be in a position we are without you. But where are we going now? Because in a lot of states, obviously in Florida, the left has been thoroughly defeated. That's here in Florida. But what's next? Everybody's shouting their state. I'm like, what's next? She's like, texas. Rhode Island's next. What's next is here in Florida. We have to institutionalize an agenda, an agenda surrounded around parents being at the head of the table. The years and the time of bureaucrats dictating what happens in the life of a child. Those days are over and they're never coming back. You want to talk about continuing to hold the line on school choice in Florida? We're going to do that. Texas, Rhode island, and you other states, you should join us in this, because when parents, when parents have the purchasing power to dictate where their child goes to school, you actually empower not only the parent, but you empower that child to have access to the entire world of possibilities for their own individual success. When we talk about the future of making sure that in things like technology and in AI, yes, parents have to be at the head of the table, not a government, not a tech company. Parents to make sure that their kids are being protected. And we're going to make sure that happens here in the state of Florida and around the United States. Thank God that Kamala Harris is not President of the United States. Thank God. The action we have seen from President Trump and his administration has not only been historic, it has been absolutely necessary. They are moving at warp speed on the federal level to secure parental rights all across the United States. And in some of these jurisdictions, sorry, Rhode island, but in some of these jurisdictions, like Rhode island or Massachusetts or Illinois or New York or California, whatever we can't get done this year, I assure you that we are not done with our mission to save children in those states and to empower parents in those states, I try to stay away from too many politics when I come and talk to you guys, because this is not about Republicans versus Democrats. This is not about liberals versus conservatives. It's not about activists on the left or activists on the right. It's about the very center of our society. Before you can start talking about Party politics or who's president or governor, US senator or members of Congress before you start having real discussions about local school boards and what's in curriculum and what's the progression of children, our entire society, our entire culture has always been based around the family unit. The family unit is the genesis of the United States of America. Without strong families, our nation, which is the best nation, which has lasted 250 years, a constitutional republic where, yes, you have divisions and you have disagreements, where even in families, sometimes we don't get along or we don't see eye to eye. But a nation like ours, the only way it's going to stand the test of time for another 250 years is that families have to be stronger going into the future than they are today. And the strength of every family, it always starts with mom. It always does. Something special happened in my life. It's not that I actually expected, but it happened. My mother subscribed to Time magazine, you know, when I was a kid, all the time. So it would come to the house once a week. And I was honored. And it was unexpected, but I was honored as like a time 100 next individual in the country. And I called my mom and I said, you know, mom, this honor came out of nowhere. I don't know who nominated, but this really is your honor. It's not even mine. Because I would not be the man that I am today if it wasn't for my mother. My mother bet on me when other people wouldn't. My mother took risks and chances for me when other people wouldn't. My mother sacrificed cars and vacations and stuff just to make sure I got the best education possible. My mother was a mom for liberty long before this organization was created. And so that passion that Meredith P. Brown, and if you know my mother, you got to say the whole name. But that passion for Meredith, of Meredith P. Brown, for her son and for her children, is the same passion that all of you have for your children. And it's the same passion that mothers all across this country have for theirs. And the one thing I know about America is that when moms are empowered, when dads are empowered, when families know that their decisions are what matters most in the lives of their children, a funny thing happens in every city and every state. When our children are thriving, our cities thrive. When our cities are thriving, our states thrive. And when our states are thriving, there is nothing that can stop the United States of America. So as one of. As one of the guys in the political sphere who has a lot to say sometimes the one thing past all the speeches is a commitment that families will always be first here in Florida and here in America. And as long as you're doing great things, and we know that you will because you love your family, you love your kids, and as long as we know you're continuing to do great things, I am not even just optimistic. I'm grateful to be an American at 250 years and it's going to be awesome to see what America does over the next 250 years. God bless you guys. God bless you, you, you captains in your communities all across America, Moms for Liberty, thank you for all of your hard work. Let's keep winning. Let's keep winning. Let's keep going. God bless you. Please welcome back Tina Descovich. Foreign I'm just here to wrap up this very long morning. It was packed full of great speakers. I hope you were uplifted, encouraged and inspired. It is time for lunch. We're doing it different this year. There's box lunches out in the hallways on both sides. You can take your lunch and there's tables set up outside. If you need some light and fresh air, you can bring them back in here. You can do whatever you would like. We are meeting back here at 1:45 for an amazing debate that we are hosting on AI and education. We hope you will join us. We will also hear from Paul Renner, our former speaker of the House, and then we will wrap it up after that. And then tonight is our gala, which we hope you'll join us for at 6pm thank you. All right, there you have it. Byron Donald is likely to be the next governor of Florida. The polling all saying that I think that the 19th congressional district in Florida will be deprived of a great representative. But as a governor of Florida, he is a conservative. And what's interesting about Byron Donalds to me is his background is in finance. He understands math, he understands finance, he understands numbers, he understands how the economy works, how taxes impact people, how to build businesses, how to make Florida stronger with less taxes, less regulation, more opportunity. You know, can we get him to my state? Can we draft Byron Donalds to come to my state? That's my request. All right, listen up, patriots. If you want to fight for this country, amac, the association of Mature American Citizens, is the organization you need to join. They're the conservative alternative to aarp and they're fighting every day to protect faith, family, freedom and, well, our American way of life. When you become a member, you get access to powerful perks, exclusive discounts on travel insurance and more. Plus valuable member tools and a subscription to the AMAC magazine which tells the truth about the mainstream media and the things that they won't tell you as well. It's incredibly affordable if you're not a member. Listen to this. Become a one year member for just a buck $1. It's the deal of the day. Don't wait. Go to amac.us/Marine join the Movement to save America. We're going to continue our coverage. We'll be back out to Ben Berkwam in California for the Marine 250 Sea to Shore event. I'm looking forward to what he was describing there on a beautiful morning on the shore there of Camp Pendleton where the amphibious vehicles are going to come aboard. Also, we're going to continue to cover the Moms for Liberty event in Florida. Great day here in Real America's Voice. I'll be right back. We'll be right back with more marine 250 from sea to shore only on Real America's Voice. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't on depend depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs. And the newsagents USA listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the news agents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion. We're public rec. The cheat code for guys who want to look just good enough. Lightweight, breathable classics made for fall and 30% off now during our friends and family sale. 40% off with email. Shop comfortable classics, no bs@public rec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the Wealth Break. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You'll hear from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities. Like what it means to take risks, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Brave podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with elite checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristianCu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. For 250 years, the United States Marine Corps has stood as the world's most formidable fighting force. From the founding Aton Tavern to the battlefields of today, their legacy is one of sacrifice, courage and uncommon valor. Today we honor that legacy with a historic salute. Marine 250 from sea to shore starts right now. Yeah, well, you know, as we celebrate 250 years, we did the, the parade I did, I was on site for that in Washington D.C. the United States Army 250 anniversary. I was in Virginia for the great event within the United States Navy 250 year event. And now we're celebrating the United States Marines Camp Pendleton in California. We're going to keep an eye on that. But there's a change of attitude. There's a change of attitude in the United States military. Ever since Pete Hagsett took over as Secretary of Defense, now Secretary of War, as we've changed the the title. And Pete Hegseth says soldiers must be led by the best. Not just the guys that have served the longest, but guys that are actually the best. Real warriors. Here's part of what he said. This speech today is about people, and it's about culture. The topic today is about the nature of ourselves, because no plan, no program, no no reform, no formation will ultimately succeed unless we have the right people and the right culture. At the War Department, If I've learned one core lesson in my eight months in this job, it's that personnel is policy. Personnel is policy. The best way to take care of troops is to give them good leaders, committed to the war fighting culture of the department. Not perfect leaders, good leaders, competent, qualified, professional, agile, aggressive, innovative, risk taking, apolitical, faithful to their oath and to the Constitution. Eugene Sledge in his World War II memoir, wrote, quote, war is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste. Combat leaves an indelible mark on those who are forced to endure it. The only redeeming factors are my comrades, incredible bravery and their devotion to each other in combat. There are thousands of variables. As I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as so many of you did in so many more places, Leaders can only control about three of them. You control how well you're trained, mostly how well you're equipped. And the last variable is how well you lead. After that, you're on your own. Our war fighters are entitled to be led by the best and most capable leaders. That is who we need you all to be. Even then, in combat, even if you do everything right, you may still lose people, because the enemy always gets a vote. We have a sacred duty to ensure that our warriors are led by the most capable and qualified combat leaders. This is one thing you and I can control. And we owe it to the force to deliver it. We sure do. We owe it to the force to deliver. A new day in America. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will hear more from him throughout the day here today as we continue our coverage. We're heading back now to Florida, though, for that Bounds for Liberty event. Davidson on hand with another big guest. Bo, what do you got for us? Well, Steve, I promise you this is not the Barbie and Ken podcast that just took over in the 1pm hour. I do have a lovely blonde lady next to me, but more importantly, she's actually running in Florida's 22nd congressional district. For U.S. congress. I'm joined by Anna Medvedeva. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure being here, and I'm so excited. You know, great things are happening in South Florida. We're looking at businesses and families moving in Palm beach county in the district. It's, it's exciting time to be there. Anna, what are some of the main issues that you're running on? Obviously, we have the election in midterms next year, so we're starting out now. What are some of the issues that you're running on that you think are going to be really, really important to the 22nd congressional district? So, first of all, I have to mention we have a Democrat in the seat, and she's been there for, for almost seven cycles now, which is 14 years. And over that time, she introduced six bills and one of them became law, and that is to rename a post office building in Delray Beach. So you need to think about the efficiency of the people and leaders we elect in the community. And I think we can do better. Oh, yeah, of course you can do better. So she's been in there for, you said seven cycles, Almost seven cycles. Is there a tendency now, do you think, for the voters being more receptive to change? We definitely see more younger people, more professionals moving in the district and South Florida in particular, people that are smart, well educated, well traveled. They want a better life for themselves, for opportunities for. For their families and children. Not to mention, in our district, nearly one third are immigrants like myself that were born outside of the United States. And we, you know, I am a legal immigrant and proudly an American by choice. And I can attest that when you do things the right way, the opportunities, the people and the connections that you make here, this. This is priceless. There is no place in the world that gives you that. You mentioned that you did come here legally as an immigrant, and I think that legal immigrants probably have a much different perspective on immigration than most people do. Talk to us about immigration and especially some of the changes that President Trump has made to combat illegal immigration. So with immigration, again, as a legal immigrant, I support President Trump's efforts to make sure, you know, we clean up the country. In terms of the legal immigration, we had an absolute mess over the four years under President Biden's administration. On many fronts, it's either reckless spending or runaway immigration or, you know, on all fronts, we can do so much better. I support and applaud President Trump, Trump taking on, on this job and really trying to address all these issues and assembling an amazing team on all fronts and just really doing a fantastic. And I Want to make sure that our great president in the 22nd congressional district has full support. Mar A Lago is part of the district. We want to make sure when he comes home things are taken care of the right way. Well, I certainly hope that you gather his support because it sounds like the 22nd district needs it. Anna, you mentioned to me earlier that you are a mother of four, a single mom of four, which I think is to be applauded. I know your job is tremendously difficult, but it sounds like you've done it, an incredible job with it. Trying my best and that's all we can do is try our best. But, but the role of a mother is so crucial and so important and we're here at Moms for Liberty in Orlando on pretty much it's, it's, it's final day or its final main day. What is Moms for Liberty meant I think even to you personally in terms of, at the grassroots level what mothers can do to activate, to engage, to be educated and become more proactive in their kids future. You know, being a mother, it's one of the most important jobs in the world and what you can do for you, for the society, for your family. You know, I always say when people ask me what is it that you do? And I say I'm a mother of four because all my children are different, they're different ages, they have different talents and abilities and it's great to connect with the mothers, like minded mothers here. They want the best for their children. They want them to be healthy and happy and just really take advantage of all the opportunities and possibilities that our amazing country gives us. So I'm just grateful to be here. Absolutely. Anna, where can people go to find you? You want to make sure people can look you up, especially Those in the 22nd district and find you and follow your progress and your campaign. One thing I wanted to mention and with the campaign, what we see right now is a lot of small businesses moving in and I want to pinpoint, that's probably one of the most important things that we need to look into and make sure small businesses have full support down where we are in Palm Beach County. And of course one of those companies supporting small business is Engineered Tech Services and Julio Gonzalez. They're doing great job. They're supporting minorities, supporting women in business and with grants, with service in, in terms of consulting and guiding people. So, so that's great. Campaign website we can go to. Yes, please Visit me@voteanna for Congress.com I would appreciate your support and, and help vote Anna for Congress.com Steve Gruber, we'll send it back to you. We just as our we continue our great coverage here from Orlando. Thank you so much. Yeah, we'll have more of that coming up from Bo Davidson and all the great guests. We wish you the best. Florida 22 Ben Berkwam remains on the shores of Camp Pendleton, not the shores of Tripoli, but that's where it all began 250 years ago. Ben, take it away. Yeah, Steve. Yeah, I mean I sure I honor the guys that were on the shores of Tripoli. And you think about the sequences since then to get us where we are today. 250 years. And you think about most nations, you know, this is kind of that dividing line where, you know, nations start to fall and you look at our nation and what we're going through, the battles internally and externally and you know, everything going on around the world. But it's nice to be able to take a day and just celebrate the men and women who have put on that uniform. And you and I were just talking about that Lieutenant Colonel, you know, as a female in the Marines, what that's like serving your country. Just talk to us a little bit about that and some of the you know, there's some confusion about standards, what's going on nationally. Talk to us about where we're at with that and the honor that you have as a female Marine. Absolutely. You know, the Marines we earn ourselves title either at boot camp or at officer candidate school. And once you earn that ega, you are a Marine end all, be all. And you know, at this point combat arms is open to women. We have female Marines in every occupational specialty and they are holding the standard there there is one standard to earn those specialties and women are rising to the occasion. And you and you've been in since I commissioned mentioned in 2009, I I joined before combat arms were open. However, there were no front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq. Women were leading convoys. They were doing it valiantly. They were taking fire and getting hit by IEDs. And the enemy doesn't discriminate between men and women. So you know, our female Marines, we, we operate alongside our male counterparts. There is no difference. A Marine is a Marine. Can you talk to us too, just in this day of celebration. But you know, we're talking celebration but also honor what you know, you deployed to Afghanistan and what you you know, I'm sure some of the things you witnessed. Just talk to us about some of the men and women that you've served alongside and any that you want to give special recognition to. You know, our Marines are incredible people. They are disciplined, they're tough, they're smart. I am honored to stand by their sides. We consider each other brothers and sisters in arms. And I've deployed around the world. This is what we joined to do. We are here to protect our nation's interests wherever we are needed and wherever our commander in chief sends us. I think, I mean, kind of at a loss that this is. I am so proud to be a Marine. I'm excited to show the world what Marines do today. No, it's an honor. You know, as you said, we were talking about it earlier, everything around us, you talk about a cool place to be. If you've never been to Camp Pendleton, you basically, north of Oceanside, south of San Clemente, this entire area you drive through, you may just drive on the i5, and it just looks like mountainous terrain, but you look off to one side and you've got this. What do we call this again? This is Combat Town. You got Combat town over here. Some days you can drive through and you can actually see munitions going off. Steve I was here a few years ago in my former occupation. I was a tactical fitness instructor and doing some of the tactical fitness operations. And I came down, I actually got invited on the base, and I had the opportunity to meet with a gunnery sergeant who had deployed eight times. And I was asking about him later, he ended up deploying a nighttime and he was killed in combat. And I think about that sacrifice. I think about what the men and women are doing here when they swear that oath and they're all young, you know, wars. I'm going to screw up the quote, but it's a young man's game. And you think about, we're sending these young men and women off to sacrifice for our country, and there's no greater honor, the Bible says, no greater gift than to lay down your life for a friend. And that's I, I look at these guys and, and gals all over here, and it's just, man, it's just a cool place. So, again, just to set the scene for where we're at, we've got Combat Town over here. We've got, Secretary Hegseth's going to be watching over here. We got the Command and control. Is that up here? Command and Control Center. Command and Control center up here. We're going to have amphibious vehicles all behind us. We're going to have all these different moving parts as they're happening. It makes total sense to you as somebody who sees it every day and trains for this every day. But to the audience that's watching out there, what do you hope the takeaway is? You know, this is your Navy Marine Corps team. We are an expeditionary force in readiness, and we are ready to respond at a moment's notice anywhere in the world for any crisis. And, you know, we are the 911 force when you need us. We're celebrating 250 years. You said that 2026, July 4th. Are you hopeful for the future of this nation? Absolutely. You have men and women who have sworn an oath to the Constitution. And we are proud to serve. Every one of us who has joined, we joined to be part of something bigger, to defend our nation because it means something to us. And every Marine has a slightly different story. What inspired them to serve personally, but across the board, without a doubt. Like, we are here because we are proud to be American. Amen, men. Amen to that. You got it, Ben. By the way, Ben, we can send you to boot camp. We can do a special program on it. You know, just something that occurred to me. Throw that out there for. I would. I've always wanted to do that. Hey, could actually. Let me ask. I think it be great. Could I come to boot camp just to go through it. We have a shorter version, but I might have to get you an A age waiver. Definitely. I'm definitely above the age. I could still join ice, though. I've really thought about that. I just want to do the training to see if I could do it. Yeah. Wait a second. I identify as 21. Does that change anything? No, I'm just kidding. Yeah, I don't want to get you. Then we'll be back to either in a short time. All right. Good fun at Camp Pendleton. Today we're run Ben through the boot camp. Do all that stuff. Good stuff. Gold, by the way, at $4,249, as I sit here, it's up 60% this year. Good Lord. That's not speculation. That's what's happened. And if a portion of your savings isn't diversified into gold, you're missing the boat. Here are the facts. Inflation's still too high. The US Dollar still too weak, obviously. And government debt. It just seems insurmountable. That's why central banks flocking to gold. They're the ones driving prices up to record highs. But it's not too late to buy Burt's Gold. That's right. Get in the door. Now, Burt's Gold will help you convert an existing IRA or 401k into a tax sheltered IRA. In gold you don't pay a dime out of pocket. Just text America to 9,898 98 claim your free information. Get no obligation, just useful information. The best indicator of the future is the past and gold has historically been a safe haven for millennia. What else can say that? Text America now to 98.98.98 claim your free information kit on gold. That's America to 989898 protect your future today with burnt gold. We'll be right back with more of these celebrations in California, in Florida and across the country. We'll be right back. We'll be right back with more marine 250 from sea to shore only on Real America's Voice. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that we without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening. But why? From me, Emily Mailis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA. Listening to the newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion trends. We are public rec and our whole brand was built as a cheat code for guys who want to look good and feel even better. Lightweight, breathable classics made to wear all day, any day, especially in the fall. And right now you can get 30% off every single thing we sell during our friends and family sale. 40% off if you sign up for email. Shop comfortable classics, no bs@publicwrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Brave podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with elite checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristianCu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Welcome back to Marine 250 from sea to shore right here on Real America's Voice and celebrating 250 years. The United States Marines in California's a Camp Pendleton. Also in Florida, it's the Moms for Liberty gathering. It's a big deal. Bo Davidson down there with another special guest. Here he is here at the Moms for Liberty summit in Orlando, Florida. I'm joined by Duke Tanner. He's the Vice president of Community affairs of Engineered Tax Services. Duke, you have a really compelling story that you've told me about and I think probably the best way to do it is you to just tell it because I know that you spent some time in prison, but President Trump has kind of turned your life around in a lot of ways. So let's start from the beginning and find out what happened. Oh, yeah, first and foremost, you know I'm always give my Lord and savior Jesus Christ all the praise and glory. But yes, I was sentenced to a death sentence, a double Life sentence for. For a nonviolent crime. In 2004, when I was sentenced to two life sentences, I lost all my appeals. I was denied clemency by the Obama administration. But October 21, 2020, by the grace of God, you know, President Trump was used as a vessel to free me. And I walked out of the doors, you know, pushing all the things that I had worked for on the inside to work on prison reform, because I knew one day I was going to be out, and I knew I was going to be able to go to the communities where a lot of people look like me and help them. And even today, I want to thank Mega Meg Winberg from the legislator that invited me here to Mothers for Liberty to share my story and to mingle with the legislators that believe in God and want to do the things that our communities need. And what better place to start? Which. Our first true love, which is our mom's. Yeah, no question about it. My mom's certainly been extremely influential in my life and guiding my path. Duke, how did you get that clemency? What was the process like of getting President Trump's attention in order to get this clemency? And eventually the pardon, it was our guy. You know, I got denied, but, you know, I had faith. So I wrote the White House, I wrote all the different advocates, and Ms. Alice Marie Johnson got a whole hold to one of my letters. They took my case to Brook Rylands, and the rest was history. And that was just to commute my sentence. And I came home. And of course, you know, it was a whole nother administration, but I have filed for a pardon because I felt like I had did over the time, but I was still going on to the communities and trying to help different people get out, you know, trying to uplift the communities. And it didn't go. It didn't go down the drain, because May 28, I get a call from Ms. Alice Marie Johnson, and she said, the president said, you got your life back. He's granting you a full presidential pardon. And during that time and the struggle, I was speaking at Liberty University because I'm the spokesman for the Jack Brewer foundation that's pushing Fatherhood initiative and Second Chance. And that's why I met the tax guru, my. My CEO, my boss, my mentor, Julio Gonzalez, who just made me a vice president of community affairs of his company, Engineer Tax Service, which is the biggest tax service in America. And my goal is to go out to help teach tax equality, get all of the grants for the minorities as well as we're basically really focused on the women now. So being here at Moms of Liberty, pretty great. It's amazing. And, and I'm telling all the moms here about all the grants and trying to work with the different legislations all over the United States to bring this to them. Dude, there's a lot of no Kings protest out there today. All across the country, people protesting President Trump. There, of course, is still the notion out there among liberals, among Democrats, among the media that say President Trump is a racist. We feel he's always been a racist, he'll always, always be a racist. And I just want to know what your response to that is. Look at me. I mean, I think I'm black, right? Black. Last time we checked. Last time we checked, I haven't got this question many times and I tell them that, you know, being in federal prison and a maximum security prison where I did over almost 10 years, I know what racism really is. And if the prisoner, President Trump was racist, he would not have signed off on my petition, let alone every other things that he done for America and for people that look like me. So therefore my answer to that is no, he's not a racist. You know, in my eyes, everybody can have their own opinion. But what he have done for me and the things by me being free and having a second chance through God, I'm able to do the things that I'm supposed to do with my second chance. And I'm helping so many men and women that look like me. I'm coming to their communities by the grace of God, with the job that Julio gave me, I'm able to go into these communities and teach them tax equality, teach them about grants, teach them how to get self sustainability to give back their vouchers so therefore they can get off public assistance. And I think that's a major way. So by him helping me. So for all the people that don't like things, I'm going to go out there and help and be a product to make them feel better about it. And I think to speak to that. So President Trump commute your sentence and gives you a full presidential pardon. But Barack Obama denied it. He denied me in 2016 before he left office. And now I'm out here working with different, different people in power to get into Congress. I'm trying to help the people in Florida 19 and 22. So, so can we put the racist issue to bed with President Trump? I think I put that away a long time ago and I think the real people know what's up with that. So. But you know, this social media, this the way this world is now, but the real people of America know the truth, and we gotta come together and continually to come together and do what's best for the United States of America. Well, Duke, let's talk about prison reform. Because you came from the prison system and obviously you came out of it. You're doing a lot of great work in the community. Now, obviously, as Vice President of Community affairs, what else needs to happen in terms of prison reform? Because I think it's interesting, I mentioned to you off camera, I said, wasn't Van Jones there? Didn't he. Wasn't he all about the First Step Act? Where are the Democrats now? Because it took President Trump to really make the First Step act happen and to continue this push for prison reform. So what else needs to happen? I'm pretty sure Van and many others still want to push for prison reform. It was a passion thing. The thing is that, you know, we have to come together, and I'm not waiting for anyone. So me and a partner of mine, Adam Clausen, he created a program Inside in the Inside. It have not been approved by Pepperdine University. We're trying to get it approved to be inside of the bop. We want to add an AI component to it. And we're also working with guys, guys like Julio, as well as, as well as Sean o' Brien of the Teamsters, the president, to bring the workforce component. So, therefore, when these men and women are getting out of this system that they have a job to go to, and through our program called the Core four, this program would give them the teaching and knowledge and the workforce training and the rehabilitation to come back. So it won't be more about, oh, yeah, this, this is your life story. You was in prison, you did this. No, it's about the things that you're going to do when you get on the inside. And that workforce component is the main piece. And me and Adam Clausen will be introducing it really soon. We're working with Julio, like I said, who's willing to give these people a chance, just like he gave me. And I say people are not inmates or prisoners because they are people. They're going to come back as citizens of the United States of America and they're going to pay their debt to society and they deserve to come out and work if they got to, and that's what they need to do and be productive members of the community. So that's the piece that prison reform have to be. And we have to come together on both sides to make this happen. Glory to God. And I'm willing to be in the middle. Duke, where can people go to find you specifically and also with your work with engineered tax Services? Well, everything's with me is at Duke Charles. Duketanner.com you can find me there. That's my website, that's my email and please go on Amazon and buy my book. It's called Duke I Life. It's on Amazon. It breaks my story down about my fight, but it's. I got to write another book because within one year my whole life changed. And on Tuesday, October 21, it would make five years that I would be home that the president granted me my clemency. And I would like to thank you, Mr. President, not only for my clemency but also for my part pardon. For my full presidential pardon. And let's continue to come on make this world great. That's incredible. And people can go to Engineer Tax services and find your work there. Engineer Tax Services. You'll learn about all of the grants we have, all the top grants and we're pushing for tax and grant equality in America. That's Julio's mission. He hired me for this because he know I'm the man for the job. And I just want to thank him because he come from a place like I came from from and he understands that wholeheartedly and fully. And me and him working together is a team that's out of this world. And once again, thanks for this event and Moms for Liberty. It's a beautiful thing. And you know, thank real America's Voice, you know, because without you guys platform, you know, some of us wouldn't be out be able to get out here and share our story. So we want to thank all you guys that represent Real America Voice because we they wanted the number one networks in my eyes because that's right the truth. Well, there you have it. That's Duke Tanner and. And what a great example of a life that's been restored and renewed and, and wonderfully made in God's image. So thank you so much, Duke. Praise God. And we just getting started. You know, like I said, we got some great representatives that I would like to help. District 22, District 19 Ola Ava in the Florida district. I want to help these, these women get into office because for one they believe in God and for two, they are trying to do the things that's going to make this place a better place. So we got to continue to stay together as a country. Make America great again and make America return to God again. That's the key right there. It is. God bless you all. Thank you, sir. All right, and quick change down there because Bo Davidson is the hardest working man in Florida today, except for the man sitting next to him, possibly who could be the next governor of the state of Florida. Byron Donald is Congressman for Florida 19 running for governor there. Bo, take it away. All right, real quickly, we got a little bit of a technical issue with the audio. We'll get that fixed up. We'll take a quick break and go right back down to Florida with Byron Donalds after this. Unreal America's Voice. We'll be right back with more marine 250 from sea to shore only on real America's Voice. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News agents. We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis. And me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast, the News Agents dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA. Listening to the newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free Iheart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion trends. We are public rec and our whole brand was built as a cheat code for guys who want to look good and and feel even better in lightweight, breathable classics made to wear all day, any day, especially in the fall. And right now, you can get 30% off every single thing we sell during our friends and family sale. 40% off if you sign up for email. Shop comfortable classics, no bs@publicwrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the wealth break. Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. That's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Brave podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with Elite Checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristianCu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Welcome back to Marine 250 from sea to Shore right here on Real America's Voice. All right, straight back to Florida where we have Bo Davidson with the likely next governor of Florida, Byron Donald. He serves Florida 19 right now, but he's, well, he's moving up. He's going to take over the whole state. Byron donalds Bo, take it away. Absolutely, Stevie. I do think this is the next governor of Florida sitting to my side here. Congressman, Florida has been an outlier and an example for many other states to follow. Specifically when it comes to parental rights. How did Florida become a haven for the nuclear family unit? Florida has always been a state that stood for the family and for parents to be at the head of the table. Even when we were a purple state and we're battling the left and battling the Democrats in Tallahassee. The push was always for school choice. The push was always for the different tax credit scholarships at the time to give parents opportunities. When I was in the legislature, I passed the first bill of its kind in the country that gave Parents the ability to examine all instructional materials that were in front of their children. Rick Scott was governor when that was signed into law. And then when Governor DeSantis came in, and this is one of the key things he did in his administration when he picked three new Supreme Court justices in the state of Florida, making it a more conservative leaning court, then that's when we went to full universal choice in our state Parents Bill of Rights. My former colleague, Senator Erin Grohl, she was a champion of that when she was in the statehouse, now a state senator. And you've had so many people who have always stood behind this common principle that parents are the ones who should be dictating what goes on in the lives of their kids. Florida's not going to stop. We're going to continue to make sure parents are at the head of the table. Yeah, they've certainly been a paradigm for sure. Well, you're running for governor now, a position I feel like you were primed for long time ago, even from the day that I met you. Tell me how a 17 year old boy who came to the Sunshine State on a Greyhound bus may achieve the highest office in the state. Wow. When you ask it like that, it really is a mouthful. Honestly. Florida is a meritocracy. And I think in our state, we always respect the hard work of people, no matter what they're doing in their walk of life. That's why more people are coming to our state. That's why we're in the position where California used to be, where now what happens in Florida dictates the policy and the political culture and the culture overall of where the rest of the United States is going. And so honestly, it was a lot of hard work, the grace of God, my wife and my kids having a strong family unit at home back in Naples, Florida, the tutelage that my mother gave me before I came to Florida, and then just being blessed to be in a community where people decided to take a chance on me being their representative and then also to stand behind me as we continue to make tough calls and make the right calls and stand for conservative policy. Florida is the meritocracy. And I think that for me, what it illustrates is that anybody can be successful here in the great state of Florida without a doubt. And Congressman, I think a really compelling part of your story, I actually didn't know, was that you found Jesus at a Cracker Barrel. Now, a lot of people don't think that you could find Jesus necessarily over hash brown casserole or in your case, Serving it. But you did. And I just would like you to touch on that because we talk about the battle of good and evil here at this conference and just in general, but you found God in maybe an inopportune place. Tell me how that happened. I was at that point in my life, I was really struggling. I made a lot of stupid mistakes when I was 18, 19 and 20. You know, I regret those times. But you. What I always taught kids that I would either coach or mentor is that in life, when you mess up, you make up, but you never give up. And so through that process, my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife, she got me going to church. And you're going to church, you're listening to the sermons. But when I gave my life to Christ, the Lord had really been dealing with me about really giving my life to him and really becoming a born again Christian. And it just, it all came together and culminated when I was at work. I had a 12 top. They were coming from a revival and the Lord told me, stop running from me. And I went and I caught my table as they were leaving. We were outside in the parking lot. I caught them before they got on their bus. They asked me what was going on. I said, man, the Lord told me to stop running. And they all came out of the van. They prayed over my life. I gave my life to Christ then. And you just don't look back. And you keep building every day to be a better person than you were the day before. You never know where you're going to find Jesus, that's for sure. What does Congressman Byron Donald say to teenager Byron Donald? Oh, my gosh, listen to your mother. Listen to your mother. She's right. Really lock in and don't take this time for granted. I think having three sons myself, I'm now on my third teenager. My youngest is 14. The one thing I always try to help them understand is that your future self is waiting for you to be disciplined and focused on the things that matter. Whether you're 13, 15, 17, it's the adult version of us that really needs that time under pressure of focus. No matter what it is, if it's college, if it's sports, if it's, you're going straight into the workforce, you have a passion about something, it's about being diligent about those things and then also understanding you still have time for friends, you'll still have time to have fun and enjoy yourself. But that focus of time and really concentrating on things that matter is critically important. The other Thing I would say is I guess he kind of did do it. But don't be afraid to fail. You know, in life a lot of times what stops us is us. Because you're always going to have naysayers. There's always going to be people who are going to be opposed to you. That's a matter of fact a life. But bet on yourself and do the hard thing. Don't be afraid of that. And that would be my advice to teenager me from now. You mentioned being the father of three terrific boys and I just had a boy of my own. What do you know now as a parent that you didn't know when they were just tots? Oh my gosh. That despite all the things that happens when you're a parent of children, just love them and hold them accountable. Yeah, you've been giving me some good advice. Love them and hold them accountable. It works. Sometimes it doesn't. Look, you know, especially in the teenage years, things are crazy sometimes you're not sure where this is going. Love them, hold them accountable and don't underestimate the time, the quality time with them. The quality time is the stuff I think your kids take with you, take with them as they mature and get older more than anything else. Let's do a little bit of politics. You know, Zoran Mamdomini looks like he's going to be New York's next mayor. It seems that way, unfortunately. Does New York, do you think John Solomon said this yesterday? Does New York need to hit rock bottom for an everyone exit for them to understand exactly what's at stake? I don't want to go that far. I think what needs to happen, honestly, and this is more on the conservative side of what's happening in New York. We have to begin to break the mold of what campaigning in New York looks like. It's not just about speeches to groups. It can't just be about door knocking. It has to be, you know, walking the streets, engaging New Yorkers on a day to day basis. I think there, I think the campaign and marketing and focus has to be much more guerrilla marketing if you're going to be successful in a venue like New York. A lot of Republicans have left New York, they've come here, they've gone to other places. But that doesn't mean that the independent voters that are there or even the registered Democrat voters who just vote Democrat, they still want the same thing that everybody else wants. They want safe streets, they want an economy that's going to work. They want a pathway of success for Their children. And I think that Republicans, conservatives in New York, if that is the bedrock of what they're campaigning for, I think they'll be much more successful into the future. Congressman, I was looking at your X account. You talked about how this is a Democrat shutdown because every time Republicans have voted to reopen it, Democrats shut it down again. Right? This can't be popular with their constituents, I wouldn't imagine. But when do they cry uncle? Honestly, I think we're probably going to see an end to this probably over the next two weeks, but we'll see. And the reason why is a lot of paychecks for a lot of different aspects of the government have to go out at the end of the month. The military, obviously, being the major one. But you have tsa, air traffic controllers, dea, atf, the FBI, a lot of other sensitive groups that do work in our government, where you never hear about them, they just do their job, but they're actually doing the right thing and working hard on behalf of our country. All that is gonna start to hit. Funding for wic, funding for SNAP benefits, all that's starting to hit. And so Republicans, we've been consistent. Every time a vote is on the Senate floor, Republicans have voted to keep the government open or to reopen the government. There are three Democrats who are voting with Republicans. John Fetterman, Angus King, Cortez Masto out of Nevada. They are voting with Republicans. But you have Chuck Schumer, who right now is trying to be a tough guy. He's trying to demonstrate that he's tough enough to stand up to Donald Trump. And this is a political shutdown of the making of the Democratic left. The Democratic left wants obscene funding for health care for illegals. That's what they want. They want obscene. They want to spend another trillion and a half dollars on top of what we're spending today. Because somewhere in their mind they thought they won the presidential election last year and they really won last year. They didn't. They lost. But they can't take that. And their base is so radical, they would rather shut down the government to prove that they can stand up to Donald Trump and get health care for illegal aliens. They are not standing for the American people. I think this comes to an end over the next two weeks because that reality is going to continue to be talked about day after day after day. When you got John Fetterman out there saying that this is of the Democrats making, you got a problem. That's for sure. Well, Congressman, my last question for you is more faith based because we are. We do talk about good and evil. James Lipton on Inside the Actors Studio. The last question he'd ever ask any actor, he would say, if God exists, what do you hope that God will say when you enter the pearly gates? I'm going to rephrase that. Because heaven does exist. Yes. So because heaven exists, what do you hope God will say to you as you enter the pearly gates? You never gave up on yourself and I never gave up on you. That's words. That's words to ponder there. Incredible. Everyone, Congressman Byron Donalds. Is this the next future governor of this great state? Thank you Congressman for your time. Steve, you got any questions for the congressman before he takes off? Steve, by the way, it's good to see you in the little box on the screen in front of me. It's good seeing you, Steve. I can't hear you but it's good to see you anyway. He'll be piped. That's right. Tell him his wife comes on a lot with us. We appreciate. We'd like to see him more often on the. Thank you. Great interview. I look forward to him being the governor of Florida. You can congratulate him on a great race. Bo, thank you very much. There you have it. All right. I realize there are many choices when it comes to who you choose for your cell phone service. There are new ones popping up all the time. But here's the truth. There's only one that boldly stands in the gap for every American that believes that freedom is worth fighting for. That, my friends, Patriot Mobile. For more than 12 years Patriot Mobile has been on the front lines fighting for our God given rights and freedoms while also providing exceptional nationwide cell phone service with access to all three of the main networks. Don't just take my word for it. Ask the hundreds of thousands of Americans who already made the switch and are now supporting causes they believe in simply by joining Patriot Mobile. Switching easier than ever. Activate in minutes from the comfort of your own home. Keep your number, keep your phone. Or yes, upgrade if you'd like to. Patriot Mobile's all US based support team standing by to take care of you right now. You can call 972 Patriot today or you can go to patriotmobile.com SaveUSA Patriot Mobile's code of Saveusa will get you a free month of Service today. That's patriotmobile.com Save USA or call 972 Patriot. Make that switch today. We'll look forward to it. We'll take a break and be back. We're going to continue our coverage out of Florida with Bo Davidson and of course in Camp Pendleton, California. We're waiting for the big show from the United States Marines. We'll be right back. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast, the News Agents Dropping daily, covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA. Listening to the newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion. We're public rec the cheat code for guys who want to look just good enough. Lightweight, breathable classics made for fall and 30% off now during our friends and family family sale. 40% off with email shop comfortable classics, no BS@PublicWrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealthbreak podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with elite checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more, because at Accu your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristianCu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Back to Marine 250 from sea to shore right here on Real America's Voice. I think that's just remarkable, don't you? I love that, you know, the Top Gun feel, the fighter jets, the energy, the pride in America. I mean, how can you beat that? I feel like a little kid when I see this stuff. That's the way I felt in Virginia. Here when we were in Norfolk for the Navy demonstration, standing on the USS Truman and standing there and looking at all this incredible equipment. American pride because we do great things. My good friend Ben Berkweim now joined by Amanda head out there in California. Bring Amanda in first. She's down the street from Ben at a little different setup. Amanda, welcome to the conversation. Glad to have you this morning. Weather looks absolutely perfect, though. I don't think she's hearing me. So let's go to Ben first. Ben, let's start with you. We'll get Amanda tuned in. You're on the beach and you're gonna see some cool stuff where you are as well. Yeah. No, the weather is perfect. I think the high is 75 today. It feels like low 70s, nice breeze, not a cloud in the sky. I mean, this is California. You know, people always ask, I used to live here. I lived 30 years here. And we moved. I say we moved back to America, moved to Arkansas. But it's so sad because California is such a great place if you take the politics out of it. But it is. When you come to a place like Pendleton, it really is just an incredible place to be. It's just a beautiful day. And again, just to set it up for those, our new audience that's just joining us, you're going to be seeing things that you don't get to see ever, really. I mean, I've lived in California most of my life and you never get to see this. We're going to see from the air, from the sea, from the ground, all of this operation celebrating, honoring our Marines. Obviously, the actual birthday, November 10th. But today we're get to celebrate them a little early. Marines, Navy, all working together. It's going to be an incredible beautiful day. Well, there you go. And now we've got Amanda head tuned in. She was on the program with me yesterday and the weather was terrific. She is out there, sunglasses on, weather perfect. Ready for a big performance here. Amanda, welcome to the program. Look, glad you're back. I think we're still having a little difficulty there. All right, what do you guys, what would you like to do here? You tell me. Amanda, can you hear me? Hey, Steve, how are you? Yes, hello. Hi, Steve. Yes, I'm not hearing Amanda. So gentlemen, tell me what you got. He said he's not hearing me. All right, we're gonna, we're gonna stick away from Amanda for a second. Little technical difficulty. Ben, we've all been there before. You travel the world, you go to all sorts of crazy places. And one of the things we were talking about earlier, you said about 3,000 no kings protests are going to be gathered there at Camp Pendleton protesting the very people that keep them safe so they can protest. Kind of weird. I mean, these are the people that are making sure so they can protest and scream about no kings, which obviously we don't have a king because if we did, they'd have no protest. But, you know, the irony of it is rich every single day. But I think you're going to wade into the crowd if they're still, still there. Yeah, I'm hoping to get out there into the crowd. I know, I know you don't want to have any issues outside of the wire, if you will, but as a guy who likes the action, if they're still out there, I might go out there and try to educate them. By the way, part of the reason we don't have a king in America is in particular because of the Marines that fought for this nation for so long and have been here on the front lines. Lieutenant Colonel, I just want to add and say, Steve, you know, we haven't talked about this yet today. Vice President Vance is a Marine. What is the significance of that? What a great day for this country. It's incredible. He is our first Marine vice president. We are so proud of him. We're so proud. He's One of us, as a public affairs officer, he was a public affairs Marine. That makes me so proud. But I know we are just excited to have him here to celebrate with us today. And I'm sure, I hope he's as excited as we are to show him what we can do. Yeah, no, you know, he obviously knows some of the capabilities. He's been out for a few years. What is he going to see new today that maybe wasn't around when he was here? I mean, the technology that we give our Marines is incredible. Like I said before, we never want a Marine to enter a fair fight. We are going to make sure that they are lethal and that they are kitted out with the best that there is. And we are going to make sure that they have every advantage when they hit a beachhead. So he is going to see Marines coming through with new rifles. Some of them have silencers on them. We are excited to showcase the LMATIs, which is a non kinetic defensive weapon or system. Sorry. And then the nemesis that's going to come ashore as well as our new ship interdiction system. And you know, it is just going to be a sight to see. Are we. So on this combat. Combat town, when they're, when they're clearing the buildings over here, are they using live fire? Is this going to be. Are we going to get to hear the weaponry? No. No. So for safety reasons, we are using pyrotechnics and special effects. The live fire will come from the artillery. We are firing in accordance with all our safety protocols. We are, we are going to be good community neighbors. And for the, for the safety of the Marines, for the safety of everybody involved, we have established ranges and protocols to make that happen. But the special effects you're going to see today, no, there are no live bullets firing. These are our. So I don't need to duck. I've been in, I've been in one shootout in the Darien Gap with the Gulf Cartel. So I know the sound of a bullet coming at you, but. So I'm not gonna have to worry about that today. Secret Service wouldn't allow that either. But you know, the aircraft are gonna come in low and slow. It is gonna be an absolute sight to see. And see the air power it's the Navy Marine Corps team brings to bear. I love it. I love it. Thank you, Steve. There you have it. Another great report, Ben. We're going to have a low and slow all sorts of action coming up today. You know, I'm going to miss any of this. And like the United States Marines protecting you and I. That's why I find it ironic that they would gather outside the gate. Thank you, Ben. We'll be back to Ben here in a bit and we're going to get that little snafu worked out with Amanda. But before that, listen up patriots. If you want to fight for this country, amac, the association of Mature American Citizens, is the organization for you to join. They are the conservative alternative to AARP and they're fighting every day to protect faith, family, freedom and our American way of life. When you become a member, you get access to powerful perks, exclusive discounts on travel, insurance and more, plus valuable member tools and a subscription to the AMAC magazine, which tells the truth the mainstream media will not. And it's incredibly affordable. You become a one year member for one dollar for a buck. Don't wait. Go to amac. US Marine Join the movement to save America. Amac US Marine Like I said, join the movement to save America. We've all done it. You should do it as well. We're gonna take a break. We're gonna get hooked up with Amanda head. I promise you that. Straight ahead on Real America's Voice. We'll be right back with more Marine 250 from sea to shore only on Real America's Voice. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use. Our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News agents. We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast, the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA. Listening to the newsagents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion trends. We are public rec and our whole brand was built as a cheat code for guys who want to look good and feel even better in lightweight, breathable classics made to wear all day, any day, especially in the fall. And right now you can get 30 off every single thing we sell during our friends and family sale. 40% off if you sign up for email. Shop comfortable classics, no bs@publicwrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle, and relying on your community to create something bigger. That's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You'll hear from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learned to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with elite checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu, your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristiancu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. For 250 years, the United States Marine Corps has stood as the world's most formidable fighting force. From the founding Aton Tavern to the battlefields of today, their legacy is one of sacrifice, courage and uncommon valor. Today, we honor that legacy with a historic salute. Marine 250 from sea to shore starts right now. What a day it is. You know I had the distinction honor to cover the 250 parade for the United States Army. The 250 event for the United States Navy. My good friend Amanda had on location now in California because she gets the distinct honor of honoring the United states marines at 250 years old now. And yes, she's with us. Amanda, welcome to a great day out there. It looks like absolutely gorgeous day. And Steve, you know, it is an absolute, absolute honor to cover this event, but it kind of puts things in perspective. Steve, you and I have covered politics together at Real America's Voice for quite a long time back, back before the 20, 2020 election. And I keep thinking to myself, for, for us, for those of us who cover politics, politics is our life. We eat, sleep, drink and, and follow it all day long. What a time to be alive. What a time to be alive, not only for our nation's 250ifth birthday, but to have President Donald Trump in office who, you know, is overseeing all of these celebrations and his fingerprints are all over this. Obviously, this is all about commemorating the 250th birthday of our great United States Marines. But the playlist here, it's Donna Summer, it's Beach Boys, it's all of those songs that, Steve, I know you are familiar with from President Trump's playlist from rallies and the playlist that he plays even at Mar a Lago and at the White House. So it is, it is a fantastic day. As Ben was telling you, the weather is just spectacular. Things are going to get kicked off around 1pm and that is when the ACVs, those are amphibious combat vehicles, those are going to be launching off of Navy ships just off of the, the, the coast here in the Pacific Ocean. Those amphibious combat vehicles are going to be traveling to shore. They're going to land a little bit north of here at Red Sand Beach. And that is where Vice President J.D. vance, who, as Ben was talking about, served as a Marine, our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, the Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan, they are going to be there on the beach receiving those ACVs. And that is going to be telebroadcast on the screens that are all around this venue. This is the, the main stage area. So people will be able to see that that's going to kick off at 1:00'. Clock. And of course, right when you were trying to come live to me earlier is when they kicked off the, the sound check, which is why I had to, to switch over to these Iores in my ears. But at any rate, everyone here is excited. This place is crawling with men and women of the United States Marine Corps. It's wonderful to see. And what a day to be, you know, here celebrating our nation's birthday. Yep. Amanda, you're right. Thank you for that, by the way. Same thing happened when we did the parade for the United States Army. Same thing happened two weeks ago in the United States Navy. They turn up the sound system to the point that your eyeballs are jiggling in your head. That is a fact. Now, Ben's gonna be right down there on the beach. For any of you just joining us now for this Marine 250 celebration. He's at a beachhead and he's got the command and control to one side. He's got all the Marines to another side. They're gonna be down there. They're gonna report to Pete Hegseth, they're gonna report to JD Vance, who are both gonna be there giving comments where Amanda is. But Ben, you're right where a lot of the action is going to happen. You've got a front row seat on a beach. It just figures Ben's on the beach on this beautiful Saturday. But it's a place there's going to be a lot of action, right? Yeah. You know, sometimes you got to take it for the team and, you know, I just. I'm just the lucky one that gets to do it today. Yeah. So just to again, give you a setup with this, I've never seen this before. We've got 10 military ships out at sea. Basically, we're surrounded to keep these waterways clear, so no civilian ships are able to come through. Each one of those has a tactical reason for being here as well. We've got the aircraft carrier again, the Teddy Roosevelt, off in the distance. We've got the. We actually, the Navy SEALs have already been deployed out here. They're doing some testing, running through a couple of their spots. A few of the Navy SEALs are going to be dropped out of helicopters. Some of them are going to be coming on those amphibious on the boats, those quick boats that are going to be coming on. It's just going to be an incredible, incredible scene to see, to witness. The part that I'm most excited about, though, is the concussion that we're going to feel from that artillery, the live fire artillery that's going to be going overhead as well. But it's just. I mean, it's just really, really neat. So we've got Secret Service on the ground now. They're doing their sweeps as we speak, just getting ready. So you can feel the anticipation of Vice President Vance going to be coming here again. Secretary Hegseth going to be coming here as well. Before they move on to where Amanda's at the main stage. We're going to get to witness that firsthand. And as you guys mentioned, you know this. To have President Trump, Amanda said that. To have President Trump in office right now at this time this year, commemorating the celebration of our country, you know, not to get too political, but to get political. I just can't imagine this had it not, had the elections not gone the way they went. I thank God every single day that we have President Trump in the White House. And all you have to do, Steve, is look outside like we've been talking about the people that are going to be protesting this. Imagine if they were in office today. Thank God they're not. I agree with you on that. But here's something I do want to ask you about, Ben, and I'm going to have Amanda way on this as well. Look, look, we're at what, day 17 now of a government shutdown. This president, this secretary of war, have been working overtime to try to figure out where the money is coming from to make sure that our troops, whether they're stationed here or anywhere all over this world, defending American interests, they're doing things that I don't think we've seen from other administrations making sure during a government shutdown, those that are on the front lines are getting paid. Air traffic controllers are trying to get TSA paid, all the critical infrastructure. But those soldiers there deserve to get paid. Anybody that's trying to shut the government down or keeping it shut down should be ashamed. Ben, I'll start with you, and then I'll go to Amanda. But your thoughts? Yeah, no, absolutely. And you know, you talk about a job, you're not going into the military to make money. A lot of our military members, service members, are like most families across America. They're paycheck to paycheck. They're week to week, they're month to month. And so you have to. We have to. And especially the ones that are deployed overseas, their family members are having to live and raise their children here at home. And so nobody deserves that more than those service members. But I also think about the, you know, the ICE agents that I was riding with earlier this week and the Border Patrol and all of those federal employees who put their lives on the line every single day. They absolutely deserve to get paid. And, and the fact that we have Democrats holding our government hostage primarily to give money, more money to illegal aliens, it's just not just a slap in the face it is spitting in the face of the sacrifice of these brave men and women. So I do, I pray and I thank God again for President Trump and his entire team that are looking for ways to make sure that their bills are paid. It's just, you know, it's sad that we have to even give commentary on it. Yeah. Amanda, you mentioned here a moment ago, you and I have been covering politics. I've been with this network, I think, since 2019. We've been covering a lot of different things, a couple of different government shutdowns. You know, The Democrats passed 13 continuing resolutions during Joe Biden's administration, another one earlier this year in March. But suddenly they want to play games. And the people that you're surrounded by today are some of the people that are caught in that financial squeeze if they can't figure out where to find more money to keep the checks coming to the military, I, I think it's shameful. What are your thoughts here? I know you talk to a lot of these people. Yeah, absolutely. Well, you know, Ben opened up the door for us to get political, so I will second that. And I was just thinking, can you imagine if Kamala Harris was president right now, what the soundtrack would be? It would be Bad Bunny singing in Spanish. It would be Billie Eilish who takes every opportunity to bash Donald Trump, and it would be a woke fest for America's 250. So thank goodness that's not where we are. But, yeah, you know, we've covered quite a few shutdowns. And Democrats have. Have never had an issue voting for a CR when they were in power. This is the Schumer shutdown. And as we discussed yesterday, the White House is doing a fantastic job of making sure the American people know that this, this was a cr. The Republicans passed a clean cr. All Democrats had to do was sign on for it. And Chuck Schumer and other Democrats, Hakeem Jeffrey Jeffreys out there saying, well, Republicans have the House, Republicans have the Senate. Hello. You have to have 60 votes in the Senate. I'm not sure if you guys are familiar. Not you guys, but Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, if you gentlemen are aware of parliamentary rules, but this is how it works. So if you're new on Capitol Hill, which you're not, you ought to know that. So I think Democrats are doing everything they can to pin everything on Donald Trump. But here's the reality. America bifurcated between those who despise this country and also despise Donald Trump. And those who love this country and love Donald Trump. And I don't think that that the, that that line between the two has moved to one side or the other. I think that those who support President Trump, they support Republicans standing strong. And I'm with you, Steve. We were talking about this yesterday. Mike Johnson, Donald Trump. Don't you guys move an inch. John Thune, don't you move an inch. You stand strong. Do not let Democrats move you in towards their side. You have all of the leverage in this situation. You have had all of the leverage in this situation. And the longer the stretch out, that just means that there are more layoffs on the federal level. So it's a win, win for the American people. And it's an additional win that Donald Trump is in office helping to, you know, organize and oversee all of these celebrations. And to the men and women who are here on the ground who, you know, are facing a possibility ability of not getting a paycheck. If I know anything about Donald Trump, it is that he is going to prioritize our service members, just like he did a few days ago in making sure that they get paid. Moms who need, you know, supplies for their babies, he's going to cover that. He's going to find a way to make that happen. This is not unlike his business deals in the past. You know, one of the, one of the hallmark assets for a business leader is being creative and thinking outside the box. That is something that Dominic Trump has done throughout his career in America, in real estate, corporate America. And it is a skill that he is utilizing at the White House to make sure that these brave men and women get their paycheck. Amen. Let me tell you who's standing strong today. Amanda, the trumpet player for the Marine band right there. He's nailing it. He's knocking it out of the park right there. He's killing it. Yeah. They are so good. All right, guys. Amazing. Yeah, we're gonna check back with both you. We'll take a quick break here. I want to break into the conversation now. Pete Hegseth because he has changed the culture of the United States military. When I was with him at the US army event, you can see how they have embraced him. It was really evident two weeks ago there in Norfolk, Virginia for the US Navy 250 year celebration. When Pete Hegseth enters the room or enters the platform to come out to speak, they go wild. They like this guy because he was a real soldier on par with them. They like him a lot. JD Vance for the same reason. But Pete Agsev really has become a popular individual here. Here he is at Quantico talking about the importance of peace through strength. All right, listen to this. We love peace for our fellow citizens. They deserve peace and they rightfully expect peace us to deliver it. Our number one job, of course, is to be strong so that we can prevent war in the first place. The president talks about it all the time. It's called peace through strength. And as history teaches us, the only people who actually deserve peace are those who are willing to wage war to defend it. That's why pacifism is so naive and dangerous. It ignores human nature and it ignores human history. Either you protect your people and your sovereignty, or you will be subservient to something or someone. It's a truth as old as time. And since waging war is so costly in blood and treasure, we owe our republic a military that will win any war we choose or any war that is thrust upon us. Well, thrust upon us. It's a good message. We're going to talk more with Amanda and Ben. We come back. But first, this gold, up 60% this year. Have you realized that gold is over $4,200 an ounce? 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Remember, my friend Philip Patrick at Birchgold said it's going to 5,000 sooner than you think. Well, if that's true, you might want to get on board. We'll take a break with a day of celebration. Marines 250 in California. Moms for liberty down in Florida. What a great day here in real America's voice. Thank you for being here. We're going to talk about the woke military and how it's changed under this administration. When we come back, let's hear it for our tuba player, Sergeant Lester. This tune is called Black and Blues and it's going to feature our trombone soloists, Sergeant Gallatin and Sergeant Montoya. Sam the US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point. As demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, red, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The news agents. We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis. And me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast, the News Agents dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs. And the news agents us listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion trends. We are public wreck and our whole brand was built as a cheat code for guys who want to look good and feel even better in lightweight, breathable classics made to wear all day, any day, especially in the fall. And right now, you can get 30% off every single thing we sell during our friends and family sale. 40% off if you sign up for email. Shop comfortable classics, no bs@publicwrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealthbreak podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with elite checking earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000, get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristiancu.com to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the ncua they are terrific, aren't they? What a celebration. They are terrific. The band, just wonderful. Here's what I want to start with because I want to get Ben and Amanda to weigh in on this. Pete Hegseth again. He's changed the culture of the military. I want you to hear a quote from him here. A little bit of a conversation at Quantico about how the armed forces had lost its way. It had become the Woke department, not the War Department. Right? Here's what he had to say. For too long we've promoted too many uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons. Based on their race, based on gender quotas, based on historic so called firsts. We've pretended that combat arms and non combat arms are the same thing. We've weeded out so called toxic leaders under the guise of double blind psychology assessments promoting risk averse go along to get along conformists. Instead, you name it, the department did it. Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way. We became the Woke department. But not anymore. Right now I'm looking out at a sea of Americans who made a choice when they were young men and young women to do something most Americans will not. To serve something greater than yourselves. To fight for God in country, for freedom and the Constitution. You made a choice to serve when others did not and I commend you. You are truly the best Of America, the best of America. Amanda, I'm going to start with you between sets, hopefully there of the band who is terrific by the way. Absolutely marvelous. But there is a change of culture. You're there in D.C. every day with John Solomon. You can feel the change of culture in that city. But there's a change of culture everywhere that Pete Hegseth goes saying, look, we don't need to be woke, we need to be warriors. What are your thoughts? You know, the peace through strength thing is important for an administration. It's important in foreign policy. It's important at the top, but it's also important and it's important for our enemies abroad to hear it. It's important for our allies as well because they want to see a strong America. It's also important, important for the men and women who serve this country and protect this country to know that there is a clear message, a message of lethality, a message of defending this nation and her values. That is important because similar to the reason that we saw so many conflicts break out under Joe Biden, when there's not a clear message, there's chaos. And you, and you saw it in the ranks of the military under, under Joe Biden. I mean the, you know, the, the, I'm not even to go into all of the, the garbage with the dog mask and all of the, you know, Levine, whatever his name, Richard Levine, you know, these. That creates chaos and it dissolves the message of strength that our armed forces needs. Because here's the deal and we know, we all know about all of the recruiting numbers and how military recruiting under Joe Biden and was in the gutter and now it is passing expectations at historical highs. The reason you didn't have people signing up to serve this country is because they didn't believe in the message. Because there wasn't a message. It was it, you know, there, there were too many different initiatives that Joe Biden and his ilk replaced with patriotism, replaced with strength and defense. There were too many bad ideas woke garbage that they injected into this military that muddied the waters such that 18 year old men and women in this country looked at the military as a career option. And look, it's a career for some people, it's a stepping stone for some people. It is a way to pay for education for some people. But they all looked at that opportunity that our military provides for young men and women and they said, no thanks, I don't want to be a part of that. That is to me one of the, the biggest shifts that we are seeing right now. And it bears out among all of the men and women who are here today, there is a central message that is protecting this country, being proud to be an American and being proud of what has happened for the last 249 and a half years and the years leading up to the inception of this country. And it. You are seeing it in every square inch of the preparation of this event today. And every single man and woman here appears to be so very proud to not only be an American, but to be serving the American people. Yeah, exactly right. It's a complete change of attitude, Ben. And I know that you travel this country more than just about anybody else on the real America's Voice team because you go from the border, you go into South America, you come back, you're in Chicago working with ICE agents this week. It just seems that this attitude, it's not just in the military, this change of wokeness is permeating through this country for people that work on the border patrol, for people that work as law enforcement, for people that work in the military. And it's a change for the good. From where I sit, your thoughts? Well, you know, it goes back to the idea of Occam's Razor. The simplest solution is oftentimes the best. Or when I was a kid, it was even simpler than that. We had a saying, keep it simple, stupid. And that, you know, when you think about what the warriors, what our military primary objective is, should be has always been until the last couple decades, it's to win wars. It's to train men and women, primarily men, to go in and fight and kill people on behalf of our nation, to protect us, to be a deterrent around the world from enemies that want to harm this nation and the people of this nation and ultimately harm the. The nations of the world. We are the city on a hill. We are the blessings to the world because of that strength. And when you saw what we had under the previous administration, where you replaced war with woke, as Secretary Hegseth said, you look at that and you say, what a bad idea. I mean, this is not what their objective should be. We want the best of the best to go out there and fight America's wars or in hopes, hopefully not have to fight the war, because our adversaries know how strong we are. And that's really ultimately what you see the difference is our priorities are right now. You have people that look at these problems and they say, what are the solutions? And you have somebody like Secretary Hegseth who says, what is Our role as a military, what is our role? What should we be training our military to be? What should we be doing when we, we set standards and priorities for our men and women? And it goes back to it, keep it simple. This is our objective. We want to be the best that we can possibly be. We want to have the highest standards possible so that when and if we have to go to battle, we have the best and we win. As you heard Lieutenant Colonel saying earlier, we don't go into fair fights. We go into fights that we can win because we know the battlefield, we know our enemies. It's the art of war. You have to know your enemies and know thyself. That's the goal. That's the goal. And it's what the goal should have always been. Now we're getting back to that goal. And you know, again, thinking about this as Amanda and you and Steve, you and I were talking about, I mean, imagine if, if it wasn't President Trump and Secretary Hegseth in control now. We got a helicopter coming over. We got all kinds of action coming over here. If it wasn't President Trump, imagine how woke unfortunately, these celebrations would be. Thank God they're not. Thank God we get to focus on the men and women in uniform, the best of the best in our country. Well, let me ask you about one thing you mentioned because this change in attitude. There's been a dramatic change in recruiting in this country, a dramatic change in recruiting. The military meeting its goals, its objectives early. But is that also, and this question to you first, Ben, Is that also translating to border patrol, to ice, to, to local police farms? I mean, today the New York City police farm is down 1400 people. I don't think there's a big recruiting surge in New York City based on the politics happening there. But in other places, we are seeing people saying, you know what, I do want to be part of it. How do we get the recruiting to continue its momentum, but not just for the military, but across the board in law enforcement? Yeah. I mean, it's very simple. You get back to what drove people to law enforcement in the first place. It was to protect and serve. It was patriotism. If you're looking at military, it's patriotism, love for country. If you're looking at law enforcement, it's patriotism, love for your community and anything that takes away from that. And in particular, you look at what we had with the BLM riots across America and the defund the police movement. No, of course recruiting is difficult in New York City. It's difficult in Chicago, it's difficult in Los Angeles because you've taken away from that primary role and you've taken away the people that would actually fill those roles. You're not gonna, look, I'm sorry, you're not gonna go to Antifa and get them to become police officers. For one. You wouldn't want them to be, but that's just not what they want. They don't like this country, so why would they go into those roles? They don't want to protect and serve. Most of them are cowards. They only fight when it's, you know, it's 20 on one and they, and they can beat up the weaker person. But you look at red states and you look at ICE, man, ICE's recruiting is through the roof. And people are finally coming back saying, we want to do that job. Border patrol is the same way we want to do that job. We want to be on the front lines to save this country. We want to restore this nation. And, and that's all you have to do is look at red states versus blue states very hard. And that's probably why they're hiring illegal alien cops, because they can't get citizens to do a job in the United States because they've destroyed them. Yeah, we saw that, Amanda. It's remarkably, it's just remarkable to me. The people keep screaming for more government, more government, more government. Hate the police. What do they think the police are? What do you think the military is? It is the government and it's the most powerful form of the government and they want more government until it's police and then they want none of it. But what about recruiting? What about getting the next generation to be proud to put on the badge, to be proud to protect their neighborhood or their nation? What do you think, Amanda? Yeah. So John and I actually on our show last night were speaking to a number of individuals, one of which was Erica Donald, Congressman Byron Donald's wife, about what is happening in this country with civics education. And you know, from, from my angle, from my standpoint, there are two different ways that you have to tackle civics education in this country. For American born children who grow up in our school systems, that's obviously got to be something that, that, that reemerges in the curriculum. But the second thing, Steve, is for immigrants coming into this country, for the wonderful ones that are doing it the lawful way, who are, you know, paying the fees, doing it, you know, filling out all the forms and look there, there's a law. Larger conversation to have about how arduous that process is to become a legal citizen. But that doesn't mean that you get to break the law. So for those who come into this country lawfully, you know, the President Trump has talked about the citizenship test and making it better in using that test to instill into immigrants coming into this country a love and a desire to assimilate for this to this country and to its values. So I think if you, if we can turn the education system around, which, look, the federal Department of Education has been gutted by about 48% at this point. So that's a really good thing because you're returning education and the decision making when it comes to civics education, you're returning that to the state and to parents, and that's, that's where it should be anyway. But until we do that, until we are successful in teaching, teaching kids what happened 250 years ago. Why is this country so special? The number one reason is because you look at our founding fathers and what they sought to do in this country. Yes, it's the whole taxation without representation thing, but it's also the fact that in areas of New England, the crown would come around and they would tag trees to use for timber for the British Navy. They got that first before the colonists who had been here at that point point for hundreds of years. So it was things like that. It was, you know, the oppression that they felt from the crowd, the aggression that they felt from King George. And for these men to have such a radical idea that government should be run by the people, that there should not be this far off monarch, the notion of a democratic republic, that was a radical idea at the time. And all of this is the amazing thing we are still learning today. The brilliance of things that they did, the things that they, that they planted in our Constitution, in our Bill of Rights, in the Declaration of Independence. And you still have Democrats today like Senator Tim Kaine, who is denying the fact that those rights come from God and he is saying that they come from government. I, I tell you, Senator Kaine, you are wrong and you are diametrically opposed to the founding values of this country and to the father fathers who, who conceptualize the brilliance of this nation. So I, you know, I don't even know where your question started. I just went off on a tangent. I'm sorry, Steve. I'm just, sorry. I fully enjoyed it. So consumed with love for this country. Thank you. I fully enjoy it. Time out for Amanda. Time out. All right, guys, stand by. Ben, there's no problem. There. Right guys, I'll be right back. We got to hit a break here. But I realize there are many choices when it comes to who you choose for your cell phone service. New ones popping up all the time. Here's the truth. There's only one that boldly stands in the gap for every American that believes that freedom is worth fighting for. It's the one I use. It's Patriot Mobile. For more than a dozen years now, Patriot Mobile has been on the front lines fighting for our God given rights and freedoms while also providing exceptional nationwide cell phone service. Access now to all three of the main networks. Don't just take my word for it. 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As demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure can't keep up. And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening. But why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily. Covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs. And the newsagents USA. Listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion. We're public rec, the cheat code for guys who want to look just good enough. Lightweight, breathable classics made for fall and 30% off now during our friends and family sale. 40% off with email. Shop comfortable classics, no BS@PublicWrec.com radio BU never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle, and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealthbreak podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community, and delivers top financial services with elite checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu, your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristiancu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Welcome back to Marine 250 from sea to Shore right here on Real America's Voice. All right, welcome back. We'll continue to cover that Marine 250 sea to shore celebration marking 250 years of the US Marine Corps protecting you and I and the freedoms of this country. Plus, we'll be going back again to Moms for Liberty. That's happening in Florida today. So a lot going on. Unreal. America's voice I'm glad you're here now. But joining me now, a 24 year Marine Corps veteran, he served at Camp Pendleton where Ben Berkwam is at this moment. He's also the father of one of the engineers in our Denver control room today. So that's good news. Retired Marine Sergeant Major Edward Lemos is joining me. Sergeant, thank you for being here. Urag, good afternoon. Thank you for having me. Appreciate it. All right, so, so give us a glimpse inside the life of a United States Marine for 24 years. What's it like to be a Camp Pendleton? What's it like to be a United States Marine? To be a United States Marine is probably the best feeling in the world. Graduating, you know, back in 2000, my parents were super proud of me. My girlfriend, who is now my wife, was super proud, super proud of me. When you, when you first go in, it's like, hey, four years out, I'm gonna go get out, go, you know, join the police force or go to college. But you, you, you build such camaraderie with the people around you that, you know, you just stick around. And before you know it, that time's up, time adds up really quickly. And 24 years later, you know, it's time to retire, time to hang up the uniform and go do something different. But living in Camp Pendleton, it's a small city within itself. You know, you have an exchange with grocery stores, you know, families going in and out everywhere. It's a small city. It's the safest place that my wife and I have ever felt, have ever lived in inside the actual installation itself. Let me ask you this. We were just talking about this on the program and we had Pete Hegseth talking about you need to have, have warriors, not woke. What was the, what was the general attitude of the year 2000 compared to what it became here three, four years ago? What it seemed like the DEI and the wokeness was taking over. Did you see a change? Was it different for you from your perspective? I, I did, I did as a, as a gunnery sergeant and as a sergeant in the Marine Corps. When you first started out, you give a lot, you get a lot of power, right? A young 25, 26 year old man taking care of troops 5, 7, 10 people underneath them, being responsible for them. What you said was needed to be done. Then later on, things started to change. You know, we had to be Careful what we said in front of people, in front of our troops, had to be careful on, you know, being accused of something of mistreating people. It, it became very, a very, very different place. Especially the last, I would say maybe six years in the Corps that I was in. It became a very big different place. It became a different place. So let me ask you this. You probably still have friends in the United States Marines still in the Corps, right? I do. And assuming that, and assuming that you have probably talked to them on a regular basis, has it changed? Has the attitude changed? What do they think of Pete Heg says Secretary of War. What do they think about the attitude changes? Cleaning house we love it. We love it. I, I think we think it's a great idea going back. I mean, the Marine Corps never really left its ethos. It's, it's fighting spirit still remained there. We just had to go ahead and walk around eggshells a lot of the times just to make sure that we didn't go ahead and offend other people. But for the most part, you know, Marines are Marines, and that's one of the reasons why individuals joined the Marine Corps is to be different. And we do like, you know, Pete Hestick, I personally like to Pete Hestick. I think he's doing a great job in making changes, not just for the whole military. I mean, the Marine Corps, it's not really going to change. It's remained the same. But we did see a lot of changes in the other branches of services. Yeah. So it's different now. People, are they encouraged? Do they feel like we're returning to our fighting roots? Warriors not woke and all of that. Is the Marine Corps in better shape today than it was one year ago today? I truly believe so. I think the people that we're recruiting right now are, want to come into the Corps. You know, we're not out there searching for them. They actually are coming to the office. So I retired as a recruiting station sergeant Major, and I can say the last two years of service were probably the hardest that I ever did. Seeing my Marines work in and out every day, you know, 12, 13 hours a day, you know, trying to go ahead and talk to individuals that would reject them. They didn't like the policies that were in place. And since we had President Trump come on board, you know, we did see a jump in individuals want to go ahead and enlist and join, join the Marine Corps itself. And it's not necessarily for the benefits that come with serving in service in the military. It's by the Pride of becoming a Marine. Being different. Yeah. And they were lowering standards there for a while. Pete Hegseth came back, the secretary did here recently said, look, we're gonna, we're gonna have the standards back to where they belong. We're gonna make sure the standards across. If you're a woman, you can pass those standards. Good. You're welcome aboard. We have no problem with that. But you can't just continue to lower standards because then you end up with a. Well, a less, you end up with a lesser Marine Corps. Wouldn't you? So how do you feel about the standards being re implemented the way that Pete Hegseth has done it? You know something, I don't think the Marine Corps standards ever really changed. A physical fitness test, a combat fitness test. Were there always been two different standards for men and women to go ahead and do it? The one thing that we did change, and I think was about six, seven years into the Marine Corps while I was in, is that they brought in the combat fitness test. We used to do the two physical fitness tests a year, and they brought in the combat fitness test. And that was very challenging when it came in. But as long as you train to it and you know, individuals can get strong. Our women, I think our women Marines are probably the, the strongest and fittest service members in all branches. They're required to do push pull ups. You know, they used to do a dead hang. Now they actually have to do an actual pull ups in order for their scores to be up. And as we all know, their body mass and their strength is completely different. They do 10 pull ups and that's a perfect score for them. Marines, males, they got to do 20, 20 push pull ups and that's a perfect score for them. As a grocer instructor myself, you know, that's one big thing. Physical fitness is one thing. I push on my cadets a lot, and that's one thing that they love about it. You know, once a Marine, always a Marine. Let me ask you this. Are you optimistic about the future of the United States? Not just the Marines, but the United States military, as you see the changes that are happening right now? Are you optimistic? I am very optimistic. I think we're going in the right direction. And I think our branches of services are. They fight together, we work together, we work with other countries and other forces. And I think we're doing a fantastic thing looking back into our Corps. Making our military stronger is very important. We saw what happened in the early 90s with President Clinton when he got rid of a lot of there was a cut down in the services. And I know that President Trump and Pete Hestick are all trying to go ahead and increase the military size, which is very important. You know, strength and power. Peace through strength. I appreciate you standing watch for me the time that you did it, Sergeant Major. Greatly appreciate you being here today and sharing your, your experience as well. Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. Appreciate it. There you have it. While we're on this topic, and he just mentioned the physical standard, I do want to jump to Pete Hegseth. It's number four for you guys in the control room talking about the demands on the military and the standards that have to be there. Listen to this. It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the Secretary of War can do regular hard pt, so can every member of our joint force. Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations or really any formation and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world. It's a bad look. It is bad. And it's not who we are. So whether you're an Airborne Ranger or a Chairborne Ranger, a brand new private or a four star general, you need to meet the height and weight standards and pass your PT test. And as the chairman said, yes, there is no PT test. Are you an Airborne Ranger or a Chairborne Ranger? Funny stuff, pete. Well done, Mr. Secretary. All right, listen up, patriots. 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Yeah, Steve, before I forget, and I've been missing this all day, I do want to give a special shout out to my Marine Corps Scout sniper, the voice of law and border, Dave Bray, usa, an amazing patriot for our country. I have the honor of working with him. He's also, of course, the voice of law and border, as I mentioned. Davebrayusa.com I love you, brother. God bless you. God bless all of our marines out there. Lt. Col. Pyrek so just walk us through again what we're going to see. And again, it's the first Marine Expeditionary. First Marine Expeditionary Force. Yeah. Such a nice, nice sounding title. So talk, walk us through what we're going to see, our audience is going to see. And again, we're very unique vantage point to be able to be out here. Absolutely. So, you know, what better way for Marines to celebrate our birthday than with good hard training? We are excited to do what we do and to show it to you and to the world. And so today, you know, Marines operate from the sea. So we're here with our Navy brothers and sisters. And so Marines are going to operate out of the sea, fight to the shore and then retrograde back to the sea as we would do in any sort of crisis situation. And so they're going to arrive via air, land and sea. We're going to start out with our reconnaissance Marines who are going to parachute in. They set the battlefield for us. They're our eyes and ears. And then they're going to be followed almost simultaneously and traced by our Navy seals who are going to helocast out of a helicopter. They're going to jump into the water and swim ashore. And those elements will set the battlefield for us. They clear obstacles, they send information real time back to the command center to make sure that our marines can get ashore to, to take the objective that they've been sent to. They will be fire followed by light armor reconnaissance that is able to then secure and separate the objectives so that no further enemy could come in. And then we're going to have AC come ashore. Those are the amphibious combat vehicles that are going to bring our Marines. They're essentially a floating tank that is going to drive out the back of the well deck of the USS Boxer, swim to the shoreline, come ashore, drive up the beachhead, and Marines are going to flow out the back of it. And those marines are able to then clear through the city and make sure that combat town is secure. They will be followed by landing craft aircraft. The LCACs that the Navy flies are going to bring our heavy equipment ashore. So they're coming up with the Nemesis anti ship interdiction system as well as our artillery fire. And we're going to mass combat power on this beach and throughout this. We are going to have a demonstration of, you know, Marine and naval air power. They are going to fly both deep strikes as well as simulated close air support. And then at the end of this, we are going to fire, live fire, in accordance with all safety protocols into our training ranges. And it is going to be truly a sight to see. Yeah, I noticed that we've got some headphones over there, or not headphones, but the ear protection. Are we going to need those or can I, can I do it without. You're going to need it for the air power. These pilots are excited to show you what they've got. It will be roaring loud as they, they fly past us. And then as well as the artillery fire that those guns are loud, but they are going to deliver precision fires. You know, Steve, sometimes our job is hard. Today it's not. I am so looking forward to this. Yeah, you know, it's the same thing, Ben. When I was there with the Navy, it's like you get to see all these incredible, I don't mean to call them toys, but it's awe inspiring because since I was a kid, you look at these things, man, you look. These are just remarkable. Things to take pride in. It's the American pride. I get, Ben. I get it. Yeah. And by the way, as I said that, I just thought my job is really never hard compared to the men and women in combat, so I even take that back. My job is never really hard, relatively speaking. So what an honor to be out here, Steve, with the men and women that put on that uniform, that sacrifice for this country. God bless you all. God bless all of our troops. There you go. All right, Ben, Greatly appreciate that. We're gonna back away from Ben for just a moment here. I think we're gonna run down the shore, if I'm not mistaken, where Amanda Head is standing by. She had to put in the. The AirPods because the band, which, by the way, Amanda, that band is terrific. I mean, and nothing against the army band, nothing against the Navy band. If. If there was a competition. These guys are killing it. I'm just telling you. They're just killing. Is so amazing. And look, if you are my generation of millennial, you might be familiar, and this is going to be such an obscure cultural reference, but Christina Aguilera had a song called Candyman, and the music video for that feature, the. The style of the song was very much like what you. You are hearing that 1950s, 1960s bop with a little bit of, like, early 2000s flare. But in the music video, she's dancing alongside a military band, and it just reminded me of that. So clean, so crisp, so stylistic. It. It's just amazing. The vibe here is incredible. The stands are starting to fill up, I would say. I mean, you can see behind me, it's pretty much awful, except for maybe a few seats here and there. And much like the rally setup that we've seen for President Trump's campaign, rallies, seats all the way up the side. There's another grandstand behind the stage, and there's. I'm staring at a giant American flag. So I have to say for myself, it's just a. It's just a Polaroid moment looking up at this behind the camera. But on the backside of this American flag is a huge video board. So the people who are in the grandstands behind there can still see everything. Everything that's happening. So it's incredible. I. Listen, I've always said this. I'm terrible at crowd estimates. I have no idea. It could be 3,000, it could be 15,000. It's somewhere in between there, I do believe, but things are starting to get fired up. I think that they are starting the ceremony in about eight minutes. So we're going to be taking that live and you're all going to get to see the best coverage of this from your home, from your couch. So, you know, enjoy. Buckle up. It's going to be, be incredible. I'm so glad that Ben had that opportunity to interview that soldier because hearing about everything that's going to be taking place, I mean, it just, it brings tears to my eyes. I love this kind of stuff. I love the flyovers. Getting to see the might and the precision of the United States Marine Corps. That is what today is all about. It's about love of the Marines, love of country and love for everything that, that the last 250 years have produced to lead up to next year, July of 2026. Well said, Amanda. Very well said. Is a remarkable celebration which we're going to continue sharing with you for the rest of the day. She said we're going to get to the, the real speakers and so forth. Kickoff here in, you know, top of the hours, what we're expecting. Let me tell you this though. Gold is up around 60% this year. That's not speculation, it's reality. If a portion of your savings isn't diversified into gold, you're missing the boat. Time to get on that boat, my friends. Gold is at almost $4,300 an ounce. You wish you bought more, didn't you? Or bought some. I guess I do. Here are the facts. Inflation's still too high. The US Dollar is still too weak. Government debt is insurmountable. 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And I just want to reflect on something that happened here a few days ago, and that, of course, was Charlie Kirk, the Medal of Freedom. I think it was a moment that a lot of us have reflected on for the past month. Well, ever since September 10th. And I think on this day, maybe it's an important time to. To include a comment from that. I want Donald Trump's remarks at the awards ceremony in case you missed it for any reason, when he was awarding the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Crick posthumously after his assassination. It's just one of those moments that fits for me today. Listen. Five weeks ago, our nation was robbed of this extraordinary champion. He was a champion in every way. I got to know him so well. He didn't like losing, and he was able to fight people that were enemies, and he didn't necessarily love those enemies so much. You know, I heard. I heard he loved his enemies. And I said, wait a minute. Is that the same Charlie that I know? I'm not sure, but I didn't want to get into it. But it was a horrible, heinous, demonic act of murder. He was assassinated in the prime of his life for boldly speaking the truth, for living his faith, and relentlessly fighting for a better and stronger America. He loved this country. And that's why this afternoon, it's my privilege to posthumously award Charles James Kirk, our nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Thank you. Good to be in American today. I also have good news. They have started the ceremony there in California. We're going to go straight to the stage as they have live speakers. And there was no shortage of moments when we should have. But we weren't quite allowed to, were we? Not because we weren't strong enough to execute, but because of a fundamental misperception of what America's role is in this world. A misunderstanding of what a sovereign nation has the inherent right to do. To secure its borders and critical infrastructure, to protect its people, assets and interests, to ensure freedom of navigation through critical international waterways, and to smash those who not only seek to do us harm, but actively perpetrate it, including on our soil. There are so very many people opposed to this version of the of peace, who lack context, who do not understand what the world outside the comforts of the west is like, who lack clarity on what is required to ensure the continuity of this exercise in freedom, democracy, and exceptionalism. Not anymore, though. To have our 250th year be our great unshackling is our God given right. It's an exciting, heartening and energizing moment that gives me not merely hope, but confidence in our future as a nation and civilization. To have leadership this committed to the war fighter. This committed to effect this willing to tear down bureaucracy in favor of speed, innovation and lethality. Willing to take bold action where and when we have every right to. To fully empower both the military and the private sector. Our deepest strengths. The two things no nation on earth can compete with when fully unleashed. I have served this country faithfully my entire life as a Marine, as a civilian running crisis and contingency response operations globally across a wide range of national security issues. And now leading an extraordinary team in the private sector that is equally committed to our nation nation's defense. I've served under many administrations and I've never seen the level of willingness to unleash the war fighter that we are blessed with right now. Let's go. And there is especially good news for the Corps. We are seen for what we are revered for. The ferocity with which we are imbued. Our nation's finest fighting force. And not only when we enjoy that three to one advantage that we rightly and smartly seek, but also much to our adversaries dismay. We excel when the cards are stacked against us. In a very real sense, we are living in a chesty puller moment. The enemy has been given themselves, has been given ample opportunity to get into position. They think they've positioned themselves brilliantly. They believe we're surrounded. But they're about to swiftly learn what we already know. We're not surrounded. We're just in a target rich environment and we're hungry. This core and country will never be brought to its knees. The core thrives because of its many virtues, its spirit, its discipline, but also its scrappiness and innovation. Its bias for action and delegation of authority to the lowest possible level. It's why we insist on servant leaders. And it's why our most junior enlisted Marines are held up as the very backbone of this corps. Our enemies do not understand. They live in a rigid, top down oppressed state because they know that if they empower their people, they will collapse. They do not understand acta non verba actions, not simply words. They do not understand aut invinium via mod facium. I shall either find a way or make one. And now we are empowered with the most profound understanding and execution of cv Possum Parabellum. If it's peace you seek, Prepare for war. My last assignment working for the US Government was leading a contingency unit that was an oh shit button for complex or time sensitive requirements that we were ill positioned for. And I realized on the flight over here, the Marine Corps is the button our nation hits when we want our adversaries to say oh shit to our adversaries. Because I know you're watching. You have no idea what you're up against. You have no idea what unshackling this force means for you. I would bet on this stadium in any climber place every time. Welcome to your future. Ripe with those shits. And welcome Marines, to a renewed era. Happy 250th birthday and here's to 250 more RA. I believe that people are attracted to to the United States Marine Corps because it's hard. You know, you have to earn the eagle globe in April. It's earned, it's not given. And I believe that that's what attracts people to become part of it is that challenge of can you be a Marine? And I think that's what attracts the type of people that the Marine Corps has. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome United States Marine Corps veteran and Medal of Honor recipient, Dakota Meera. Thank you. Good afternoon, Marines. What an awesome day it is to be here and to show the American people the incredible capabilities of the United States Marine Corps. But before I go any further, I want to take a moment to thank the families, the parents, the spouses, the children who stand behind every single Marine. You are the quiet strength of the Corps. You carry the weight on every deployment, every late night, every sacrifice. While you don't wear the uniform, you live the cost of it every single day. And none of us would be who we are or what we do, or none of it would be possible without you. Because serving this country is a family business. Today, as we display what we can do as Americans watch, I pray that they leave here tonight with two things. Not only a better understanding of what the United States Marine Corps is capable of, but more importantly, with the peace of mind, a little bit less weight on their shoulders, knowing that no matter what, there are Marines ready to deal death to any of our adversaries across the globe, in any place that they so shall choose, at any moment that they shall wish. But today isn't about showing our strength or celebrating the 250th birthday. It's about something more Marines. It's about a recommitment. A recommitment to being what a Marine means. A recommitment to the standards that built this brotherhood. A recommitment to the promise that we make every single American when we wear this uniform. But before we can recommit, we must understand what it is to be a United States Marine and what it is that makes us different. The first trait that I'd like to start with is our oath, because it's the foundation of understanding what a Marine is. Like every person that wears a uniform, we take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign, domestic. But Marines, just like everything else, we take that oath to another step. We take it further with six simple words. Once a Marine, always a Marine. But that commitment doesn't mean what some of you think it does. It doesn't mean that once you earn it, you get to be means. That once your character, your courage, and your commitment have all been tested and proven, then and only then are you trusted to carry the sacred eagle, globe and anchor. And by accepting it, you yourself are committing to live to the standards, the unconditional standards, every day from that point on. Because being a Marine, it isn't a job. It's a way of life for us. The oath isn't paperwork. It isn't a formality. It's a covenant. It's a lifelong promise to you, the American people, that we will stay ready to perform the impossible all the way up to the cost of our lives as Marines. Our commitment doesn't stop when our contract's over. It stops when we take our last breath. And that's the difference between wearing a uniform and wearing this uniform. The second trait of being a Marine is only understood when you look at us next to the other branches. They all make logical sense. The army fights on the ground. The Navy owns the sea. And the Air Force rules the skies. But the Marine Corps in no way, shape or form makes sense on paper because we fight on the ground, we fight from the air, and we fight from the sea. So why are we here? Well, it's simple. We go wherever we're needed. When all logical options have been exhausted and when the uncertainty starts to prevail, Marines are already on the way to be the illogical solution to whatever that is. We're not here because we make sense. We're here because we are the chosen branch of the American people. The Corps was built to do one thing and one thing only. The impossible. We go where others won't, and we win when others can't. The third most defining trait of a Marine is the standards that we hold. You've heard Our incredible leader, Secretary of War Secretary Hegseth, talk a lot about standards lately. Good. Because for us, standards are nothing more than a reference point of unacceptable mediocrity. We don't just meet standards. We set the standards. We live the standards. We are the standards. The only acceptable standard for a United States Marine is perfection with the constant desire to be better. But if you want to know the secret of our Corps and who we owe everything to, it's our NCOs. They're God sent keepers of the Corps. They're the backbone. They're the solution to problems. They are the ultimate stakeholders of our lineage. And they are the dealers of death to our adversaries. When I think about NCOs and the ones who truly, one who truly defines what that title stands for, I think of nothing more than my personal hero, Sergeant Matthew Abate, who gave his life in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. Sergeant Abate defined the rules of war for all NCOs to follow. Number one. Young warriors die. Number two, you can't change number one. And number three, the most important, Someone must walk. Point. And then he summed it up into one gun fighting commandment. Nothing matters more than thy brethren. On thy left and thy right thou shalt protect, no matter what. And because of this, the Marine Corps is not just a fighting force. We are the answer prayers of those in need. And we are the world's dealers of hope. Hope that no matter how dark the nights get, no matter how bad the odds are, as long as there is a Marine and their rifle, good will prevail and evil will violently be eliminated. That's who we are. That's who we've always been. And that's who we must remain. Because of Marines, wherever there's an American flag and an eagle, globe and anchor stands in the world, it's a better place. But as Marines, it's important to remember this. None of us standing here today have earned the love and respect that comes with that title. When someone says thank you for your service, they're thanking the men and women who went before us, who proved that we would do good and we would honor the promise that we make. The Americans with their lives, they gave their tomorrow so that we could have our todays. And because of that, we owe them everything. We owe them the discipline to keep our honor clean. We owe them the humility to carry this title with respect. And we owe them lives worthy of sacrifice. So as we celebrate 250 years of the Corps and these incredible capabilities that you all are going to witness here a little bit later. I ask you as Marines, to recommit. Recommit to being what a Marine is. Recommit to the oath, recommit to the promise that you made when you accepted the ega, and recommit, most importantly, to honoring our dead. Because one day, when another generation stands right here where we are right now, they will judge us not by what we said tonight, but by how we lived the years between now and then. Happy 250th Marines and Semper Fidelis, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome celebrated comedian and actor Brian Collin. What's up, Marines? Happy birthday. I'll be doing in the sunshine. It's great to be. Be here. It's an honor to be here as a civilian. This is. I feel very safe. I feel like this beach is secure. And this is a little overwhelming for me. But I want to start before I get into any comedy, I want to just start with acknowledging this administration. We have the Secretary of War here. We've got J.D. vance. But most importantly, I want to thank the President of these United States for bringing peace to a region that hasn't seen peace since Moses had a parting of the ways with the Pharaoh. If you don't think that's a big deal. And I don't hear much from, I don't know, cnn, msnbc, what. Okay. That's the bottom line. And you know, when Trump said something to the effect of, if you don't come to the peace table, I'm gonna unleash hell, I saw in my mind, I saw the front line of that hell, just a bunch of Marines on a tight leash just going. And I think they did, too. And it makes me proud to be an American. It's kind of exciting. We have the Secretary of War. I'm glad we brought that back. We brought that title back. It's been a long time. I'm not sure what. I'm very ignorant when it comes to military. I think he was a major. I don't know what a major does, but probably something major, right? If there's a major problem, you don't call a lieutenant. Right. I don't know. And then Secretary of War. That's a sexy title, right? You're not the God of war, but you're just below, right? Like, if you want to get to the. We know the God of war is Trump. I just. This is what I love about our president. The guy can be like, come to the. Come to the table or bomb you. And then. And then he does this. He dance. He's feared everywhere, and he dances. That's a bad. That's a bad impression. The point is, I haven't worked on my Trump dance, but. And then we got J.D. vance, Vice President. J.D. vance, who. Who started out. I guess he was an E4, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's weird, though, to go from an E4 to the second most powerful man in the world. And people talk about the deep state, but nobody ever talks about the E4 mafia. Am I right? Oh, look at you guys. Oh, so orderly. My God, I've been. I. This whole thing has got me all crazy. I'm a civilian. I'm back backstage with Jocko Willick and Dakota Meyer. I'm producing so much estrogen. And then I'm just being honest. And I. And, you know, I was. I was talking to my wife, and my wife said something. I said, I don't know what to do. Like, I got to do comedy in front of 15,000 Marines. And she said, why don't you just tell stories about what it's like to grow up under a Marine father? And I'm so. Can I do that for you? Can I indulge you for a little bit just to tell you what it's like? Because I think my father embodied the Marine spirit, and I've never been more proud to be a son of a Marine. I didn't join the Marines because my father. I take after my mother's side. She's a small woman. Sicilian. There are bent people. We get cold easily. My father's Irish, German. He's 64250. Grew up on a farm. They had no money, so he just grabbed a cow and sucked its udder. I think, seriously, his fingers are too fat to dial his cell phone. You know, I have to do it for him. He has no neck. He's just built. He's built for war. And I'm built for dance. So, seriously, you don't use this in the Marines. But look at. I've never taken dance, but look at how I reach. You know, that's not patriotic. So the point is, I thought I would just share some stories, and I hope this resonates, because my father beat the crap out of all your fathers. Yeah, he was. He was. He was just always one of those guys who just reminded me of how lucky I was to be an American and what being an American required, because the price of freedom doesn't come for free. And you guys know that better than anybody else. And, you know, one time, I remember we were in a farm. We had to cross this field. This is just to give you an idea of what he was like, we're in a farm. We had to cross this field. And we were about to open the gates, One of those latches that opens like this. And as we're about to do that, this Rottweiler, this huge male Rottweiler with a head this big, just started trying to get us through the fence. Just going. Just foaming at the mouth. And it was just horrifying looking dog trying to kill us. So of course I went, oh, boy, let's not make any movements. We'll just walk around. And my father didn't notice that the dog. He just looked at me and he said, what are you doing? And I said, I'm. I'm walking around. And he said, no, we'll cut through. It's faster. And I said, I know, but we're not crows. We can't fly. And my father said, you're afraid of a dog? And I said, well, it's the kind of dog they used to guard the gates of hell. So. And my father sucked his teeth. And he opened the gate. He was about to open the gate, and I panicked and I went, dad, dad, dad, please. There's a Rottweiler. They're trained to kill. Please don't do this. You know? And my father just noticed the dog going crazy. And he got down and he went, hey, hey, hey, shut your yap. And he blew in that dog's face. And whatever satanic energy my father has, that dog sobered up. That dog was going, no, no. And just went, oh. And then sat down sideways. And my father opened the gate and started walking across the field. And I took this finger, you see this finger? And I went like that. And I put it in the loop of his pants. And I followed him like that. And I was 28 years old. Okay, that's story one. Here's another story. We're hanging out. It's brunch with my whole family, 13 members of my family. My. My father's reading the newspaper because he's done with us. And when he read the newspaper, we'd leave him alone. And all of a sudden, I just see him suck his teeth. And he goes. And I go, what? He goes, a grown man. A grown man in Colorado was attacked and killed. Killed by a mountain lion. And I was like, yeah. And he went, pansy. And I said, I'm sorry to interrupt your reading, but you under the impression a mountain lion couldn't kill you. And he goes, That's a stupid question. And I went, why is that a stupid question? And he said, because first of all, a mountain lion isn't a real lion. And second of all, a mountain lion wouldn't attack me. And I said, how do you know that? And he goes, I don't know. It knows. Okay, now here's the final story. And here's when I realized I wasn't marine material because I wanted to be. But we got in the car and I was sitting in the driver's seat. I'm sorry, I was sitting in the passenger seat. And on the dashboard, we're about to take off. And on the dashboard. Dashboard was a hornet. A hornet. Not like a yellow jacket, but the kind of hornet that the Lord puts on the Earth to sting a man for his sins. The ones that aren't even part of the ecosystem, they live under the ground and they just. They. You know, the kind of hornets. Like a yellow jacket sings. You're like. You know, and you're like, ow. And it dies. Not this kind of hornet. This had two abdomens and armor. Looked like one of those amphibious. It had wings. It was horrifying. You know, the kind of. Can sting you. They grab you and they hump. Sting you 50 times. Your face melts. You can't have an open casket. You know what I'm talking about? And that was what was on there. And the thing just. I could see it, and it was. It was clearly trying. It was going to come. And I knew I would die. And I lost feeling in my hands. I remember trying to get out of the car, and I said something like papa or something. And nothing moved. And my father, without missing a beat, just reached over with his giant farm fingers and grabbed that thing and broke its bones. It was. It just like that. And I just heard. I just. The thing died hard. It was like, screw you, and died. But. And then he was rubbing his fingers, and I came to and I was like, did that thing sting you? And he goes, probably. And I was like, well, that's not a philosophical question, you know. So about six months later, I was on a date. And I remember I borrowed my buddy's car because my car was a Civic and I wanted to impress this gal. And we get in the car and everything's going great. And I couldn't believe she liked me. And I was taking to a restaurant I couldn't afford. And that same hornet was on the dashboard. And it was even bigger. This thing, like, looked like dangerous candy. I think it had wings. I can't Remember? But it was terrifying. And it was just there. I think it was there to avenge its brethren. And it was there. And I. And this. And she. This, my date, she just went, please, please help me. I'm so allergic. I'm so. And she froze. And this was when I realized, this is when you separate the men from the boys. This is when you know who you really are. This is when I channeled my father. I said, if I'm going to be a Marine, I'm going to get. I'm going to grab that thing and. But it had. It was so big, and I could just see its stingers. It was pulsing, and it was. And she was like, please help me. I was like, give me a second, you know? And finally. And she was like, help me. And I was like, okay. And I was gonna get it, but I just. And I just couldn't because it was so scary. And then finally it just flew up, and she was like, help me. And I just. I left her in that car. Yeah. And that was when I realized I'm not Marine material, but I am a patriot. And I feel so honored to be here. And I want to thank all of you for your service. God bless you. God bless America, and thanks for sitting through that. I appreciate you. Let the sun be down upon my face Stars fill my dream I'm a traveler of all kinds of space to be where where I. Welcome back, everyone. Terrence Bates joining the program as we honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. marine Corps. This celebration happening in Camp Pendleton. A couple of big names. The Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth set to speak. Vice President J.D. vance will also be speaking there. Also, I hear, might be a flyover and some other demonstrations from the US Marine Corps. Looking forward to that. It's going to be a very full day. We've got Ben Burkum on the ground there in Camp Pendleton. Ben, when they say go to the beach, this probably wasn't exactly what you were expecting, but this is still pretty cool, my friend. Good afternoon. There's no cooler beach. I mean, I've been to a lot of beaches in the world. Nothing gets better than this. The red sands, everything is going to take place right behind me. As you can see, we've got the ships ready. We've got the fast boats in position. Hovercrafts are going to be coming on board. We've got planes are going to be dropping the parachutists out of here. You can see the basic. Basically the battle zone for today. That's going to be waged over here. Vice president Vance is going to be set up on this side. Pete Hegseth is basically his team is getting ready right behind the camera. So it's just. What an incredible opportunity. Obviously. Amanda, head down there at the main stage. But, man, if I had to pick, this is the spot to be. Just wait till you see this production. It's going to be incredible. And again, back to the speakers. This is what it's about, Projecting strength around the world. Absolutely. Ben, we're going to check back with you momentarily. John Rich taking the stage now. Let's go there. It's good to be in camp Pendleton. Are you proud to be a marine today? We got any Johnny Cash fans out in the audience? Let me hear you one time. Well, love is a burning thing and it makes fiery rain. Will bound power, wild desire. I fell into ring of fire. Y' all help me sing it. Say I fell into a burning ring of fire. I went down, down, down and the flames went higher and it burns, burn, burn, Ring of fire. Ring of fire. Y' all sing the trumpet part. Say you know it will. The taste of love is sweet when hearts like ours meet Well, I feel for you like a child O and if I went wild. Here we go. I fell into a burning ring of fire. I went down, down, down and the flames went higher and it burns, burns, burn. The ring of fire. The ring of fire. Listen, it's burning. Burn, burn. The ring of fire. The ring of fire. Come on, Pendleton. Sing it to me. Say it. I can't hear you. There you go. One last time. Put your hands together out here in the great United States of America. Camp Pendleton. Oh, give me some guitar, Rob. Give me some guitar. So I was thinking about what songs I should sing in this momentous occasion. Standing in front of America's finest, the most vicious fighting force in the history of the world, the United States Marine Corps. And I thought this song might be the perfect one. See if you know this one. Well, I won't back down. Oh, I won't back down? You could stand me up at the gates of hell But I won't back down. Here we go. Oh, I stand my ground won't be turned around? In a world that keeps on pushing me around? Don't stand my brow. Sing it to me, marine. Say, hey, baby, hey. No easy way out. Say, hey, I. Yeah, I won't back down. Well, I know what's right? I got just one life and I keep this world from dragging me around? Going to stand my ground here And I fall back down the middle Sing it. Say, hey, baby Ain't no easy way out say, hey yeah, I won't back down hey, baby hey There ain't no easy way out say, help me out Let me sing it one time Won't back down I can't hear you. No, I won't back down what's a Marine? Say, no, I won't back down no, I won't back down God bless us Marine Corps flew out here from Nashville, Tennessee last night. Yeah, we got some Tennesseans out there in the crowd. Maybe got a few hillbillies out running around in the fatigues today. And I thought, I can't come here and not sing this one particular song. Now, it has three verses, and I know the first verse as an American citizen, but I did not know, and I'll admit did not know the second two verses of the song. So I wrote them down to make sure I got them right. But I'm pretty sure you know them. And I was told that if you're a United States Marine, you know the words to this song like you know the words to a song that I don't even know. Shall we begin? Shall we begin? The song. From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli we fight our country's battles in the air and land and sea first to fight for right and freedom and to keep our honor clean we are proud to claim the title of United States Our flags unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun we have fought in every climb and place where we could take a gun in the snow of far off northern lands and in sunny tropic scenes you will find us always on the job, the United States Marines. Here's health to you and to our Corps which we are proud to serve. In many strife we fought for life and never lost on earth if the army and the Navy have a look on heaven scenes they will find the streets are guarded With United States Marines. Give it up for us. Camp Pendleton. One time. You feeling good? Before I go any further, I'd like to give a long round of applause for my band tonight, backing me up here on the stage. Stage. Thanks, guys. My band Tonight is the U.S. marine Corps. I'm depending on you to help me back up these songs. I'd like to play it for you now. One of the dumbest country songs ever written, and I wrote it myself. Yes, I did, and I'm proud of it. It's a pretty dumb song, but it caused a small baby boom in the early 2000s. We got any country music fans out in the crowd right now? Anybody like some country music? Yeah, I'll see if you know this one. Yeah. When I walk into the room passing now hundred dollar bills and it kills and it thrill like a horns on my Silverado grill How thigh the bar triple round the crown Everybody's getting down in this town it ain't never gonna be the same. Y' all sing it cause I? S up my little sound right into the diploma I make a lot of noise cause the girls are so pretty Be riding up and down the way on my old stuffy one. And the girls say save oh shri the cowboy Everybody says sailors rider cowboy, yeah. When I don't give a damn about nothing. I'm singing and playing ringing While the cross girls are cranking long necks down and I wouldn't trade o le rot I Chevrolet for your Escalady or big parade I'm the only John Wayne left in this town. And I battle up my old I ride into the city I make a lot of noise. Cause the girls they all so pretty Be riding up and down far away my old and the girls say save us ride a cowboy. And all the marines say save us ride a cowboy. Are y' all having a good time this afternoon in America? Let me hear you one time. Oh, here we go. Well, I'm a thoroughbred. That's what she said in the back of my truck there to. We was getting buzzed on suds out on some back country road. We were flying high, flying and flying, Having ourselves a US Marine Corps kind of time. I was going about as far as she let me go. Giving her evaluation of my cowboy reputation. Had me begging for salvation all night long. Hit a lot to took her out digging prone. Introduced her to my old bird dog singer. Every Hank Williams Jr. Song we could think of. We made love and I saddled up my old. I ride into the city. I make a lot of noise. Cause the girls are also pretty. Riding up and down Broadway on my old Studley Road. And the girls say Sarah, Radical boy. Everybody say radical boy. What? What sa ra boy? Last time. Everybody sing it sa us radical boy. Come on, we're having fun now. Put your hands together. 1. Can I play one more song for you? I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of these men and women in this crowd right now who could have done anything with their lives that they wanted to do. In the youth of your life, the prime years of your life, you live in a country that offers you life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Not the right to be happy, the right to pursue it, the right to go after it. You could have done anything that you wanted to do with your life and you chose to join the Marines and serve our country. And I got to tell you as a civilian how much we appreciate your service and your sacrifice and your willingness to even die if necessary on behalf of the rest of us. Can I get a hell yeah from the Marine Corps one time? Come on. That's why I love the Marines. They can cuss and nobody gets in trouble. It's perfect, right? You looking forward to hearing from the SEC War and the Vice President? United States of America. I'm a high school graduate. Nothing fancy in my pedigree. Just a blue collar family, probably a lot like yours. But I do have the Constitution and I do have the Bill of Rights and I do have the Declaration of Independence. And empire after empire throughout the history of this country has tried to take away those rights from us. But because of the US Military and the Marines, no one has ever succeeded in taking away our rights. And we have all of our success as civilians owed directly to the people in this audience tonight. It is an honor to sing for you this afternoon. I'd like to play for you what I consider to be the modern day Star Spangled Banner. I know that's quite a statement because what beats the Star Spangled Banner? Well, nothing. But this song to me is right up there with it. It's running a close second. And my friend Lee Greenwood said I would be able to sing this song anytime I wanted to. He gave me permission. So I'd like to end my set with this and just know how much we appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for doing such a great job for our country. And I hope our enemies are scared to damn death when they see this picture of all y' all gathered here today at Camp Pendleton. It goes like this. If tomorrow all the things are gone I work for all my life and I have to start again. Just my children and my wife. I thank my lucky stars to be living here today. The flag still stands for freedom and they can't take that away. And I'm proud to be an American Fairleast I know I'm free and I won't forget the many dad who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land. Got from the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of Tennessee across the plains of Texas From Sea to shining sea. Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA with his pride in every American heart. And it's time we stand and say Let me hear from him that I'm proud to be an American. Praise I know I'm free and I won't forget the man who died. You gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and offenders still today. Cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land. God bless the usa Stand up if you feel it now. And I'm proud to be be an American or at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the man who died who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up next to you and the fenders still today. Cuz there ain't no doubt I love this land. God bless rest of us. I'm John Rich. It's an honor to sing for you men and women this afternoon. God bless you and thank you for being a Marine. Can I get one more? Hell yeah. God bless y' all have a great day. Thank you. Since the birth of the core, we have answered the call. Through every battle, every climb, in every place, no matter the odds, no matter the object, we adapt. We overcome and close with and destroy the enemy. We know the future will not be the same. But the one thing we know will always remain is the Marine it. For 250 years we have formed ranks and held the line. We will the next 250. For two and a half centuries, we have shouldered the responsibility of freedom on behalf of our nation. Every battle fought, every sacrifice made has been etched into our legacy. We are more lethal, more capable and more ready than ever. While grounded in the traditions that made us who we are, we will not win the next fight on platforms alone. It is the Marine who will break the will of the enemy. From our first amphibious landing at Nassau, to the black sands of Iwo Jima, to urban combat in Fallujah, our Corps has come a long way since Samuel Nichols first took command of two battalions at Ton Tavern. Though weapons, platforms and technology continue to evolve, our individual Marines grit, discipline, resolve remain our decisive advantage. For two and a half centuries, Marines have preserved our legacy as America's premier expeditionary force. Because we are forward ready and lethal. From the moment a Marine earns their eagle glove and anchor, they inherit a rich tradition of honor, courage and commitment. A legacy that is etched on our souls forever. Our history is one of winning our nation's battle. And make no mistake, we will be called to fight again. We will Be ready and we will win. Since our foundation, we have fought in every climb and place, upholding our oath and preserving who we are, the few and the proud. But we cannot break stride. We must continue to train for the next fight, because victory will go to those who seize the initiative, impose their will, and never yield. The pursuit of excellence in the profession of arms is our heritage forged by an unbreakable fighting spirit. The memorial behind us stands as a testament to that fact. We stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us. We must not fail them. The challenge is on all of us every day to uphold the standard that the title Marine demands. Happy 250th birthday Marines separate Vidalis. Hello, everyone. Terence Bates here. You are watching the 250th anniversary celebration of the U.S. marine Corps, which is happening in Camp Pendleton. This is really a huge deal there. There are going to be lots of really interactive parts of this program. You, of course, heard John Rich singing there, some comedians also speaking, but want to take you to the actual beach where one of the more interactive parts of the program is going to happen here in short order, our Ben Berkoum is there. So, Ben, there's literally going to be war games, for lack of a better word, that are going to be played out for people to give them an idea of the sorts of things that the US Marine Corps does. Because this is a Marine Corps that literally fights on land in the air as well as in the water. Yeah, no, that's exactly right. And actually, just to give you a lay of the land, an update, we do have Secretary Hegseth on the ground. We're on one platform. He's on the platform next to us. He's given a briefing to some of the staffers and Marines that are here, just a small, tight group of people. Any minute now, we're anticipating Vice President Advances helicopter to be landing that should be landing again just over the hill from where we're at. He's going to be moved down to the trucks that you can see there behind us. And then as soon as that happens, it's going to kick off. Basically, it's a beach clearing operation. Land from land, water from the we're going to have amphibious, we're going to have air. We're all of it, starting with the Marine recon parachuting in. We're going to have the SEALs helicopter dropping into the water, swim onto shore. There's going to be guys on, on, you know, some of these things, the technology, I didn't realize we're Using electric motorcycles now. And I thought, well, why would you use that kind of, you know, just the technology you got to chart where are you going to charge this thing in the battlefield. But they're silent. So from a stealth standpoint. And then it gets really exciting. We've got the amphibious vehicles coming on shore. These, they're, they're basically amphibious tanks that are going to bring the Marines on, followed by, you got the hovercrafts. We're going to have flyovers, the F35s. One of those can actually hover and drop down onto ground. I don't think it's actually going to land, but it's going to show its hovering capabilities. And then ultimately it's going to culminate with live artillery rounds getting shot right over our heads. It's just, I mean, as a, as a guy who loves military, this is. There's no cooler place to be, Terence. I'm sorry. I get to be here. You know, I'll take one for the team, though. Yeah. You know, I am jealous of you on this one because I would love to be there. Even though I have to admit, when the live artillery starts shooting, I probably would duck and be that. Be the guy kind of doing the crab crawl. I'm just going to be honest about that. But this is really a great way to showcase where we are today, where our Marines are and the sorts of capabilities they have. Yeah, that's exactly right. I mean, the celebration is, it's kind of twofold. We are celebrating and honoring the, that have come before us and the legacy that they've left. But we're also showcasing to the world the capabilities of our military to say to our adversaries, don't screw around. And that, you know, really is the biggest difference between this administration and the previous one we had, one that was even from the name defense to now war. You know, this is the offensive posture versus the defensive posture. And it's really what's made America the leader in the free world, the leader against the adversaries, not just of America, but people, freedom loving people all over the globe. It's this idea that we are the world's superpower because of our strength. And it's the big stick model of President Reagan. You don't necessarily even have to use it if your adversaries know you have it. And so that's what we're gonna see today in a way that hasn't been showcased. We were talking about this, I was talking to this with the lieutenant Colonel earlier. This is probably the second largest showing of military capability ever globally. And so it's going to be something to witness, for sure. Oh, wow. You know, as you've described what's going to happen there, the thing that comes to mind is American exceptionalism. This is going to be that on full display. But I also think when you really broaden the scope, this is about American patriotism, saying thank you, but also appreciating the men and women who put their lives on the line every single day for our freedom, which is patriotic in and of itself. Ben? Absolutely. And you contrast that to what else is happening today. You know, it's the elephant in the room, no pun intended. There are a lot of elephants out there. I digress, though. You've got the no kings protests all over the country where you have the, like the degenerate class, this soup of depravity, I call it, who are out there protesting America. But while we're sitting here celebrating the fact that, well, the reason we don't have a king is because of our military. We decided as a nation, we rejected the model of kings, and President Trump isn't a king. In fact, as Steve Gruber said in the first couple hours, you wouldn't be able to do what you're doing. You wouldn't be able to have the demonstrations all over this country if we did have a king. And so we look at today and we celebrate a. And we honor those that put that uniform on. But we also, you know, you look at our country and our world, and there is a division this, this nation was founded. And the, the oath that every one of these Marines swears is to defend this country and the Constitution from enemies both foreign and domestic. And sadly, unfortunately, we have, I think, as many domestically as we've ever had foreign adversaries. And so this is, we're in a, you know, we're in a tough place. But I got to tell you, all you have to do is look at the comparison between what you see and the celebration of real America's Voice news, honoring our Marines and our Navy today versus what you have on the streets across America with just, again, this soup of depravity. It's a very easy decision to make, which side you want to be on. I think it should be an easy one to make for most people. People, for sure. You know, there are so many storylines that are going to be playing out there. The one that comes to mind is a former Marine enlisted man who has risen the ranks to be the vice president of the United States. And he will be there Is he arriving? I see you looking over there to the right. Is his helicopter arriving? As I'm mentioning this? Yeah, let's, let's take, let's take this. We've got a motorcade coming in. I'm gonna have this camera shot of this. It looks like the Vice President's motorcade has, has arrived. I'm going to step out of the shot so you guys can see that. And this is where the Vice President's going to come in and set up for his view of the scene. Again, real America's Voice News in a very unique position out here. Now, originally we were told Vice President was going to fly in, so this could be his, his detail coming in. But it does look like the Presidential motorcade from my experience. So stay tuned as we witness this. Again, that's the combat zone over there that they're going to be. The Marines are going to be clearing and ultimately they're going to go and answer to the Vice President that the, they call it combat town. They're going to go to the Vice President. This is going to end with the Marines clearing the combat town. And the final statement is the objective is clear from the Marines to the Vice President. As we continue to watch this, Ben, as we continue to watch this, and hopefully we'll see the Vice President get out of the motorcade. Let's talk a little bit, though, about the message this sends and really kind of what statement this makes that you've got a Vice President who is a Marine enlisted and still rose to be the second most powerful man in the world and definitely in this country. I think it definitely sends a message about possibilities if you stick to it and do the right thing. No, that's absolutely right. And just to give you an update. Yeah. The Vice President Vance is on the ground. He's there in the shot in the green jacket. He's going to be getting a briefing from the Marines. And again, this is the first Marine Vice President we've ever had as a nation. He's going to be getting a briefing by the Marines, what to expect. And then very shortly after that briefing, everything is going to kick off. In fact, I'm told, actually right above me. I'm looking up right now, the parachutists are already coming down. They're coming out of the sky. They're going to be coming down onto the beach. So it's all happening. It's starting as we speak. It takes about 10 minutes for the parachutes to get down to the ground. And then simultaneously we're going to start having the Navy SEAL come in off of the water as well. Wow. And so I would imagine then, as I'm looking at all of this, this is a training ground period. It's not something that was just set up for today's event. Is this a training simulation kind of area? Excuse me. That's typically set up anyway. Yeah, no, the Camp Pendleton is a training ground. This is one of the largest, largest military installations, facilities, training facilities in the country. And if you've ever been here, it's basically from Oceanside on the south to San Clemente in the north. And we're right in the middle of it. This is the red sand beach. This is where all the, a lot of the training for amphibious attacks happens. You can see that combat town is a training town that, that's existed previously. This is where they do. Those are all kill houses. So they train to, they practice going in, clearing buildings. So Marines that are going to be deployed, this, that's what this is all about. Off to, off to the left of the camera up in the mountains, you've got all of the, the mountainous terrain where they work on. They call it humping. It's, it's with the rucksacks and they carry the, the gear and they go up and down the mountains to train for all kinds of train situations. You, you know, this is where it happens. It just happens to be today that we're here to celebrate what the Marines do every single day. So this is for the guys that are here, the Marines that are here on base. The only difference today is there's a lot of cameras and the Vice President and the Secretary of War here as well. But this is absolutely an active training ground. Absolutely. Ben, stand by there. We want to continue to kind of watch all of this unfold. Also want to bring in Amanda Head really quickly. She is back at the other venue where many of the Marines. Many of the Marines, excuse me. Are staged in somewhat of a stadium as they're watching all this. Amanda, can you hear me? Good to hear. It's good to see you. I can. Hi, Terrence. Happy 250th birthday to the United States Marines. It is a beautiful day. I think about 15,000 Marines here and there, fatigues. I've never felt safer in my life, I will tell you that. But we had a Marine escort. As all of the media, you had a, a, a military escort assigned to you. And I was, I was talking with mine, shout out to Bobby, and he was telling me about the process of this happening here at Camp Pendleton. And I asked him when the preparations began, and he said that about two months ago is when they started hearing rumors that this would be taken. Taking place at Camp Pendleton. And I asked him, I said, you know, this base looks huge. Is it because it is. Is it because of the size? And he said, well, maybe. But 29 palms, which is the largest United States Marine Corps base, is here in California as well, but it's further inland, so that's a bigger base. It's about 1100 square miles. This one is about 200 square miles. But this one has the advantage of being on the coast. So all of this coordination and unity that we see between the United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy, we, you know, that is on display here. So what Ben was talking about, everything that's happening aerially, the things that are happening by sea and here on land, you've got all that terrain, and everything is an option when it comes to what. What you can show of the American might. So lots of smiling faces here. I'm also seeing lots of Marines with their wives or husbands and babies. So that's really great to see. How cool for a child to get to experience this and to grow up, you know, getting to tell friends and family and. And future spouses and children that they were here. They were here at Camp Pendleton for the Marines, 250th. Because, as you know, Terence, a lot of times military service is a legacy for the family. It gets passed down generation to generation. So proud moments for multiple generations here at Camp Pendleton. I hear an announcement there behind you, so I'm assuming someone is getting ready to come to the stage. Can you clarify that for us? That is the mc. What sounds like the voice of God. I think this is the opening of the ceremony. So. All right, we'll listen to that. And just for those of you watching on television, we're also seeing paratroopers come down and you're also seeing. I'm assuming it looks like that is Pete HEGSETH, or that's J.D. vance actually there, the Vice President on site. We're also hearing that Pete Hegseth is going to be perched at a different location as the war games. If you will begin. I'm going to be quiet and let's kind of listen and take this all in together to the streets of Fallujah. Marines have answered the nation's call in every climb and place. Today you'll see the Navy and Marine Corps team in action in the air, on land and sea. A demonstration of our nation's amphibious capabilities featuring the ships, aircraft, sailors and Marines who make it possible. Together, they will showcase the teamwork, precision and readiness that define our Naval Expeditionary Forces. The character of war continues to evolve and with that, so do your Marines. We have modernized since 1775. Over the last five years, force design has been modernization at pace and within budget. We have delivered modernized forward forces optimized for littoral operations, able to seize and hold key maritime terrain, deliver lethal effects, sense and shape the operating environment and close kill webs in support of fleet maneuver and joint campaigns. Our formations are agile, capable and lethal. Built to close with the enemy and finish the fight. As a maritime nation, America depends on forces that can move fast, fight hard and operate from the sea. That is what the Marine Corps was built to do. Our Navy partners make it possible, delivering Marines and their equipment wherever the nation needs them. Together, they form the Amphibious Ready Group and the Marine Expeditionary Unit, A Navy Marine Corps team designed to be forward, stay ready and respond first. The ARC provides mobility and sustainment that support Marines across the globe. The MEW brings the combat power, a balanced Marine Air Ground Tactics task force that can deploy from the sea to seize ground, deliver precision fires and respond to crisis at a moment's notice. What you are seeing today is that capability in action. An amphibious force launched from the sea, conducting integrated operations ashore. Every aircraft overhead, every gun on the line and every Marine on the move is part of a single combined arms team, organized, trained and equipped to fight and win. Together, these forces give America options. They can project strength, deter aggression, and if called upon, fight and win. They are forward, mobile and ready, standing watch and projecting power in support of our national security objectives. Today's demonstration is more than a show of strength. It is a reminder of purpose. The ships, the aircraft and the Marines you see are part of a living legacy stretching back 250 years. A force that remains, as ever, the first to fight. Long before armor hits the beach, Marines and sailors are shaping the fight. Under the COVID of darkness, reconnaissance Marines are inserted by a KC130J Super Hercules executing a high altitude, low opening insertion, also known as a HALO jump. Marines land in contested areas inaccessible by other platforms. Because Marines go where others can't, the Super Hercules ramp drops. The reconnaissance Marines move out disciplined, deliberate, light on their feet, heavy with purpose. They carry sensors, communications assets and the mindset of trading comfort for mission success. Their task is to locate obstacles, chart enemy positions, refine landing lanes and report exactly what the assault force will encounter when it lands. These Marines are the eyes and ears observing the situation on the ground and relying critical intelligence to the mission commander. Simultaneously a SEAL team employing a dry combat submersible take the beach undetected, infiltrating the area of operations. This mission confirm enemy disposition, identify obstacles and establish a landing zone for follow on forces. They use advanced sensors acoustic, thermal and visual to gather critical intelligence. This is a direct descendant of the scout swimmers used in World War II but with exponentially increased capability. It ask them where the aircraft are waiting on aircraft one minute out. Setting conditions for the marines and sailors coming ashore. Aviation assets conduct strikes on enemy positions. Thinning the enemy formations and distracting from the coming insertion of additional Navy SEALs. It over the water Special warfare combatant crewmen begin shaping the littoral environment from combatant craft medium A direct action SEAL team descends from the sky inserting villa helocast. This airborne low signature technique allows the seals to use a combination of boats to rapidly infiltrate the beach. Their mission is the key to new neutralize enemy strongholds, clear obstacles and establish a secure beachhead. The seals are not seeking a protracted engagement. They are creating a window of opportunity for the main assault force. Standing by for K above it. All strike aircraft stand ready to deliver deep effects on a commander's order. Ensuring every move is backed by overwhelming American air power. Together, the quiet work of recon, the shaping of naval special warfare and the mass and maneuver of the Marines Corps create conditions for victory before the first wave even hits the sand. This is the culmination of shaping operations stealth and precision. Enabling the massed discipline momentum of the Marine Corps. Sensor data flows into analytic tools that highlight threats, predict enemy movements and surface opportunities. The Marine Corps of 2025 makes decisions in mission minutes, sometimes seconds. Every Marine is a sensor. Every vehicle is a node in a network that shortens the kill chain as naval infantry Marines exist to seize enemy beaches from the sea. Known as forcible entry operation, the layering of reconnaissance surface and air assets enables Marine to to arrive violently on the enemy shores, establish a beachhead and flow Marine and joint forces ashore. As the amphibious combat vehicles prepare to make landfall, the previously inserted seals have found their first target. An enemy machine gun bunker established to interdict the landing of marines. Preventing the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit from establishing a foothold on Red Beach. They will fail communicating with strike aircraft providing overwatch. High above the reconnaissance Marine a qualified joint terminal attack controller requests an airstrike to destroy the enemy threat. Advise when ready. Game Plan 9 line ready type 2 bomb on target 1 by GBU 54 each aircraft cutlass 2 niner 8 11.3123ft. Enemy machine gun bunker 8 digit grid light Sierra 566-9839 or 6 negative mark Southwest 200 meters. Egress L full ram forward 16 block 1 8. Final attack heading 2 niner 0 through 32 0. Danger close. Initials Juliet Sierra. Go with readbacks. I read back from my system. One two three feet eight digit grid mike Sierra five six six niner eight three niner six. Final attack heading two niner zero through three two zero. Danger close. Initials November whiskey. Good read backs immediate push. Pushing cutlass continue in 310. Cleared hot battlefield effects for bombs SA it on the horizon is the USS Boxer, flagship of this amphibious ready group. A Wasp class amphibious assault ship, Boxer is sovereign U. S territory. A floating airfield, hospital and command center. She carries marines, aircraft and landing craft wherever America needs them. Today she leads this formation just as her namesake fought with distinction in the War of 1812. The original boxer was known for the bravery of its crew and its effective use of naval tactics. The current USS Boxer carries a diverse air and surface warfare capability to support the Marine Expeditionary Unit's mission. Set beside her sails, the USS Comstock, a dock landing ship named for the pioneering history of the American West. She delivers Marines vehicles and craft to the fight at H hour, the exact synchronized moment when the assault hits the beach. The ocean transforms into a battlefield. From beyond the horizon, amphibious combat vehicles smash through the surf, their armored hulls carrying marines straight into the fight. Expeditionary and modernized in design, the ACB integrates with naval shipping and ship to shore connectors. The ACB's ability to use the ocean and waterways to carry Marines and equipment make it well suited for a variety of operating environments. The ACV is lethal, balancing performance, protection and payload, enabling it to support stand in forces in the Pacific. It Overhead, helicopter pilots prowl the battle space, hunting targets and passing target data back to the Marines ashore. UH one Yankee venoms slice low across the surf, their sensors fusing with unmanned systems to extend the battlefield picture. AH1 Zulu vipers orbit like bird of prey, digitally linked to advanced sensors on air, land and sea. Every rocket, every burst of 20 millimeter fire is synchronized across the kill web. Precision, speed and shock brought together in one fight. These aircraft are part of the muse Aviation Combat element, which comprises tilt rotor aircraft, transport helicopters, attack helicopters, fixed wing aircraft, air defense teams and ground support assets. The Air Combat element boasts about 600 personnel to man and maintain all things air. Aviation is essential for distributed forces to leverage massed effects without the vulnerabilities of concentrated forces. As part of force design and force modernization, Marine aviation continues to enhance its capabilities for operating in austere and distributed littoral environments to support stand in forces. Ch53E super stallions roaring low. Marines surge into the dust and chaos. They will fan out instantly, rifles up, establishing a security cordon, locking down approaches, feeding target data back into the fight and setting the conditions for the assault to push inside. Marines never enter a fair fight well before the actions on the objective. Marines have set conditions for victory through training, planning and technological overmatch. In support of the landing. ACVS, a combined Anti Armor Team or CAT consisting of 20 Marines loaded onto various armored vehicles, trucks and large all terrain vehicles move into the objective area to provide support by fire to the assault force. Comprised of two sections, the CAT consists of a joint light tactical vehicle, gun trucks that are modern armored and capable. Outfitted on these JLTVs are heavy weapons, M250 caliber machine guns, guns M247, 62 millimeter machine guns and Sabre missile systems. The Sabre missile system is a tube launch optically tracked wire guided missile that enables Marines to punch through enemy armor and reinforce positions. Alongside these JLTVs is the Marine Corps latest kinetic anti drone system, the lmatis. The light Marine Air Defense Integrated system is mounted to a highly mobile and versatile ultralight tactical vehicle. In this era of modern warfare, the LMATIS enables Marines to spoof, jam and defeat drone threats from non kinetic electronic attack capabilities. This isn't theory, it's proven. In July of 2019 aboard the USS Boxer, Marines employed the LMATIS to take down an Iranian drone threatening the ship in the Strait of Hormuz. No missiles, no explosions. A non kinetic strike delivered at the speed of electrons sent that unmanned aircraft crashing into the sea. Precision control. Real world success. The kind of success that defines the Marine Corps in modern warfare. The marines aboard the ACVs represent the ground combat element. The GCE is comprised of a battalion landing team, a reinforced infantry battalion with significant combat power. The Ground Combat element has the greatest number of personnel within the MEU at approximately 1100 Marines and sailors. Representing a balanced fusion of modernity and Marine grit, the Marines of the Ground Combat element embrace emerging technologies to outpace future threats while relying on timeless battle proven methods to fight and win. As the infantry centered core of the Marine Air Ground task force, the Ground Combat element will harness robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced sensors to expand reach and tempo across the multi domain battlespace. 4F A18s thunder low over the formation, their vapor trails painting the sky above them. Two F35s burn steady and silent, watching every angle. This is more than a spectacle. It's a message. A show of force shapes behavior. It deters the hesitant and sends a clear message to any adversary. We can see you, we can strike you. And if need be, we will. Supporting Marines on the ground, compressing decision time for the enemy and creating a deadly air ground dilemma. It it's got to be coming. High above the battlefield, the sky erupts into an integration of generations. F A18 Hornets carve aggressive turns, climbing and diving, pushing the fight with raw speed and agility. From above, stealthy F35 Lightning IIs lock on their sensors, fusing every moment into digital battle space. What you're watching is more than a dog fight. It's Marine Corps aviators creating air superiority. This allows ground forces to seize and hold the objective. Hornets and Lightnings proving that the modern fight dominance comes from teamwork across the spectrum. Fast, lethal, unstoppable, it over Red Beach. The F35 Bravo demonstrates what sets it apart from every other fifth generation fighter. The ability to hover. The vertical lift fan engine engages, holding the aircraft steady in midair, a capability unique to the Marine Corps. Hover flight allows the F35B to operate in the most austere environments. Far from established runways, Marines can build forward arming and refueling points known as FARPs, in the dirt, on the road, or on an island airstrip and keep these aircraft in the fight where they're needed most. And when the fight shifts to the sea, the F35 Bravo brings that same flexibility to the Navy. This short takeoff and vertical landing variant can touch down on amphibious assault ships, giving the Navy and Marine Corps a fifth generation strike fighter that can project power from any climb or place. Amphibious combat vehicles ranch drop as Marines surge into the fight overhead. UH one Yankee Venoms and AH one Zulu Vipers rake enemy positions with rockets and cannon fire, while F A 18 Hornets scream down and deliver precision strikes. Targets shift and move, but there is no confusion. Every round, every bomb, every burst of fire is deconflicted with the Marines pressing forward on the ground. That discipline, that synchronization, comes from our joint terminal attack controllers. JTACs orchestrate the modern battlefield with a radio and a tablet. They control ordnance from joint aircraft in close proximity to maneuvering forces linking air, land and sea fires into one decisive punch. And the Marine Corps doesn't just employ JTACs for ourselves. We provide them to the joint force, setting the standard for Precision integration and battlefield control. With fire synchronized, the battalion landing team presses into the objective area. Squads pushing through breach points, clearing house by house, street by street, every corner secured, every building taken until the objective is seized. Over the horizon, the sea roars, riding cushions of air. Navy landing craft, air cushions, Elcats burst into view. These massive hovercrafts, capable of carrying 60 tons and reaching speeds of 50 knots, carry the fight to the shore, bringing Marines vehicles and heavy firepower directly across the surf. From ship to ship. Elkacs give the Navy and Marine Corps team unmatched speed, reach and surprise, delivering combat power where the enemy least expects it. The Navy does more than bring Marines to the fight. It sustains them. Ships offshore purify water, generate power, provide medical care and deliver ammunition. Without sailors, the fight ashore would falter. With them, it endures it. The logistics combat element surging supplies ashore is comprised of the combat logistics battalion personnel and equipment designed to support and sustain the MEU for up to 15 days in an austere environment. The logistics combat element also provides service support that includes postal, medical, dental supply, explosives, ordinance, disposal, fuel and more. They accomplish this with just 300 marines and sailors. It a three ship amphibious ready group consists of one big deck and two modern amphibious transport docks or dock landing ships that enable fleet and geographic combatant commanders options. This formation operates independently or in aggregate and the sea based Marines can be tailored for a wide range of missions conducted from ship to shore. The amphibious ready group and Marine Expeditionary Unit is always present and always ready to project sustained combat power ashore exactly when and where the joint force needs look to the sky. Layered Navy air power thunders overhead. At 1,000ft, fighters roar low, ready to unleash fire at a moment's notice. At 4,000 and 5,000ft, strike and electronic attack aircraft circle like hawks stacked for speed and dominance. Every jet you see was launched from the deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a carrier strike group that carries the fight anywhere in the globe from sea to sky to shore. This is the full might of carrier aviation. Loud, fast, un, unstoppable. As carrier aviation owns the skies and Marines press inland, the Navy sustains the fight. LCACs offload additional vehicles in supplies and reinforcements. Every load extends endurance, every delivery builds momentum. The beachhead continues to grow. Marines establish a defensive perimeter, securing ground for follow on forces. Landing crafts deliver artillery and vehicles. Light armored reconnaissance pushes inland, striking quickly and generating tempo. The nemesis light armored vehicles, M777s and HIMARS rocket launchers deploy onto the sand, delivering armor and long range Precision dominance straight from the sea to the shore. The Nemesis is a ground based offensive anti ship capability that contributes to the fleet's ability to achieve sea control, sea denial and defense against maritime threats. Nemesis allows Marines to support the surrounding naval forces by countering surface threats without reliance on traditional naval platforms. The remotely operated capability of the Nemesis enables a smaller, more expeditionary deployable capability partnered with remote firing positions. It increases survivability on the battlefield and enhances operations for forward deployed forces. The ARGMU is the initial stabilizing force that creates the necessary conditions for the arrival of the joint force overhead. The B1 Lancer leads a formation of long range strike assets armed with precision and conventional weapons weapons to deliver devastating firepower. They conduct a global strike to project power rapidly and decisively anywhere in the world to achieve strategic objectives. Now that the Marines have massed combat power ashore, we begin to set conditions for movement to other objectives further inland. The king of battle arrives. M777 howitzers are emplaced and prepared to support ground maneuver. The M777 fires the 155mm M795 high explosive round with precision sustained at two rounds a minute, surging to four when demanded. Operated by a section chief and nine cannoneers directed by the Fire Direction center center approved by the Fire Support Coordination Center. This is not only steel and power. It is calculation and courage, timing and trust. The quiet math that makes Thunder purposeful. The call for fire flows from the forward observer located with the assault force to the Fire Direction Center. The mathematicians of Mayhem, the Fire Direction officer and ops chief run the numbers. Data is verified and the fire command is sent to the gun line. The crew moves like a single organism. One shoulders the high explosive shell. Another sets the point detonating fuse. Finally, the charge is added. Breach closed. Tube elevated. The battery is ready. Then silence. SAM Thunder. The gun recoils, the earth shakes. And 155 millimeter shell tears through the air. Speed, mass, steel rain. Inbound corrections flow. The crew repeats the rhythm builds. One, two. A metrodome of steel fire. Sustained pressure, unrelenting. Motor T weights with fuel and trucks. Comms log every shot. Battalion Commander XO Gunnery Sergeant First Sergeant. Eyes sharp watching the battlefield transform. We witnessed the arrival of the carrier strike group. A formidable force of naval power and precision as it sails into position. Positioned to support a dynamic amphibious assault. The carrier strike group represents the pinnacle of maritime capability. Seamlessly integrating air, surface and subsurface assets to project power and ensure dominance across the battle space. At the heart of the strike group is the aircraft carrier, a floating fortress of innovation and strength. Serving as the centerpiece of Naval aviation. The carrier strike groups stands ready to support the amphibious assault, demonstrating the unmatched capability of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps team. Behind every movement you have seen is a resilient command and control network hardened against cyber threats and protected by Marine cyber warfare operators. This seamless flow of data into ensures Marines never fight blind. The Marine Corps of 2025 is connected, resilient and decisive. This choreography of warfare is directed by the Marine Expeditionary Unit Command Element. The command element comprise of approximately 200 Marines, Marines and sailors is led by the Marine Expeditionary Unit Commander and supporting staff. They exercise command and control over the aviation combat element, the ground combat element and logistics combat element. They have special detachments like signals Intelligence, Counterintelligence, Civil affairs, communication strategy and operations and reconnaissance. From Flintlocks to fifth generation fighters, from wooden decks to steel carriers, the Navy and Marine Corps continuously evolve. But their fighting spirit endures. The message is simple. The Navy and Marine Corps team is ready. Ready to deter, ready to fight, ready to defend the homeland. The Amphibious ready groups and Marine Expeditionary Units give our nation's leaders flexible, forward deployed options that are sovereign, scalable, ready and in position when it matters most. These formations respond in hours, not weeks, without relying on access, basing or overflight permissions. Their presence alone can deny adversaries the decision space they crave, shape the battle space and introduce doubt before, before the first shot is even fired. For two and a half centuries, Marines have stormed beaches, fought in jungles, deserts and cities and carried our nation's colors with honor. At Belleau Wood, Marines earned the name Devil Dogs. On Iwo Jima, Marines raised the flag. Seen around the world in Fallujah, Marines fought block by block to bring stability in chaos. What you see today is that same spirit sharpened by modern technology, amplified by our brothers and sisters in the Navy and carried forward by the Marines of 2020. For 250 years, Marines have answered the nation's call. Today we honor that legacy. From distributed maritime operations to precision long range fire, from amphibious assaults to cyber defense, the Navy and Marine Corps team is equipped to win. This is the raw strength of America, ladies and gentlemen. This is our nation's 911 force. Always forward, always faithful, always ready. Ladies and gentlemen, your United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. You've been watching the United States Marine Corps offering up a bit of an exercise showing all phases of of what the Marines do. Be it in the air Be it in the water or be it on ground. It was overseen by Vice President J.D. vance, who himself is a Marine. You saw him leaving there. And he'll be heading over to the main staging area, where we're expecting him to give remarks. We can show that again there. The Vice President is, along with his Secret Service details and the media. Ladies and gentlemen, Please welcome retired U.S. marine Corps officer and fitness advocate Kagan Dunlap to the main stage and let you hear some of the speakers. But, Ben, can you hear me, sir? Yeah, I've got you. And I asked that question, Ben, not to be funny, but I can only imagine how loud it was for you being there on the ground with all the helicopters and planes flying over you and the various ordinances. Describe the feeling of being so close to the action, if you will. The only thing I can say, Terrence, is as a man, I think of myself like this is, like the experience for a young boy. It's a dream. What I just got to witness firsthand, the military power is just incomprehensible. To be able to be standing here on the front row of the beaches of Camp Pendleton for this celebration. And as we see Vice President Vance getting back in the motorcade, this is the coolest thing I've ever done in my life. I mean, it is freaking awesome. It's just. It's. It's hard to. It's. It's hard to put it into words, Ben. I. I think you probably said it most appropriately. It's freaking awesome. Even watching it here from a distance with the narration, it was still pretty. To quote you, freaking awesome to watch all of that. And I think really the big takeaway here, Ben, though, is this is what our Marines do on a daily basis. And even though the technology has increased, the mission has been the same for the last 250 years. Yeah, we got to witness something that most civilians never get to see. You know, you'll see combat videos, you'll see military in action, but to see it coordinated in an example like we got to see today, all of these different types of technology, all of the. These different vehicles and the manpower, the strategies, the way they take the beach in. In waves and how. Which group takes the beach when and. And how that clears the way for the next group. You know, I. I mean, if the. The coolest part to me was definitely the artillery, to watch those go off, and they're. They're at least probably two miles away from where I'm standing right now. And then to get that first wave of the concussion and then the second wave, it was, was just, I mean it really is incredible. And then to see the aircraft carriers, then the, the hovercrafts and the hovercrafts coming in at this distance and then as they came on shore, it is truly powerful thing to witness. And as you mentioned, this is what our, our war fighters train for every single day. They train for not situations like this. This just gets, gives them an opportunity to show off. But really they train for this as a real world situation because they know they're going into life threatening situations and ultimately they want to be as prepared, equipped and ready as possible to deal hell on the enemy. And that's what we saw today. If you're an enemy of America, man, just go home. Don't even try. Exactly. It's better to be a friend than an enemy of America, I'll tell you that. Ben, as we're kind of watching the Vice President motorcade make its way back to the main area, back to the area where the rest of the Marines are assembled. Obviously you were within eyesight of the Vice President as all of this was playing out, but it's my understanding that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was also close to all of this. Were you able to see him and kind of watch as he's taking all of this in? Yeah, no, actually he's leaving right as we speak. Right now he's in, in a. Turn the camera real quick. I just want to show what Pete Hegseth is riding in May see if we can get him rolling out over here real quick. Let me move that around. So this is a different type of motorcade. So VP Vance just went across. That's what this is what Pete Hagg says. He's in the second vehicle there and yeah, I got to watch him. I was actually going back and forth. I was looking at once one stage and then looking back at the other one. And they were just as excited, I think as we were. I mean these guys are war fighters themselves. But to be here to witness it, you know, obviously they're, they're, they have more experience in this than I do. But I, I basically kept turning back and forth because part of it was you didn't know where things were coming from. You didn't know where the aircraft was coming from. Obviously they did. I didn't. And so I look up at, at Pete Hegseth and, and he was watching and he had a, his looks like some family members there with him. And then you look back at J.D. vance and his wife. They Were, you know, they're there. And I mean, it was just. It was. I mean, we were in the coolest spot you can possibly imagine as they head out. It's just awesome, awesome experience here. And. And just to give you a perspective. So they're right there. I'm right here. So Secretary Hegsest was right there. VP Vance was right there. And we got hovercraft on the beaches right behind me. We had the, you know, and I don't know what was cool. The artillery are actually witnessing Navy SEALs swim onto the beach and then take their positions. The Marine Corps, the recon coming in and they were. You talk about stealthy. We didn't even see them coming. They cleared the houses, they. The kill houses. And then they. They moved. It was like. Like you think of synchronized swimming. It was synchronized Marines coming on to take the ground over here. And then they got down on the ground and they disappeared. I mean, it's. It truly. I mean, the whole thing is just. I keep going back to freaking awesome. It's awesome. The kid and Ben Burkum just came out and we appreciate it. Ben, you know, before I let you go, it seems to me that this was just an example. And we go, we've been saying this really all day, that this is patriotism on full display, showing the capabilities of our military. In this particular case, the Marines is another way to express that patriotism and that pride that we all feel when we see men and women in uniform. That's exactly right. And all I can say is, as we started the show, thank God we have our Commander in chief, Donald J. Trump in office. I can only imagine what this would have been if it was the alternative that had been voted into office. You know, our leadership matters. And because all of those decisions come from the top, you've got our Commander in Chief. Now, we the people are the bosses of those leaders, but they get to make the decisions. And all of that emotion, all of that energy, all of that mindset comes from the top down. And, man, you talk about a night and day difference between where we were a year ago to where we are today. This is the direction that our military needs to go if we're going to continue to be the world's superpower, the greatest superpower that has ever existed on the planet. And that's what we saw on full display today. I'm going to be actually leaving this location as soon as we get the go ahead. We're on lockdown now until Secret Service has moved Vice President Vance away. Amanda Head, we're going to be moving over to the main stage. I'll be joining them over there. But, man, just what a cool, cool opportunity today to see America's power unleashed. Ben, that was going to be my last question, but the more you talk, the more I'm kind of taking in what we just witnessed. This leads to more questions, and one of the things that just occurred to me, Ben, during the Biden years, recruitment for our army, the Air Force, the Marines, was down. That recruitment is back up. And I would point to what we just witnessed. I can't imagine any high school kid watching that and saying, you know what? Yeah, that's not for me. Like, that's the kind of thing that makes you want to go to the recruiting office tomorrow and say, sign me up. I want some of that. Yeah. I mean, like, I just witnessed the best recruiting video firsthand you'll ever get to see. When you get to watch Navy SEALs drop out of helicopters, then swim on shore, then Marine recon parachute down and come on, then you got the amphibious vehicles coming up, dropping off the next wave of Marines. They come through guns, boom, boom, explosions, munitions going off everywhere. They clear the objective, and then they get to go shake the Vice President's hand. Yeah. There's a reason why you've got ridiculous recruiting numbers through the roof today. And they were dismal previously. And part of that also is the appreciation that we have. We're not, you know, we're not trying to transgender the military anymore. We're trying to weaponize and give them the strength and the tools that they need to go fight these battles. Because today was a demonstration. But every single day that these men and women wake up is a day that they may have to go and actually put this training, training into practice. It's a day that may be their last. And so what you need to bring those people back is for them to understand that the Commander in Chief has their back and that the Secretary of War has their back. And if they're going to be sent in to harm's way for this nation, that they know that they have every tool capability possible and they have the backing of their leadership. And that goes back to what we've seen in the past. You know, you didn't know were they going to have my back or were they going to be on the side of the enemy? Clearly, this administration is on the side of we, the people, and in particular, the war fighters that go before us. Absolutely. Ben Burkhram, it's been so good to spend this last hour with you and kind of watch you take it all in. I'm taking it all in as well. You have the quote of the day. It was freaking awesome. Absolutely. Ben, good to see you my friend. We'll let you break down and get on over to the other stage. We'll check back with you here in just a little bit. But folks want to just remind you that there are so many choices out there when it comes to who you choose for your cell phone service. And there are new ones that are popping up pretty much all the time. But here's the truth. There's only one that boldly stands in the gap for every American that believes that freedom is worth fighting for. And that would be Patriot Mobile. For more than 12 years, Patriot Mobile has been on the front lines fighting for our God given rights and freedoms while also providing exceptional nationwide cell phone service with access to all three of the main networks. Don't just take my word for it. Ask the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have made the switch and are now supporting causes that they believe in simply by joining Patriot Mobile. Switching is easier than ever these days. 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And the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready, powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News agents. We're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the News agents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion. We're public rec the cheat code for guys who want to look just good enough. Lightweight, breathable classics made for fall and 30% off now during our friends and family sale. 40% off with email. Shop comfortable classics, no BS@PublicWrec.com radio BU neverchange I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest. Building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the Wealth Break. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey. You're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their story. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities, like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with Elite Checking. Earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu, your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristiancu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. For 250 years, the United States Marine Corps has stood as the world's most formidable fighting force. From the founding Aton Tavern to the battlefields of today, their legacy is one of sacrifice, courage and uncommon valor. Today we honor that legacy with a historic salute. Marine 250 from sea to Shore starts right now. Welcome back to this Real America's Voice special coverage of the 250th anniversary. Excuse me, of the Marine Corps founding. There's a special program going on at Camp pendleton. Vice President J.D. vance is there. The Secretary of War, Pete Hagseth is also there. We'll take you to the stage in short order so you can hear some of the speakers. But first, want to welcome in Marine Corps veteran and contributor for Real Clear Politics, John Waters. John, good to see you. As I was telling you in the break, I almost called you former Marine, but once a Marine, always a Marine. So I will give you that respect and simply say Marine Corps veteran. We appreciate the your service and appreciate you being here. John thanks, Terence, very much. Happy to be with you. So put into context for us what this 250th anniversary means for you as a Marine veteran. A Marine Corps veteran, when you see your brothers in arms, either past or present, celebrating what does this mean, surviving and thriving. The Marine Corps goes back 250 years like you said, but it's, it's always kind of under threat or perhaps being abolished as it's been in its history. In 1783, I think after the Revolutionary War, we abolished the Marine Corps in this country, brought it back in 1798, fought in the Barbary wars in Tripoli to the shores of Tripoli, ended up in the Marine Corps him as a result. But it's been a difficult history. Despite the esprit de Corps, despite, despite the combat capability you saw on display today. President Andrew Jackson wanted to abolish the Marine Corps. President Truman, President Eisenhower, also skeptical of keeping a Marine Corps. In the time period after World War II, there was some talk of integrating the Marine Corps into the army and the Navy until codified in 1947 in the National Security act that the Marine Corps would continue to exist and have a mission. So, so it's great to see 250 years of the Marine Corps thriving. John, as I'm listening to you, I'm thinking of the Marine Corps slogan semper fidelis always faith, forever faithful. How do you carry that with you even once you Leave the Marine Corps because that's an ideal. That's a lifestyle. It's not just a saying, I would imagine a lifestyle. It is. You're absolutely right. Semper fi. I was at my son's wrestling practice a couple of weeks ago. He's just a little guy. He started wrestling, and I saw another father in the room. And I look at tattoos these days. I've seen enough in the Marine Corps. I know they mean something. And on his forearm, it said semper Fi. And I went and I said hello to him. And we served on Camp Lejeune at the same time. He was with a different than I was. We never overlapped, never knew each other. But every day since then, we've had a conversation. There's a bond not just in saying sort of faithful to the Marine Corps and what we learned, but to one another in the days after we take the uniform off for the final time. You know, and I want to expand that. Yes, it's a faithfulness. It's an allegiance to the Marine Corps. But I think if you expand that, I suspect it's also a faithfulness to the American way of life, to upholding our American standard. Is it not totally is. I agree so much with what you just said, Terrence. I feel like we must love our country to keep our country, to keep it strong, but to keep its character. And in the Marine Corps, I knew some people, Marines, who love the country more than anyone I've known outside of my family. And that feeling kind of stays with you. It stays with you in combat. It stays with you when you're under pressure, even afraid. It stays with you when you get out and you have hard times and you wonder if you can make it to the next day or the next week. You stay kind of loyal to each other and you have faith in your country. So I think what you learn in the Marine Corps is a sense of faith in America that it will also continue to thrive. You mentioned the gentleman that you met at your son's wrestling, kind of the other father who also happened to be Marine. Has the conversation arisen yet between the two of you about the Marine Corps today versus how it has been over the past administration, the Biden administration, and just the service, kind of the willingness to serve and to get in whatever armed branch of the armed forces. It is kind of how the Trump administration has redefined service to one's country. Has that conversation come up, I wonder? It has come up, actually, with the father that I met in wrestling, but in other Marines, I Served with, too. There's a renewed sense of. Of pride since seeing President Trump retake office, become commander in chief again at the start of this year. He's reinvigorated not just the country, but I think it starts with the military and maybe the military. It starts with the Marine Corps. You saw everything on display today, the Marine Air Ground Task Force. You saw projection of power from the sea. You saw ships, jets, helicopters, ground troops, everything on display. The Marine Corps is kind of this little microcosm of the Marine Corps, of the. Sorry, the military. It's the most powerful punch, I think, the shock troops, the 911 force, and Trump. President Trump has reinvigorated, I think, that force, and he's reinvigorated those of us who served in the military, maybe in Afghanistan, maybe who witnessed in 2021 when there was a horrible withdrawal from that country, where we did not take the country, did not take the sort of care that everyday Marines took on patrol through more than 20 years of combat. President Trump has brought back pride, a sense of power, patriotism and character to the military and certainly the Marine Corps, too. Okay, so now I kind of want to have a sociological conversation because you said the word microcosm, which immediately took me to Sociology 101. It seems to me that the Marine Corps is also a microcosm of this country. You've got black, white, man, woman, working together for one common goal, and that is to make this country better, to allow Americans to live the values and the Constitution, if not, you will. And it seems to me that is something that we all should aspire to be it in a small microcosm like our own neighborhoods, but by example. We can simply look to the Marine Corps as an example of that. No, it's a shining example. It is an example. It's a symbol of the country. It's a symbol of teamwork. It's a symbol of mission orientation, what we can accomplish together, which is anything, which is raising the flag on Mount Suribachi in 1945 after weeks of hard fighting at Iwo Jima. It's years of hard fighting in the Pacific Theater. 1941, 42, and forward. I think that the Marine Corps is out there as an example, not just to young people who may join or enlist, but to the entire country of what we can do when we come together for a common mission. And the Marine Corps, to speak historically, has done an outstanding job of preserving its central character, dating back to 1775 and Ton Tavern in Philadelphia, when the first 300 marines were raised by order of the Second Continental Congress. Every year we find a way in the Marine Corps of preserving our integrity. Semper Fidelis. The Mameluke sword. Out of Presley O' Bannon's 500 mile plus jaunt across the the desert and Libya to Tripoli. In our Marine Corps hymn, where we managed to commemorate and capture some of our most historic moments, we memorialize our achievements in the Marine Corps. We share them with the next generation. And we say, you have to live up to this. And young people like that. I liked that. My friends liked that. And I keep that with me. And it's the stories I tell my children today. It's honorable, John. It's absolutely honorable. All right, I want to get personal. Do you still have your Marine class As and do they fit? I guess that's the better question. Do they still fit? I would be ashamed of myself if they didn't. I keep them around. I do wear them sometimes, but I think you said it's something to stay faithful even after you leave the Marine Corps. Once a Marine, always a Marine. And that means kind of keeping your mind sharp, keeping your fitness sharp, staying in touch with the Marines you served with. I think it's a way of life. It never leaves you. And so if I didn't fit into those, I would be ashamed of myself, Terrence. All right, well, I'm glad you do. I didn't serve, but I must say I'm jealous because I think the Marine Class A is the sharpest of all of the military dress gear. That Marine uniform and that Class A is just. It's spiffy, it's sharp, and it makes a statement. Everybody stops and look when a Marine walks in and is Class A. I agree with you. It is a sharp uniform, and I'm so proud that I have it and that I served as a Marine. Hey, well, look, we want to thank you for your service and thanks for being here with us today as we celebrate this 250th anniversary of the US Marines. Continue to do what you do and continue to stay faithful. Thanks so much for your time. Thank you as well. All right, we'll talk soon. All right, folks. Well, listen up if you want to fight for this country. Amac, the association of Mature American Citizens, is the organization that you really want to join. They're the conservative alternative to aarp, and they're fighting every day to protect faith, family, freedom, and, of course, our American way of life. When you become a member, you get access to powerful perks, exclusive discounts on travel, insurance, and much more. Plus, you get valuable member tools and a subscription to the AMAC magazine, which tells you the truth that the mainstream media won't. It's incredibly affordable. You can become a one year member for just a dollar. That's right, a year for a dollar. So don't wait. Go to amac US Marine and join the movement to save America Today. That's AMAC. U.S. marine join the Movement to save America. All right, I'm looking on the screen here, and it looks like we've got some speakers at the main looks like we've got some speakers here at the main, the main stage there as we celebrate the 250th anniversary. Let's listen in real quick and then we'll go from there. One of my other seals in Ramadi who was shot in the face was gravely wounded and who later died of his wounds, his brother, Aaron Jobe. He was a Marine. And finally, Michael Mansour, another SEAL with us in Ramadi who jumped on a grenade and sacrificed his life to save three of our other teammates who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Well, Mikey Mansour's father, George, was a Marine who served in Vietnam. And Mikey's two brothers, both of his brothers, Joe and Jim, they're also Marines. And that is why it is an honor to be here today. That is why it is an honor to call you all my brothers. And that is also why. That is also why I know. I know that despite all the people that fear the rise of evil in the world, despite all the people that are concerned about the future of freedom, and despite all the people that are concerned about the fate of our great nation, I can tell you this, I am not concerned at all. Because I know that no matter what happens, there are some men, there are a few good men and women called Marines. And I know that you will never back down. I know that you will never surrender. I know that you will uphold the ideals of this blessed country. And I know that with fire and steel and sweat and blood, you, every one of you, will uphold the heroic ideals of the United States Marine Corps. And that's what I got. Devil dogs. Happy birthday. Guns up. Semper Fi music A lot of spirited speakers there on the ground in Camp Pendleton as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our US Marine Corps. Amanda Head is on the ground there by the stage keeping an eye on things for her. We're going to check in with her here moment momentarily as we await Vice President J.D. vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth they are en route here to this arena and will address the crowd of Marines who are assembled there. Amanda, can you hear me? Are you up and. Up and ready to go? Hi, Terrence. Yes. How are you? I'm doing well. Man, it's always good to see you. Always good to spend a Saturday with you. So, look, I just heard that speaker, and I don't know about you, but I'm ready to run through a wall. I'm ready to. To go sign up for the Marines as we speak and run through a wall. And I would imagine that's really been a lot of what you've heard from the speakers there. Really kind of encouraging, almost like a pep rally for the Marines. Yes, it definitely makes me want to. However, I know my limitations, and I would not even make it through one day of basic training. You look at the men and women around here, and they are tough as nails. They are exactly what these speakers have been describing. The best of the best, the toughest of the toughest, and the most resilient of. Of what, you know, America has to offer as far as resilience. And, you know, I was saying this earlier. I. I feel so safe here. You've got thousands of men and women who would not only take up arms for their country, but for their brothers and sisters. And that's what Jocko was talking about. You know, that. That sibling relationship that they feel, that camaraderie that is bred within our nation's military, you know, that camaraderie, along with tradition, along with patriotism. And it's been. It's been such an honor to be here. You know, the air show was incredible. And as I understand it, there's going to be. I think there's going to be a little bit more later as well. But at this point, this is a video that they created to commemorate the 250th birthday of the United States Marines. But of course, Vice President J.D. vance is going to be stepping in soon to. To speak to this crowd and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. And let me just tell you, when these speakers were up here talking about those two men, for. For unique reasons, obviously, Vice President Vance, because he was. He served as a Marine. I think I heard he retired at the rank of E4. So he has a unique relationship with the men and women here, but also Secretary Hegseth, who did not serve in the Marines, but course served his. His nation valiantly and with bravery. So both of these men just have a tremendous amount of respect from this crowd. And you're going to see it on display when they head up there. I, you know, I know that the, the, what were they? C35s and F A18s. They were loud. But I imagine this crowd is going to get even louder when those men take the stage. You know, and the fact that you mentioned the vice president, J.D. vance, he's a Marine, as I was, was talking with our last guest. Once a Marine, always a Marine. That got, it's got to send a message, a strong message to the crowd there that you can rise through the ranks and eventually be vice president. Heck, you can be president. Absolutely. And when you think about the, the values that the military teaches, you know, that discipline, again, the love of country, tenacity, a willingness to, to stand by the side of your brothers and sisters, of course, bravery and courage, those are exactly the types of qualities that you would want in someone who is leading our country. So there's, there's just a lot of crossover between the skills required to make it through to become a Marine and, and to get that far. And I think that he's an inspiration to the people here. I think that they look up to him for, for reasons other than that. You know, he's also a fan. But you look at his background. I mean, my goodness, someone who came up, someone who has faced so much adversity in his early years on this earth, someone who put himself through, through Ivy League school and ran for office, went up to the United States Senate and then became Vice president. That's, that is a rags to riches story of epic proportions. And I know that the men and women who, not necessarily here in this crowd, but people who, you know, young, young men and women in their teenage years as they are rising up and going through high school and considering what to do when they graduate from high school, I imagine the military is looking a whole lot more attractive, especially Under Vice President J.D. nance and of course, President Donald Trump. No, absolutely. One of the things that struck me in talking to you a little bit earlier, the crowd there behind you, it's not just Marines. You've got Marines there, you've got family members there with them. This really is a family celebration. Yes, it is. I mean, you are seeing every age demographic. I'm, I'm, I'm just sitting here looking at some of the kids here, the spouses of these service members, and it has become a family affair. And we were talking about this earlier, you know, I, I still, my parents still have glasses from the, the sesquicentennial. Was that the, the 200 my parents have those glasses from when I think they were just barely married because that was 1971. And the glasses are still in their cupboard in our kitchen, the glasses that commemorate the 200. So I told my husband, I'm like, look, we have all, we have way too much glassware in our kitchen. But we are definitely going to be going out and purchasing the 250 glasses because it has become a family tradition for us. And you know, that's what these folks are celebrating. They are celebrating 250 years of the United States Marines, a group of men who were so integral to the founding of this country, to the defending of this country's divorce from Great Britain. And one of the speakers was up there talking about the greatest fighting force at the time, Great Britain. And going up against that might, especially the British Navy. You know that you look at what the mercy Marines do and, and you were talking about it's not just Marines in this audience, it's their family members. It's also members of the United States Navy because there's so much close coordination. You know, Jocko is a Navy SEAL and he said he considers that people here brothers because they have such a close relationship and so much close coordination between the United States Navy and the United States Marines. It's truly unique. And that's not to leave the Air Force or, or the army out of it, but especially between these two versions, branches of our armed services, there's a ton of coordination and a ton of unity. And you can see the respect between them and the Marines, of course, overseen by the US Secretary of the Navy. It's technically a branch of the Navy. So I think that explains a lot of what you just described. Standby. We are going to get back to you, but I want to watch this video a little bit. We're hearing it behind you, and I think we're kind of doing our viewers a little bit of a disservice. So let's listen into this video by still upholding those standards as a Marine, by celebrating them, by telling their stories and, and giving the next generation some legacy to live up to. Cream rises to the top. And that's what we have in the Marine Corps today. The Marine Corps is operational Marine Corps. But there's another aspect of the Marine Corps. It's those former Marines or former active duty who are out there and all walks of life. It's amazing when you think of it, being in service was a privilege. It was the best time of our lives. But it was a sacrifice. And your family is part of that sacrifice. And Marine wives or Marine spouses, they deserve a lot of credit as well. The kids being uprooted, moving. It's a sacrifice to serve our country. Without the support of their loved ones and their immediate family, it's hard for them to complete their job. So again, it's just, it's so important for military families and Marine Corps families to understand that their, their role and the role that they play in supporting their loved one while serving is just as important. For 250 years, we have proven there is no better friend and no worse enemy than a US Marine. For those people who wish evil upon the greater good, David Bellavia said it best. You know, somebody else will raise your children to the enemies of our nation. Don't get comfortable. Whether you're in the air or at sea or on the ground, we adapt. We always have and we always will. If it comes down to one on one mano a mano and you turn us loose, I can promise you this, you're not going to survive. From our first amphibious landing at Nassau, to the black sands of Iwo Jima, to urban combat in Fallujah, our Corps has come a long way since Samuel Nichols first took command of two battalions at Ton Tavern. Though weapons platforms and technology continue to evolve, our individual Marines, grit, discipline, resolve remain our decisive advantage. For two and a half centuries, Marines have preserved our legacy as America's premier expeditionary force. Because we are forward ready and lethal. From the moment a Marine earns their eagle, globe and anchor, they inherit a rich tradition of honor, courage and commitment. A legacy that is etched on our souls forever. Our history is one of winning our nation's battle battle. And make no mistake, we will be called to fight again. We will be ready and we will win. Since our foundation, we have fought in every climb and place, upholding our oath and preserving who we are, the few and the proud. But we cannot break stride. We must continue to train for the next fight because victory will go to those who seize the initiative, impose their will and never yield the perspective. Pursuit of excellence in the profession of arms is our heritage forged by an unbreakable fighting spirit. The memorial behind us stands as a testament to that fact. We stand on the shoulders of the giants that came before us. We must not fail them. The challenge is on all of us, every day to uphold the standard that the title Marine demands. Happy 250th birthday, Marine separate by Dallas. If you're just joining us, you are watching coverage of the 250th anniversary of the U.S. marine Corps Celebration which is happening at Camp Pendleton in California. You just missed again, if you just joining us, you missed a real show in which the Marines really showed kind of all of what they do, both in the air, on the ground and in the water. It truly was a rollout of all of the various skills that it takes to be a Marine and just how effective US Marines are definitely was a sight to see. We're now waiting For Vice President J.D. vance along with the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to arrive and to speak to the troops who are assembled. The Marines who are assembled. We of course will take you there live. In the meantime, I can tell you that gold is up around 60% this year. That's not speculation, it's reality. And if a portion of your savings isn't diversified into gold, well, you're really missing the boat. And that's definitely appropriate since we're celebrating the Marines. Here's the fact. Inflation is still too high, the US Dollar is still too weak and the government debt is insurmountable. That's why central banks are flocking to gold and they are the ones who are driving prices up to record highs. But it's not too late to buy gold from the Birch Gold Group. You can get in the door right now. The Birch Gold Group will help you convert an existing IRA or 401k into a tax sheltered IRA in gold. And you don't have to pay a dime out of pocket. All you have to do is text the word America to the number 989898 and claim your free information kit. There's no obligation here, just useful information. The best indicator of the future is the past. And gold has historically been a safe haven for millennia. So what else can you say other than text the word America to the number 9898 98. Do so right now and claim your free information kit on gold. That's America. Text that to the number 989-898 and protect your future today with the Burch Gold Group. Alright folks, we're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we'll get you out to Camp Pendleton as we await the arrival of Vice President J.D. vance, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. And we continue to take you to the program celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. marine Corps halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli we fight our country's battles in the air, on land and sea first to fight for right and freedom and to keep our honor free we are proud to wane the dark B of United States are our flags unfurled to every breeze from dawn to setting sun we have fought in every CL and place where we could take a God. In the snow of far off northern land that is sunny flowers you will find us always on the D. Here's health to you and to life for which we are proud to serve in us fight. We fought for life and never lost our death. If the army and the Navy ever look on heaven sea they will find us resorted while you die. We'll be right back. The US Electric grid is approaching a breaking point as demand soars from data centers and home energy use, our aging infrastructure infrastructure can't keep up and the Department of Energy warns that without action, blackouts could surge 100 fold by 2030. The good news? One solution is already here. Propane. It's American made, stored on site and always ready. Powering homes and businesses with cleaner, reliable energy that doesn't depend on the grid or the weather. Learn more@probane.com Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the newsagents USA listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. We don't give a damn about fashion trends. We are public rec and our whole brand was built as a cheat code for guys who want to look good and feel even better in lightweight, breathable classics made to wear all day, any day, especially in the fall. And right now you can get 30% off every single thing we sell during our friends and family sale. 40% off if you sign up for email. Shop comfortable classics, no bs@publicwrec.com radio bu never change. I'm Rodney Williams. And I'm Travis Holloway. Welcome to the Wealth Break. Let's be honest, building wealth doesn't look the same for everyone. It's not just about saving. It's about investing. It's about navigating systems that weren't built for you, embracing your hustle and relying on your community to create something bigger. And that's exactly why we created the wealthbreak. We made something different, something more human. It's not just another financial podcast. It's a conversation about real life, real struggles, and real wins. We're here to talk about the journey you're hearing from people who've broken barriers, found creative ways to succeed, and learn to build wealth on their terms. Whether it's the first time homeowner, a gig worker, or someone turning a side hustle into a six figure business, we're bringing you their stories. And we're not stopping at success stories. We're breaking down the realities like what it means to take risk, how to navigate failure, and why resilience matters. Because wealth isn't about money. It's about creating a life where you can thrive and help others to do the same. So if you're ready for a podcast as much as about people as it is about money, you're in the right place. Listen to the Wealth Break podcast on the iHeartRadio app. America's Christian Credit Union stands firm in faith, serves the community and delivers top financial services with Elite Check and earn up to 4% APY on balances under $15,000. Get paid early, enjoy loan discounts and more. Because at Accu, your money should reflect your mission. Visit AmericasChristiancu.com Elite to learn more. Early pay depends on when your employer sends your paycheck. We can't guarantee early direct deposit. APY equals annual percentage yield. America's Christian Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA. Welcome back to Marine 250 from sea to shore right here on Real Life America's Voice. Welcome back to this Real America's Voice special coverage of Marine 250. We are celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. marine Corps Special celebration happening right now at Camp Pendleton. We are awaiting the arrival in the area you just saw there of the vice president, J.D. vance, along with with the Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. As you can see here, paratroopers are en route into the arena. They've jumped out of a plane and now they're gliding on down into the arena. In advance of the Vice President and Secretary of War's arrival. Our Amanda Head is also there on the ground keeping us apprised of what's going on. Amanda, good afternoon to you. I imagine that you're also seeing these paragliders come down here. It looks like everybody behind you is kind of looking to the sky, kind of have this. Okay, there they are. So describe the atmosphere there. Yeah, I hope you guys are carrying a split screen. So we've got two up here above me. And I don't know if you saw when you were talking There was one, at least one that I saw that was landing behind me. So we've got these two that are coming overhead and they're kind of crisscrossing, but it's actually very quiet here. Oh. Whoa. Oh, that was really cool. So I don't know if they released an American flag. There's now an American flag that's flying towards the earth. Drifting towards the earth, I guess I should say. I'm trying to hear what the announcer saying. So the two paratroopers. Oh, three. Sorry, three. They've got parachutes that say Navy. And they are landing. Hopefully you can see that in the shot. They're landing over here, and the American flag is still drifting above. Very, very cool. I hope you guys have a split screen of this because it's amazing. It's really beautiful. It's actually. Again, it's very quiet here because everyone's got their phones out. Everyone's filming it. Yeah, we're watching kind of as you are as well. And again, I think this really goes back to the patriotic nature of this celebration. It really is, yes, celebrating the U.S. marine Corps. But I think even once you broaden the lens, broaden the scope of all of this, this is a celebration of American excellence. It is. And, you know, you consider the skills that these men and women have, these paratroopers. I. I'm. I'm kind of a thrill seeker myself. If there's not risk of death or dismemberment, it doesn't really interest me. So I've done skydiving plenty, but reaching terminal velocity at 120 miles per hour. Oh, I think we're the anthem. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the singing of our national anthem. Them O say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight O' er the ramparts we watched Were so gallantly streaming and the rocket red glue the bombs bursting in Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there O say, does that star spangled ban O' er the land of the flower free and the home of the brave E Good. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Daryl Caudle. All right. Well, good afternoon, Camp Pendleton. It is an honor to be here with the war fighters who make Southern California the front line of building, training and delivering our maritime combat power. We just had a greatest opportunity ever returning from a world life experience of exceptional amphibious demonstration administration off the coast. And let me tell you, your Navy Marine Corps team absolutely crushed it. Mr. Vice President, thank you for joining us today, witnessing firsthand the integrated strength of integrated sea power. I'm sure this brought back some vivid memories of your time in uniform. It's great to welcome you back among your Marines. Secretary of War hecsep, thank you for your steadfast support of our men and women in uniform and your focus on uncompromising standards. You continue to be a tireless champion of the warfighter and the ethos required to win in combat. Secretary Phelan, as always, sir, a pleasure to be your wingman. Thank you for your leadership and partnership. From robust ship to shore operations, to close in air support, to seamless handoffs between blue and green forces. What we witnessed today was not just a demo, but a textbook execution of integrated all domain warfare. That kind of performance doesn't just happen. It's forged through discipline, training, and a unified commitment to mission success. No other maritime force on Earth can generate and project combat power with this level of speed, scale and synchronization. Let's give a round of applause to the men and women who made this happen. As your Chief of Naval Operations, I couldn't be more proud to represent this extraordinary team. You embody what it means to be forward focused and lethal. Whether you're on the bridge, in the cockpit, in the whale deck or on the beach, we're all part of a single integrated fight. For over 250 years, it's been this unity between sailors and Marines that has given our nation the decisive edge from the shores of Tripoli to the waters off the Red Sea. And today, as then, we stand the watch together, delivering maritime dominance in extending America power from sea to shore. In January, the President gave us a clear defend the homeland, deter aggression, project strength through an all domain integrated force. And that's exactly what we've been doing day in and day out across every ocean and every contested region. Our Navy Marine Corps team is leading from the front, reassuring our allies, restoring deterrence, and responding with precision and resolve when called. And you have just shown the world that American sea power is not just a concept. It's an unmatched capability. And you, all of you, our sailors and Marines are the competitive edge, the enduring advantage that no adversary can match. Today we were able to get a glimpse into why the Navy and Marine Corps team operates as a joint force all to itself. You showcase why our amphibious forces remain vital to winning future conflicts. And this, this is just the beginning of what we can become. We are the operational overmatch, agile Persistent and expeditionary, we bring unrivaled combat flexibility, delivering force and options from seat to the fight on our terms and on our timeline. I want to close by thanking all of you and your families for your service, your sacrifice and your commitment. You make our team what it is. It is an honor to serve with you. Thank you and semper fortis foreign Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome commandant of the u. S. Marine corps General Eric Smith. American soldier and American beside my brothers and my sisters I will proudly take a stand when liberty and jeopardy. I will always do what's right. I'm out here on the front lines Sleep in peace tonight American soldier. Hoorah, marines. Get some hoorah. That never gets old, does it? That never gets old. Good afternoon, marines, sailors, family, friends, Vice president Vance, Secretary of war Hegseth, Secretary of the Navy phelan, my shipmate, the cno. Elected officials, distinguished guests, far too many to name. What a day. What a perfect amphibious day, and what a sight to behold. What I'm talking about is you not talking about the equipment, not talking about the ships. I'm talking about you, the marines. Because that's who we are. That's what we're all about. We're about the individual marine. Because that's who wins battles, that's who wins wars. Before I begin, I want to thank those who made today's demonstration possible, Especially the phenomenal team here at marine corps base camp Pendleton. And the marines and sailors of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and the 3rd Fleet. From the first aircraft overhead to the final wave on the beach, you showed what American amphibious strength looks like in action. You do not want to be on the receiving end of that bunch of ass whooping. You do not. If you're an adversary. Hoorah. If you're an adversary. And you. You want to have your butt kicked, then mess with the marine corps. Because we'll do it. We'll do it for you. I also want to thank our many distinguished guests and civic leaders for joining us in the celebration this afternoon. You know, if you go to marine corps air station Cherry point, North Carolina, or if you go to marine corps air station New River. It says pardon our noise. That's the sound of freedom. Well, pardon our noise today. That's the sound and look of freedom. That's what it takes to get you free. Thanks as well to our national leadership for standing alongside your marine corps as we mark this historic milestone 250 years young. The first 250. The next 250 are going to be even tougher. Than the first 250. And there's going to be more fights ahead. But we'll overcome all obstacles because we're Marines. That's what we do. We don't know how to fail. Finally, thank you to our military families whose strength, patience and sacrifice make everything we do possible. You serve this nation alongside your Marines and sailors, and your support is the foundation of our readiness. For 250 years, our Corps has fought and won our nation's battles. Again, we don't know how to lose. We're Marines, founded even before our formal independence as a country. We were created as an expeditionary force in readiness, always faithful to the nation we serve. From muskets to missiles, wooden ships to amphibious combat vehicles and signal flags to satellites. The tools of our trade have changed, but their purpose has not. We remain America's Naval Expeditionary Force, ready to respond and ready to win. Today we witness the power of the Navy and Marine Corps team through our premier force offering the Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit, employing combined arms to deliver decisive effects and compel the enemy to do our will, to do what we want to have happen, not what they want to have happen happen. But none of what you saw, the precision fires, the air assault, the seamless integration of firepower, none of that means a thing without the Marine behind it, without the marine behind his M4, without the marine sitting in the vehicle driving it, without the pilot flying the aircraft. It is all about the Marine. It's all about you. The strength of the MAGTAF lies in its Marines. Their warrior ethos and core values strengthen us and sustain us during difficult times. It is the Marine, resolute beneath our nation's flag, who carries the day every time. Honor, courage and commitment are the living code of a Corps that endures because of uncompromising standards. Standards that guide us in our purpose, unite us in battle, and bind us across generations. From Belleaud to Iwo Jima to Ramadi and Fallujah and Helmand Province, we're still the same. We're a corps of Marines. We are a band of warriors dedicated to the defense of this nation. The Marines here today are cut from the same cloth as those who seized Tarawa, withstood the cold of Korea, and fought through the streets of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan. And the next fight is coming. Trust me, it's coming. Across battlefields, our character has never wavered. Just as the nature of war, the clash of wills, the test of fortitude, the demand for discipline remains the same to our Marines here today and around the world. I Could not be more proud of of you. Sergeant Major Ruiz and I have the easiest jobs in the Marine Corps. We get thanked every day. And yet you do all the work. Our jobs are easy. Your jobs are hard. We don't pay you enough. You don't have all the equipment that you need, but you still get the job done. Why? Because we're Marines. That's what we do. That's all we do. We do war fighting. We do America's war fight. You remind us that our power is not found in steel or armaments, but in the faith we keep with one another. You are our most valuable asset. No modernized ship, vehicle or weapon system can replace the sheer will, determination or grit of a US Marine. It is you who will close with and destroy the enemy. To locate, close with and destroy the enemy or repel the enemy's assault by fire and close combat. Close combat. That's what we do. It is you who will seize the objective and seize the day. It is you who will win our nation's battles. This is why I have absolute confidence in the future of our Corps today, tomorrow, and for the next 250 years. When the next fight comes, and sadly, it will come, Marines will be ready. Ready to fight, ready to win. Because that is who we are. That is what we do. It is all that we do. We're warriors. That's all that we do. We are America's Crisis Response force. We're the 9114 force, or the people who go out the door at zero dark thirty to get our mission done, to accomplish it on behalf of the American people. To stick a bayonet in the heart of our adversaries just like we did at Belleau Wood. Just like we did at Bladensburg and Chapultepec and Iwo Jima and Iniwetak and Kwajalein and Khe Sanh and Ramadi and Fallujah. That is who we are as a Corps. Never forget that. Never forget that it is up to you to pass on the Marine Corps to the next generation of Marines who are currently in high school or middle school or grade school or just being born. We owe it to them to pass on our heritage and our legacy unvarnished, Untarnished. Sharp as a razor. That's who we are. That's who we've always been. That's who we will always be. We are America's Crisis Response Force. Don't ever forget that, Marines. Be proud of that eagle, globe and anchor that you wear tattooed onto your chest. You earned it. Only you can own it. Only a few, a very few, are capable of earning the title Marine. I'm proud of each and every one of you. Thanks for being here today. Thanks for stepping up to serve when so many couldn't or wouldn't. Thanks for being Marines. Hoorah. Semper Fidelis. American soldier and American beside my brothers and my sisters, I will proudly take a stand when liberties and. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the United States Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon. This is an incredible sight. I can't think of anything better than being here with thousands of Marines, sailors and their families here on red beach, celebrating 250 years. The United States Marine Corps, the world's premier expeditionary force. Add to that what we just witnessed, an awesome display of maritime power. It really doesn't get any better. Thank you and well done. To every single Marine, sailor, civilian and partner who made this amphibious demonstration possible. Let's give them a hand. On behalf of President Trump and the Department of the Navy, I want to thank every Marine and sailor across the globe for standing in defense of our nation with honor, courage and commitment. You carry forward a legacy that began in ton Tavern in 1775, when a few tough men decided this nation needed a core of warriors who would always be the first to fight. Two and a half centuries later, that decision still echoes across every battlefield and beachhead where freedom has been tested. Mr. Vice President, thank you for your faithful service and your continued leadership, proving always that once a Marine, always a Marine. Secretary of War Hegsett, thank you for your continued service and for your unwavering advocacy for our sailors and Marines. Thank you as well to the Commandant, CNO and to our senior Navy and Marine Corps leaders, and to members of Congress, state and local leaders and distinguished guests. Thank you for joining us today and for your continuous support. It is the privilege of my lifetime to stand with you as the 79th Secretary of the Navy, celebrating two and a half centuries of the United States Marine Corps, the world's finest fighting force. From the frozen hills of Korea to Tripoli, from Belleau Wood to Fallujah, Marines have always been raised for the hardest jobs and entrusted with the most consequential fights. From the beginning, the Corps was built on conviction, on the belief that courage and character are the true measure of a warrior. As Major Doug Zembeck said, be a man of principle, fight for what you believe in, Live with integrity, lead from the front, be valorous on the field of battle and take responsibility for your actions. That is what it means to be a Marine, to live by a code that endures long after the battle ends, to serve with honor and to stand firm when others falter. For two and a half centuries, that spirit has carried the Marine Corps through every test and every generation, upholding a promise that when freedom is threatened, America will send its very best. And as Secretary of the Navy, I can tell you that promise is alive and strong. The Navy and Marine Corps team remains unmatched, a global force for peace through strength, ready for any challenge anytime, anywhere. This legacy begins on the yellow footprints at Parris island, right here in San Diego and Quantico. That is where discipline takes root, pride is earned and character is forged. Those qualities are why, when the nation calls Marines, answer. They are why allies trust us and adversaries fear us. The line from those footprints to today's formations is unbroken. Marines carry the same courage forged at Guadalcanal, where the 1st Marine Division, hungry and exhausted, refused to quit and prove that grit and discipline win battles. When others said it could not be done, Marines said, watch us. Every generation of Marines has found new ways to fight and new tools to wield. Innovation is not a break from tradition. It is the continuation of it. The character of war is changing rapidly, but the character of Marines remains unshakable. The initiative, ingenuity and grit that carried this force through every battle must drive innovation in every formation. The future belongs to those who adapt faster than the challenge before them. This is a challenge our Marine Corps and Navy team will win. Lt. Gen. Victor Krulak once wrote, americans believe when trouble comes to our country, there will be Marines. And that when Marines go to war, they invariably turn in performance that is dramatically successful. Not most of the time, but always. That trust was earned through action on every battlefield, in every era by Marines who prove that excellence is not a slogan, but a standard. That conviction has carried Marines through 250 years of hardship and victory. And what we have seen here today proves it still burns bright. The Corps continues to deliver on its promise to the American people, standing as both the ideal and the standard to which the next generations of Americans can aspire. Because when it matters most, it is not technology or equipment that wins the day, but the dependability, decisiveness and character of the Marine or sailor who wields it. One of our greatest weapons has always been and will always be the United States Marine. As we celebrate 250 years of the United States Marine Corps, we look forward as much as we look back. We honor not just the Marine Corps history, but Its spirit, the unbreakable will that defines every Marine who has ever worn the eagle, globe and anchor. The next chapter will be written by Marines just like you, who fight in new domains, face new challenges, encounter new threats. To every Marine here today, thank you for carrying a legacy 250 years strong. You are the embodiment of Semper Fidelis. Always faithful to one another, to the Corps, and to the nation we serve. Behind every Marine is a family, a spouse, a parent, a child who stands the watch with you. They endure the deployments, the moves, the missed birthdays, the late night calls and the endless goodbyes. They are the quiet strength of the Corps, and today, we honor them, too. To every Marine family here at Camp Pendleton and around the world, thank you. Your sacrifice makes this legacy possible. Bravo Zulu 3rd Fleet. Semper Phi 1 Mef. Happy birthday, Marines. May God bless you. May God bless the United States Marine Corps and Navy team. And may God bless the United States of America. Thank you. I hope you have a great day today. Thanks. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth. How we doing? Oorah, Marines. Man, that is beautiful. Let me just say, this might be one of the most beautiful sights I think I've ever seen. In fact, I'm not supposed to say this, really not, but I think you guys might be my favorite. Don't tell anybody. Marines, it's great to see you. It's an honor to be here. Chief Commandant, Secretary of the Navy. Thank you. It's an honor to be a Camp Pendleton and looking out at these Marines today and the Navy seals. I had a chance to do PT with this morning. You know, I do PT all around the country now with the troops, and it's turned into smoke. The secretary. It's clear to me why President Trump says all the time we're the strongest, most powerful, most lethal and most prepared military on the planet. Because you are that strength, you are that power, you are that lethality, and you are prepared. And President Trump's going to make sure it stays that way. Being here with you is the perfect way to mark 250 years of the beautiful and beloved United States Marine Corps. President Trump has made our mission clear. We needed clarity, and he provided it. It. America first. Peace through strength and common sense at every turn. We are the War Department and you are warriors. The Marine Corps embodies the warrior ethos you see when other parts of the department wavered in years past, not anymore. In years past, the Marine Corps stood Strong. When other parts of the department wanted to go woke, the Marine Corps stood strong. When other parts of the department wanted to lower standards, the Marine Corps stood strong. You, ladies and gentlemen, are the backbone of the United States military military. You always have been. And that's why we're proud to Honor you today. 250 years ago, Major Samuel Nichols formed the Continental Marines. The next year, the Marines won the battle of Nassau, capturing two forts from the Brits. Since that day, the very mention of the Marine Corps stirred panic in the hearts of our enemies. From the halls of Montezulu to the shores of Tripoli, Marines have been the tip of the spear of our armed forces and the vanguard of the of the fight for freedom. Just as they are right now in the Caribbean. Let's hope the wrong people don't f a f o around there. In the most critical battles our nation has ever faced, it is often Marines forged by unique traditions and tough as nails training who land first. And they volunteer to put themselves in harm's way. Thank you. Thanks to the blood and sweat of men who came before you. Every American knows the truth of the phrase. It's not just a phrase, it's a way of life for all of you. Semper fidelis. Always faithful. You see, because I look out at this crowd, I see a lot of different types of faces. The truth is your diversity is not your strength, never has been. Your strength is in your unity of purpose. It's in your shared mission. It's in your oath to the Constitution. It's the bond that turns individuals into single minded fighting units. You see, you are set apart. You're not civilians. You're devil dogs, leathernecks. United States Marines. Oorah. You are set apart for a distinct purpose. You kill bad guys and break things for a living. You close with and destroy the enemy for a living. And as we mark the 250th birthday of the Marine Corps, take a moment and remember where you are in the great American stories. Everybody likes to talk about 1776 and that was a pretty important date. But we're not here without 1775 when Americans were willing to stand up and pick up a rifle and say, we will live free. That spirit lives in all of you. That story includes heroes like Chesty Puller Daniel Daly and our own great vice president and Marine JD Vancouver. Take pride in that story and continue making yourselves worthy of that legacy. As the commandant said so beautifully, standards, discipline, accountability. War fighting lethality. They live in the Marine Corps. We get a chance to see Our Commander in Chief fight for all of you every single day. I know because I see it. President Trump appreciates your dedication, your valor, your tenacity, the sacrifices you make and the sacrifices that all of your families make. We know no Marine serves alone. They serve alongside a family. Someone else who understands that is Vice President Vance, who is right there alongside President Trump, who he himself has made the same types of sacrifices that you have. Your Vice president enlisted after high school in the Marine Corps and served in Iraq. Your Vice president knows and shares the dedication of this force and he represents you always in Washington. I have an honor. I have the honor of getting a chance to watch Vice President Vance day in and day out, live the values of the Marine Corps, speak up and tell the truth, have courage, stand alongside President Trump. It's an incredible thing to watch. And as I tell every warrior I meet, our president and Vice President, they have your back. And I promise you, so do I. Support from the top is all I ever wanted when I was a young infantry lieutenant in Iraq or in Afghanistan, where my boss actually happened to be a Marine. He was tough, he was brave, and a little bit crazy, but I loved him for it. And I knew he would do anything for me. So on behalf of the Department of War, thank you. Congratulations on 250 years of success. Success. And here's the 250 more I can say to you. We've got seven little kids in our stead. Not so little anymore. A couple teenagers. Man, I would be proud as a dad if I ever saw one of them put on the uniform of a United States Marine. You serve your country. You make us proud. We have your back. God bless you. God bless our Marines. And may God bless our great republic. Godspeed. Thank you. A d me by the family now baby I like a street now I've been stalking for so long you know I'm here to say got you in a strangle baby you best get out of the way a now baby no you can't turn me around if my house gets in my way baby you know I burn it down. You mean the night that you left me me in my place. Welcome back to this real America's Voice special coverage of the anniversary of the Marines. It's 250 years. You just heard from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressing the Marine Corps members who are on site here. We're hearing that Vice President J.D. vance is getting ready to address this group that you see here on your TV screen. But they're getting the podium ready for his arrival, I suspect that the entire area there is going to be erupt in applause when J.D. vance comes out. Not only is he the Vice President, but he of course, is also a U.S. marine. So he is back home with his fellow Marines as he is set to address them on this 250th anniversary. Welcome, the Vice President of the United States of America, J.D. vance. Sam. Marines, I didn't hear you. Hoorah, Marines. God bless you, Marines. God bless you. Camp Pendleton. It is so much fun and such an honor to be out here to celebrate 250 years of United States Marines. Now, I gotta say, first of all, thank you to so many of the fine people who are here today who make this incredible event happen and who every day make our military the finest fighting force anywhere in the world. First of all, our great Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, who gave a hell of a speech, if I might say so. Pete, where you at? Now, he is a soldier, but are we proud of our Secretary of War? Marine Corps. Now I will say I was talking to Pete about this speech and thinking about what I said, and I realized that over my four years in the United States Marine Corps, I probably learned about a hundred jokes about United States Marines. And every single one of them Marines would mean the end of my political career if I told it up here today. I sent a few of them last night to my communications staff and I said, can I tell the one? And they said, please, no, sir, please, please do not tell that one. We're also happy to be joined by our great Secretary of the Navy, John Phelan. John, thank you so much for your leadership and service. I got to give a shout out to my beautiful wife, our great second lady, Usha Vance, with the Marine Corps hat. You know, I've been asked many times, why did I want to run for and become Vice President of the United States? And there's a lot of answers, of course, to that question. I wanted to serve our wonderful Commander in Chief, President Donald J. Trump. And I know we're proud of him. And of course, I wanted to serve the American people and make their lives better. But really, deep down, I wanted the Commandant of the Marine Corps to have to salute a member of the E4 mafia. And now he has to. And Marines, we have a great Marine Corps comment in General Eric Smith. General, thank you so much for everything you do. We got General Daniel Taylor. Where is General Daniel Taylor? Apparently he was sick. Today we have got Admiral Gavin Duff here. Admiral, thank you for your service, sir. We have got Colonel John Caldwell and General Michael Nakanese. Did I pronounce that right, General? There we go. I did. Okay. I'm the Vice President, so you can't tell me I'm wrong. And, of course, Marines, I bring greetings today from our Commander in Chief, Donald J. Trump. And he wanted me to tell each and every single one of you that he's proud of you, that he loves you, and that despite the Schumer shutdown, he is going to do everything he can to make sure you get paid exactly as you deserve. Now, I know we're here to talk about the Marine Corps, but I got to get just a little political because congressional Democrats seem to want to keep the government shut down, even though it would mean a lot of you would not get your paycheck. But as I told the President just a couple of days ago, I said, sir, we have got to figure out how to pay these Marines, both for their sake, but also, of course, because if we don't pay our enlisted Marines, every bar in Southern California is going to go out of business, and we don't want that. Now, I've also got to give a special shout out to the incredible display that we saw earlier today. It made my heart sing as your Vice President, and it was a testament to the Corps strength and unbeatable power. It reminded me why I am so proud to have worn the uniform, to be one among your ranks, and to be the very first Vice President to have been a United States Marine. Now, for us East Coast Marines, Camp Pendleton has always had a special place in our imagination. We heard the stories of the backbreaking hikes you all had to do, the West Coast Marines had to do in Camp Pendleton. You know it. U.S. east Coast Marines, we had the sand fleas, and you all had the hills. I don't know which was worse. These guys behind me have opinions. So let's give some credit to the amazing Marine units who pulled this off. First of all, to the incredible Marines of this base and the Marine Corps Forces west who put on this display. Let's give a round of applause to the incredible job they did. And I want to talk about some of those units because you all made me so proud. I know we must have some marines from the 1st Marine Division. Where are you? You all did a hell of a job. How about the marines from the 3rd Marine Air Wing? I know we have some Marines from the first Marine Logistics Group, the lifeblood of the fight. Where are you all at? We've also got Marines from the first Meth Information group, the brain of the fight. Where you all at? And we've also got, of course, men and women from Marine Corps installations West, the folks who keep the home front. Where are you? Marine Corps installations. Congratulations, West. There we go. Now, I know you all know we cannot leave out our brothers and sisters of the seas. So we're proud to have all the sailors of the Navy's third fleet here to celebrate 250 years of Marines. Thank you. These sailors who go to war with us, they fight over the horizon. They stand shoulder to shoulder with Marines wherever the fight takes us. And if any group shares in the glory of the Marines 250th birthday, it is our beloved Navy Corpsman. Let's give a shout out to the Navy Corpsman out there. We love them. And I know every Marine has had the story of walking into a corpsman's office, barely alive, suffering the most severe illness you've suffered in your entire life. And they'll say, just go home, hydrate and take two Motrin, and it'll work out just fine. So thank you to the corpsman for taking care of us, but also toughening us up. That's right. And it changes socks. A bottle of water, a change of socks and two Motrin will fix any illness. So we are grateful Marines to be graced with the presence of some very special guests, people whose very lives contribute to the incredible Marine Corps legacy. Earlier, we all heard from Sergeant Dakota Meyer, who received the Medal of honor in 2011 for extraordinary heroism in 2009. Are we proud of Sergeant Dakota Meyer? Yes, we are. And despite the constant rain of enemy fire, then Corporal Meyer made multiple runs across an ambush zone that day, saving the lives of 36American and Afghan troops. Dakota Meyer, we love you. We're proud of you. You're the very best of the Marine Corps and the very best of this country. We are also honored to be joined by American hero Charles Cram, who was a Navy corpsman attached to the 5th Marine Division when it landed at Iwo Jim. Now, as part of that force, this American hero watched the Stars and Stripes raised over Mount Suribachi before being wounded on the seventh day of battle while tending to a Marine. For his valor, he was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart. Sir, we love you. Thank you for your service. The Marines love their corpsmen, and that's one of the very best. Another living legend we have with us today is Elmer Royce Williams, a Naval aviator who, while on combat patrol in the Korean War, suddenly found himself up against seven Soviet MIGs, sir. Thank you so much. God bless you and thank you. Now, we're going to let the brave lieutenant take a seat, but I got to talk a little bit about him. I got to brag on him. Because despite the odds, Lieutenant Williams took down four of them in a single 35 minute dog fight. The longest dogfight in naval history. A record, I believe, that still stands to this day. Hoorah. Now, not only did he take four MiGs down, he demolished the MiG's reputation as an unbeatable aircraft and secured his place among the legends of American military aviation. And if you know, notice, we just talked about a great Marine in ground combat, a great Marine in aviation combat, and a great Marine, or I should say a great Navy corpsman who helps out our Marines. In other words, Marines can kick ass in every theater of combat, and we do it every single day. And I finally got to give a shout out to my dear friend, recently retired Master Sergeant Charles McKelvey. Chase, where you at, man? Love you. Oh, he's got a beard already. Look at that. He's been out of the Marine Corps for three months. He's already got a beard longer than what I got now. Master Sergeant McKelvey and I served together at Cherry Point when we were both very young Marines, and we've been good friends ever since. I call him Chase. Other Marines will tell you Chase is an extraordinary person. The smartest, kindest Marine you'll ever meet. And those are descriptions I can personally attest to. Now, he was supposed to join me at my inauguration to become the Vice President last January. But tragically, he lost his wonderful, devoted wife Jillian to a terrible illness just days before. So I want to tell you, Chase, in front of all these Marines, we're proud of you. We're thankful for you. I'm sorry I couldn't see in January, but I'm glad to see you today, my friend. I love you. Semper Fi. And finally, we are grateful to have all of you, whatever your rank, whatever your station in the Marine Corps, here at Camp Pendleton to commemorate this incredible 250th anniversary of our beloved Marine Corps. From these mountains and this water, Marines have deployed to every major fight of the last century. From island hopping across the Pacific to Vietnam Sue City to Kuwait to Helmand and beyond. And standing here, you can feel the weight of that history. The generations upon generations of Americans who cut their teeth at this base before boarding ships and carrying the American flag into battle. But that's exactly what Marines do for Two and a half centuries now, this beloved Corps has served as our nation's sharp edge. Always forward deployed, always ready, and always faithful. My service in the Marine Corps was a huge part of my life. I would not be here today. I would not be the Vice President of the United States. I would not be the man I am today were it not for those four years that I served in the Marine Corps. Now, before I was enlisted, I was pretty terrified about the prospect of becoming a Marine. I'm sure that a lot of you can share that. I remember I had nightmares before I went to boot camp of drill instructors yelling at me, of being away from my family, of being constantly stretched well beyond my own physical limits. It's daunting stuff, as all of you know, and as anyone who survived boot camp can tell you, it's all real. But my cousin Rachel in particular, one last shout out to a former Marine in particular, she pushed me to do it. A veteran of the Corps herself, she got it. She understood what joining does for a young man or a young woman. So she pushed me to go and talk to a recruiter, which I did. And I will never forget that conversation. Because at no point did he try to sell me on the United States Marine Corps. He warned me, said, you don't enlist in the Marine Corps to make money. And you all know that's exactly right. He said, you might even go to war. This was back in 2003, right after we invaded Iraq. But what he did tell me is that enlisting in the Marines would teach me many things, including discipline and the virtue of leadership. And that was appealing to me. And I know it's appealing to Marines today and for every year of our 250 year history. But over the days that followed, what further dawned on me was that I needed to do this. Not just for me, but for the nation. My country needed me, just as sure as the country needs each and every one of you today. The September 11 attacks had occurred barely a year earlier. And as I weighed what enlisting would mean, the crisis in Iraq was becoming a full out war. So I made the call as an 18 year old senior in the state of Ohio. It was one of the first times in my life that I recall feeling like the country actually needed me. And when I realized I had a responsibility to something so much greater than myself or even my family, and I had an obligation to act on that feeling of duty. And I know that's something that animates every single one of you, whether you're a private or a General, that spirit of service has been the spirit of the Marine Corps for two and a half centuries. So I just wanted to say from the bottom of my heart, from one Marine to another, from the Vice President of the United States to the whole Marine Corps, thank you for your service. We are proud of you and proud of your service. I'm here today because I want to talk a little bit about the great marine Corps tradition, 250 years of it. I want to talk about the tradition that all of us standing under this bright California sun, and man, it is bright, we all chose, however many years ago, to adopt that Marine Corps tradition as our own. A tradition that just three short weeks will reach its 250th year. Now, as many of you in this audience know, the Corps found its origins in the autumn of 1775. And a venue may be familiar to you, a bar in Philadelphia called Tuntaver, the very first bar in the United States of America that would come to regret serving United States Marines. So here we are in Ton Tavern almost 250 years ago. And what we did in that moment was we answered the call of service. Because even before we had a declaration of independence, the Continental Congress organized an army and a navy to fight the British. But they recognized they needed something a little bit extra. They needed a force that could fight just as comfortably on land as it could on sea, that was able to move fast, strike hard, and hold its ground. So on November 10, 1775, Congress resolved to raise two battalions of Continental Marines. Captain Samuel Nicholas established that first recruitment drive at Ton Tavern in Philadelphia in search of a few good men. He was seeking young, able bodied citizens. Men who relished the opportunity to fight tyrants. Yes. But more importantly, who were eager to answer that first call of duty of a young nation. Just a few months later, Captain Nicholas was personally leading those Marines in a daring raid on New Providence, seizing British forts and supplies in the Bahamas. And two short years later, the Marines joined forces with the legendary John Paul Jones, the father of the American Navy, beginning a great tradition that has survived the entire term of our Marine Corps, that when the Marines and the Navy go to war together, they always fight well and they always win. The war of Independence set a blueprint that Marines follow to this day. Boldness in action, unity in purpose, and a lightning readiness to go wherever the nation required. And battle after battle. The United States Marine Corps has broken the backs of empires. You've toppled tyrants, you've hanged pirates and hunted down America's foes across the seven Seas and Pete. Turns out we're hunting some pirates today, aren't we? From Tripoli to the Halls of Montezuma, from Belleau Wood to Iwo Jima, and from Chozen Reservoir to Khe Sanh, we Marines have repeatedly earned our reputation as the first to fight and the last to leave. And as all of you know, that legacy only grew stronger after 9 11. Within weeks after the attack, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the 15th MEU, already forward deployed on September 11, helped launch the most ambitious amphibious assault in the history of the United States of America. And that's just how Marines are wired. No matter where, no matter when, the Corps will always uphold its reputation for discipline and for unshakable focus. I always think back to what Army Major General Frank Lowe had to say this about the Corps in 1952. The safest place in Korea was right behind a platoon of Marines. Lord, how they could fight. And what a great test to the United States Marine Corps. Because while the world keeps changing, new weapons, new threats, and new ways in which we wage war, the nation will forever need the United States Marine Corps. And in the Trump administration, we know that the work you do protecting our country, putting your lives on the line to defend our way of life, is at the heart of Marine Corps service. Now, when officials try to shift focus to mandating diversity quotas or they try to inject partisan politics into the American armed forces, they impede the Marine Corps ability to do its best work. And that's why the Secretary of War and the President of the United States have stood so firmly against that crap. Because when you can't operate at your best on the battlefield, it puts everybody's lives at risk. And it's why we're re centering the focus of all of our military, including the Marine Corps, on those timeless values of discipline, readiness, and faith in one another. Now, I remember when I was a young recruit in boot camp talking about how politically correct things got maybe over the last few years. And I compare it to my time in the Marine Corps. I remember I was lining up as a young recruit to go to church one Sunday morning. And back then, there were two lines. There was the Catholic line, and there was the Protestant line. And I remember we all get into our. We all get into our lines, and there's one recruit who's just kind of standing there by himself. And, you know, the folks watching on TV may not realize that Marines refer to themselves in the third person when they're in recruit training, because you haven't earned the title of United States Marine. And so you have to say this recruit instead of I. And so you've got this one recruit standing out there by himself. And the drill instructor says, hey, what the hell are you doing? And the recruit says, this recruit is an atheist. And the drill instructor says, bullshit. Get in the Catholic line. That didn't work in the Biden administration, Pete. That didn't work in the Biden administration. But now we recognize that it is not our diversity that makes us stronger. It is our common purpose, it is our common mission. And it is the fact that every single person here bleeds Marine Corps green. And I think that all of you should realize that from the President of the United States on down, this government is proud of you. It's proud of the tradition of the Marine Corps. And it's proud of the fact that that great tradition has custodians in each and every single person here, each and every single Marine who is serving today. And I hope that the proud Marine Corps tradition, you heard Pete talk about this. Chesty Poehler, Dan Daly, John Basilone, all of these great Marine Corps heroes, they should inspire you through their action to be the very best Marine in the future that you can be. Now. I remember so many people who made my Marine Corps journey and made the country better in the process. I remember a gunnery sergeant who saved me from financial ruin. I was a young lance corporal and I was going to go to an off base car dealership and buy a used car with a low, low dealer provided interest rate of 22%. These marines. Mind me, you aren't supposed to nod your head at that part, guys. No 22% interest rate. So I had a gunny who was like, look, stop being a dipshit and go to Navy Federal Credit Union, get a better interest rate and then go and buy a car. And that's exactly what I. I remember that, Gunny. And I remember a young Marine who was younger than I was. Chase knows who I'm talking about. A Puerto Rican Marine who grew up in New York City. You too, huh? A man I thought I had nothing in common with, but who I learned bled Marine Corps green just like I did, and who came to my inauguration as Vice President of the United States. I remember a Marine I served with. A guy whose political beliefs you might call far left. But despite the craziness of our politics, today remains one of my best friends and is a man I would trust with my life. I remember the Marines raising the flag over Iwo Jima, etching in American memory the importance of respecting and Honoring our beautiful national symbol. I remember all my friends from the Marines, men and women, some of whom retired and some of whom made the Marine Corps proud in the civilian world. I remember General Chuck Krulak, who I met at my cousin's boot camp graduation. He was the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps, and I was probably 14 years old, and I was taller than he was, but he was tough as nails. I met him as vice president, by the way, just a few months ago. He's still very short, and he's still tough as nails. And he still loves the Marine Corps as much as he did on his first day of service. Now, he had a phrase. I'm sure you guys have heard it. He said that the most important thing the Marine Corps does for this nation is to win battles and to make United States Marines. Today we remember a fallen marine from the 3rd Marine Air Wing who died not far from here on a training mission. He died so recently, as a matter of fact, I can't even say his name publicly. But I want all of us to know and send a message to his family that we remember them and we know that his Marine Corps service was not in vain. Let's give an hoorah for that fallen Marine. I know that all of us remember the friends who went off to war. And we particularly remember the ones who were mangled in combat or who never came home at all. Every single one of you has memories like this. Every single one of you is lucky enough to have friends like mine. Within each of you is your own Marine Corps legacy, burning every single day. And because of that, every one of our fellow Marines lives on. As Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. We like Full Metal Jacket Marines, he said, but the Marine Corps lives on forever. And that means you live forever. Our motto, Marines, is Semper Fidelis, which means in Latin, always faithful. Though the shape of the battlefield will change, our nation will be just fine so long as fellow Marines, just like you, remain faithful to that great Marine Corps legacy. My fellow Marines, you have the watch now. You honor that legacy by how you carry yourself in public. You honor it by how you treat your friends and family. You honor it by how you contribute to your communities. And most importantly, you honor it in how you fight and win the nation's battles. So from one vice president to an incredible United States Marine Corps. Keep kicking ass. Keep taking names. Semper Fidelis, Marines. Happy 250th birthday. God bless you. Can you take me higher to a place where you just heard Vice President J.D. vance celebrating the Marine Corps 250th anniversary along with his fellow Marines. Of course, the Vice President famously served in the Marines. He said he served for four years before getting out and then of course, moving on to do great things including becoming our Vice President. All of this is happening at Camp Pendleton in California. This is all part of the Marine Corps 250th anniversary celebration there at Camp Pendleton. It really has been a very full day. You of course, heard from the Vice President and Secretary of War and now it looks like there's a flyover happening. Let's see if we can listen in. Me, come on, let's go there. Can you take me higher to a place where I might see? Can you take me higher there in Camp Pendleton or at Camp Pendleton as we celebrate this 250th anniversary of the U.S. marine Corps. Amanda, wow. So much to take in. Let's just start kind of broad with your takeaways from what we just experienced. Yeah, I mean, obviously patriotism reigns supreme today. Pride. And not only in the United States Marine Corps, but as I was saying earlier, you know, the 250th birthday of our country coming up next July. And you know, this July, I heard a lot of people saying that the celebration was going to begin because there was going to be a year long lead up all the way to our nation's 250th. And we have seen, seen that, we've seen it from the military branches, obviously the United States army taking place in Washington D.C. the Navy, which our network also covered. And now this Air Force obviously came along much later because of the sheer, you know, the, the technology that they use obviously did not come around until later. Absolutely. So it's wonderful to see all of these folks. And J.D. vance made a few comments about Southern California and what he dealt with with his basic training versus what they deal with here with the hills that they have to traverse in their basic training. So, JD man, the Vice President continues to show an extreme amount of love for these men and women. I think that his speech ran a little longer than when I had heard was going, was going to take place. Oh my goodness, I love it so much. Man, oh man, I, I really hope that our audience gets to go to something like this. And if you've never seen, you know, if you've never been to the, to see the Blue Angels or some type of Air Force air show, I encourage you all to go and see that. I mean, it is just, it will bring tears to your eyes to see what our country is capable of. But as I was saying, you know, there is this year long lead up, up until next July 4th. Next July 4th is going to be off the walls. It's going to be wonderful. I was just at Mount Vernon a few weeks ago, Washington's home right there on the Potomac river in, in Virginia. And they are preparing big time for next year. They actually, and I know I'm kind of going off on a rabbit trail, but they found termites in the foundation of Mount Vernon. This was a few years ago. And they knew that next year being the 250th birthday. Oh my goodness. Amazing. They knew that there were going to be hundreds of thousands of people coming through Mount Vernon next year, more so than any other year. So the last few times I've been to Mount Vernon, they only had one or two rooms open because they are having to do this, you know, a very, very surgeon, precise restoration of that foundation because obviously that property is so precious, but it speaks to the preciousness of our country and, and what happened at our founding and how unique it was and how much it is worthy of, of celebration. It's amazing to be here. I'm so glad that Real America's Voice has, has provided this coverage because I don't know if any other network has really dedicated this much time to each of these events. You mentioned, you mentioned the word restoration. And that brings to mind what President Trump and the Trump administration is doing for our armed forces as we celebrate the Marines today. I think it's appropriate to say that President Trump and the Trump administration as a whole have really restored pride in our military, in our armed forces and in our Department of War. Absolutely. Sorry. I'm seeing everyone pointing cameras over the corner, so I'm wondering. Oh, my goodness. That is, I believe that's an FA18. Just doing somersaults in the sky. Just can you imagine? Oh, my goodness. And a complete 90 degree upward trajectory. This is just amazing. How can you imagine having the ability and, and being in the cockpit of something that you could literally just, just do somersaults in the sky like that? It's just incredible. I definitely miss my calling, except I don't have perfect vision. And as I understand you have that perfect vision. I am with you on that one. If I could just add. I am with you on that. I can barely see the teleprompter, which is three feet in front of me, much less be up in an airplane and see the controls. So I'm with you, sister. Go ahead. You were saying, I think you're doing perfectly fine, Terence, because I've been on air with people who I had to share a teleprompter with that, I swear the letters were for inches tall on that teleprompter. And yeah, so I, I, I get exactly what you're saying. And by the way, if there's anyone in our audience who can arrange for a fighter jet ride for me, it's been a lifelong dream of mine. Just a shameless plug for my thrill seeking ways. But yeah, you know, when we were talking about restoration, I also think of the restoration that is happening in this country. And that was something that was thematic throughout all of the speeches today, but especially for Secretary Hegseth and Vice President J.D. vance, you know, talking about the, the restoration of that fighting mentality. And it's, you know, make no mistake, this is not a warring mentality where they are champing at the bit to go to war. This is a mentality where they want to, they want to keep peace. And the only way that you can keep peace is, you know, the, the method that we have been talking about for a very long time, especially with respect to President Trump. And that is peace through strength, that unified message that President Trump from the top down disseminates throughout his entire administration and throughout all the men and women of the armed forces. And the message resonates. It resonates with the men and women here and it resonates with both our allies and our foes. Absolutely. Amanda, stand by because we want to bring in Ben Berkram. He is also there at Camp Pendleton with you, just at a different location. Ben, Amanda just said something that I think really was emblematic of today. These war fighters aren't necessarily chomping at the bit to go to war, but should it happen, they are ready. And anybody who they're up against is going to fafo. Terrence, you're going to have to repeat the question because the jets are so stinking loud. I gotcha. I was saying that Amanda just brought up the point which I think has been somewhat emblematic of what we've seen today, is that while our war fighters don't necessarily want to go to the war, should it happen, they are ready. And anybody they're up against, to quote a term that I think we've heard recently quite a bit, they can fafo mess around and find out. I've kind of paraphrased. Yeah, well, that's the whole thing is even the motto, separate fidelis, always faithful. This is, you know, that's the model of the Marine Corps. It's always ready to go into any fight, no matter what the numbers are. These guys are willing to lay their lives down for this country. And, you know, you come onto a base like this, if you've never been onto a base, a Marine Corps base, or any US Military base, you don't realize it's, it's really just, it's. It's a city, and it's a city of patriots that have swore an oath to put their lives on the line for our country. And there's something incredibly special about that. As a guy on the outside looking in, you know, I mentioned Dave Bray, usa, my brother in law, Jack. I think of Kevin Abel, Beck, my friends, so many of these Marines that have, that have that same connection. They don't even have to be here right now. But there is a brotherhood. There's a family that you feel here, and that's what that family is for. And you heard, I mean, it's just so cool. I. I can't turn. I can't not turn around. Sorry, Terrence. But you heard Pete Hegset say this. You guys are designed to kill people and break things. And that's what every single person in here is trained for. And that may sound harsh, but that's what you have to have in order to have a secure country. You have to have the, the men and women that'll go out into the darkness, into the worst of the worst, into the evil of this age, in this generation and say, I'm willing to put my life on the line to do what needs to be done to stop that evil from getting to your family. And so, you know, a lot of times we sit back and enjoy the fruits of that effort of these Marines and of our military members. But we have to remember that freedom that we have, that safety that we feel comes from a person, from people who are willing to go out and kill, kill bad people and break things. You have to have those warriors on the front lines or else you don't have a nation. So I just say, thank God for them. You know, we often talk about, and I want to bring back in Amanda as well. When we talk about our armed forces, we often talk about morale. And I'd like each of you to weigh in in terms of how far today's anniversary, today's celebration goes and continuing to build that morale. Amanda, we'll start with you, and then Ben, I'd like you to chime in as well. Yeah, Terrence, you know, I think that there is Something to being a part of a group that is celebrated, and not only celebrated, celebrated by your family and friends and the rest of your company, but celebrated by the President of the United States and by the vice president and by the Secretary of War. I mean, you think about what that could have looked like under a different administration. Kamala Harris, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, whoever, Hillary Clinton, you look at the level of appreciation that President Trump has for these troops, and I don't think you would have seen that this time for the 250th birthday, something that is an incredible achievement. As one of the speakers was Talking about tonight, 250 years is the average length of an empire. And she said, said, I'm trying to remember exactly what she said, because I wanted to tell you guys, she said, she said, I have to admit there were a few times over the last, over the last four years that I didn't know if we would make it. And, you know, she didn't mention Joe Biden by name, but everybody knew exactly who she was talking about and exactly what she was talking about. So when you talk about morale, the morale for the, these men and women who know that, that the president has their six, then the vice president and the secretary, and, and, and frankly, that is a, that is a mentality that filters down, right? This is not any different from any type of, of, you know, of company, corporate America. That attitude and that mentality filters down from the top. And when you have folks at the top who love what you do, respect what you do, and, and have your back, you're going to feel that. And I think that that was on full display here today. Ben. Yeah, no doubt about it. Look, it's the difference between having your priorities right and your priorities wrong. It's, you know, you think about the, the Marines, what they had to go through for four years when, when it was DEI and it was transgenderism. And I just imagine what the scene would have looked like if it was Kamala Harris instead of President Trump. You'd had rainbow flags and transgenders on stage. And now it's like getting back to what war fighters, and in particular, the Marines, the devil dogs, these guys, you want fighters. You don't need any of that other garbage. You want to train the best of the best warriors to go into battle. You don't need all that other nonsense. For one thing, it's a distraction, but it does absolutely nothing to help us win wars. And you look at, you listen to Pete Hegseth and you listen to J.D. vance and you, you hear it, they get it. They totally understand the purpose, their purpose and the purpose of the men and women who are standing around us today and the men and women who are bringing those, those, that incredible equipment onto shore just a couple miles away from where we are now. It was, it's a difference of mindset and having somebody who understands it is critical to morale. Well, look, guys, we've only got about three minutes left in the broadcast. My last one, really, probably the biggest impression I have is Ben saying, this is freaking awesome. That's gonna be my big memory of today. So Ben, give us your, your final takeaway. And then Amanda, if you'll have the last word, I'd appreciate it. It's freaking awesome. That's my last word. Go ahead. Well, hey, after I said it was frickin awesome, I got to hug humped down this little canyon up over to where the kill boxes were and I go around the corner and we got Seal Team 1 over there. They were still standing around. I got to take a picture with Seal Team 1. That was freaking awesome. So you haven't seen that yet? I'm gonna post that a little bit later. Of course they've got their identities covered, but man, just what an absolutely incredibly epic, epic day. Your big takeaway, Amanda. My big takeaway is next time I get assigned to an event like this, I'm going to make sure Ben Bergwam is on the stage and I'm out there on the beach where all of those guys are. What a thrilling experience. And I second what Ben said. What a freaking awesome day to see all of this military might and technology and innovation on display. I mean, and listen, it's, it's all about love for a military America. And it is all about what we are seeing from the top down, reinstilling that love for country and duty and courage in our United States Armed Forces. President Trump, I know, has been watching this broadcast. I know he's been watching what's been happening here from Mar a Lago. And I can't wait until we do another one of these. And I know that next year we're going to have incredible coverage of everything leading up to 250. Amanda Head, Ben Barkram, thank you to both of you for being here all day. Also thank you to Steve Bannon early this morning on our coverage and Steve Gruber also helping guide the ship as we celebrate this 250th anniversary of the U.S. marine Corps. You're looking at some of the visuals from today's program. This was a program that showed the examples of the sorts of work our Marine Corps members put in, both in the air, on land and at sea. And of course, we heard From Vice President J.D. vance, who is a Marine, talking to his Marine Corps brothers. Also, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth joining in there at Camp pendleton for this 250th anniversary celebration of the U.S. marine Corps. That's going to do it for our coverage here on Real America's Voice. We really appreciate you being here with us. We're going to get you to launch on Border here momentarily, but we leave you with these pictures of today's celebration. Here's health to you and to our poor, which we are from how to Serve in a Strike we fought for life and never lost our if the army and the Navy ever looked on heaven seas, they will find us. Take a deep dive into the stories making the news headlines across the world. The News Agents we're not just here to tell you what's happening, but why? From me, Emily Maitlis and me, John Sopel with Global's award winning podcast the News Agents Dropping daily covering everything you need to know about politics and current affairs and the news agents us listening to the news agents on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Open your free iHeart app and search the newsagents to start listening. Oral health goes beyond just aesthetics. It's deeply connected to your general health and well being. That's why preventing oral health problems before they start is so important. 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