I Received The Medal Of Honor But I Felt Like A Failure | Unsubscribe Podcast 248

Summary

Unsubscribe Podcast #248 Summary: "I Received The Medal Of Honor But I Felt Like A Failure"

Recorded January 25, 2026
Host(s): Eli Doubletap, Donut Operator, Brandon Herrera, The Fat Electrician
Guest: Dakota Meyer (Medal of Honor recipient, Marine Corps veteran, firefighter)

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Episode Overview

This episode features a deeply candid, insightful, and at times humorous conversation with Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer. The hosts and Dakota discuss military culture, leadership, generational shifts, mental health, the realities behind combat and recognition, and the weight and complexity of living with the nation’s highest military honor. Dakota provides honest reflections on his service, his failures, and what truly matters during and after combat, making this episode essential listening for anyone interested in military life, leadership, or resilience.

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Featured Segments & Timestamps

1. Introductions & Medal of Honor Running Joke (00:30–03:20)
2. Dakota’s Military Career & Reenlistment (03:28–06:35)
3. On Today’s Service Members & Generational Differences (06:35–11:42)
4. Military Leadership, "Why" Questions, and Feedback (11:42–18:34)
5. Dakota’s Path to the Marines and Sniper School (24:27–29:18)
6. Combat Experiences in Iraq (29:38–36:33)
7. On the Realities & Costs of Combat (39:17–45:50)
8. Mental Health, PTSD, & Suicide (46:37–57:33)
9. First Responders vs. Veterans: Trauma & Resilience (60:31–66:24)
10. Media, Perception, and Social Media in Veterans’ Lives (66:24–77:40)
11. Leadership, Politics, and Systemic Challenges (77:40–87:22)
12. The Battle of Ganjgal: Medal of Honor Action (116:45–153:44)
13. Dakota's Reflections on Failure, Legacy, and Moving Forward (153:44–165:07)

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Highlights & Discussion Points

1. Dakota’s Background, Reenlistment, and Perspective Shifts

• After 15 years out of the military, Dakota rejoined and describes the challenge of going through rigorous recon training at age 37 (04:54).
• On serving with a new generation:
  “If you took my generation of service members and put them on the battlefield against this generation... they would wipe us off the map in 24 hours.” — Dakota (06:35)
• Praises the resilience, intellect, and sense of purpose among Gen Z recruits, noting a dramatic drop in drinking culture, a stronger desire for earned merit, and willingness to question and improve processes (09:48).

2. Generational Changes and Modern Military Leadership

• Dakota argues that asking “why?" is not a sign of insubordination, but an opportunity for real leadership and buy-in (13:24).

  “The 'why' question is a powerful diagnostic tool and an opportunity to create buy-in.” (13:24)

• He links his own Medal of Honor experience to poor leadership:

  “I got a Medal of Honor because leadership didn’t want to listen... Instead of answering why, they set me aside and my team walked into an ambush.” (17:47)

3. Reflections on Combat, Heroism, and Truth

• Dakota rejects the glorification of combat, saying:

  “Every time I started getting shot at and it was real, I’d have given anything not to be getting shot at.” (41:07)

• Questions the narrative veterans promote, noting that war trauma is not unique to them:

  “If war was so awesome and fun like people try to make it out to be, we wouldn’t have so many people [dying by suicide] and PTSD.” (41:33)

• Advocates for honesty, not victimhood:

  “The worst day of my life is no more significant than the worst day of your life. Why are we trying to out-victimize each other?” (53:48)

4. Mental Health, PTSD, and Accountability

• Dakota is blunt about veteran suicide:

  “If you commit suicide, it is a cowardly act... you’re passing the pain to people who care about you.” (55:10)

• He stresses the importance of honest discussion, leader example, and moving past the idea of being permanently broken:

  “PTSD, depression and anxiety: They are injuries, not terminal illnesses… Be more than a victim of your own service.” (53:48–54:38)

• Mental health advances and the danger of toxic nonprofit cultures are explored.

5. Lessons from First Responders

• Dakota claims first responders see more trauma and violence than most military veterans, often without warning or separation from civilian life:

  “What cops and firefighters see makes what I seen in combat look like a Mickey Mouse clubhouse.” (59:44–60:31)

6. The Weight of Recognition—Medal of Honor Reflection

The Battle of Ganjgal (116:45–153:44)

• Dakota describes the events of September 7th, 2009, in Afghanistan: unexpected leadership failures, difficult comms, frantic rescue attempts, overwhelming enemy fire, and catastrophic loss.
• He details his efforts to rescue both Afghan and American teammates under fire, sometimes alone, under constant personal risk.

Notable Moment:

“I got a Medal of Honor, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t fail that day. It was the biggest failure of my life.” (03:30 and 153:44)

• Dakota’s pain over losing his entire team, the “cowardice” he feels for turning back the vehicle, and living publicly with the burden of recognition:

  “I have a medal because I know what a bad day looks like, not because I’m a hero.” (153:44) “It’s a medal there because of failures in leadership and decision-making.” (153:44)

• Dakota stresses facing harsh realities, not hiding from them, and living a life worthy of the fallen.

  "Every day that I don’t go out and make the most of it is a day that I’m doing nothing but spitting on their graves.” (163:15)

• Dakota’s practical, data-driven sense of self-improvement:

  "Most people finish a race and they want to look at their time… I’m just looking for the next race. I don’t show up for the results. I show up for the test.” (161:59)

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Notable Quotes

• On generations:
  “They’re smarter than us. They are more in tune than we were… I truly believe with every moral fiber of my being…” — Dakota (06:35)
• On why leadership matters:
  “I don’t think we have a generational problem. I think we have a leadership problem that’s failing a generation.” (12:02)
• On questioning tradition:
  “I didn’t know how to saddle a horse in case my Humvee broke down either… Where does it stop?” (07:04)
• On the Medal of Honor:
  “I got a medal … but it doesn’t mean I didn’t fail that day. It was the biggest failure of my life.” (03:30, 153:44)
• On mental health:
  “PTSD, depression, and anxiety: they are injuries, not terminal illnesses. Don’t be a victim.” (53:48)
• On resilience and legacy:
  “Every day I don’t go out and make the most of it is a day I’m doing nothing but spitting on their graves.” (163:15)
• On internet/haters:
  “For the first time in history, the haters are actually writing it.” (167:21)
• On society and civic action:
  “The system is set and it does work. I do believe it does work.” (78:09)
• On heroism:
  “What that medal represents is literally the potential inside of every human being…” (157:28)

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Tone, Dynamics, and Memorable Moments

• The episode maintains Unsubscribe's signature blend of irreverent humor and unguarded sincerity.
• Ongoing running joke about Brandon Herrera being a “fake” or “honorary” Medal of Honor recipient (multiple times, e.g., 03:30, 106:33).
• Numerous lighthearted exchanges about military group chats, funerals, and internet rumors contrast with heavy, emotional storytelling.
• Dakota’s humility and willingness to confront uncomfortable truths set the tone throughout.

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Conclusion

This episode stands out as a powerful mix of insight, humility, and unfiltered truth. Dakota Meyer offers listeners a rare glimpse behind both the mythology and agony of combat, service, recognition, and loss. The hosts balance humor with respect, and the episode manages to be inspiring, somber, and deeply human.

For listeners:
Whether you’re a veteran, a leader, or someone seeking meaning from society’s loudest voices, this episode cuts through noise to the heart of what matters: honesty, courage, selfless service, and the enduring power of living for others.

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Note: This summary excludes ad reads and introductory/concluding banter, focusing on the central conversation and themes as discussed.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

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[A]

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[C]

I got a Medal of Honor, but it doesn't mean that I didn't fail that day. It's the biggest failure in my life.

[A]

Is there a Medal of Honor group chat?

[C]

No, there's a society.

[D]

Brandon's in an honorary Medal of Honor society.

[B]

No, they literally goon till they died.

[C]

Oh, this guy is posing as a Medal of Honor recipient. He is a fake.

[D]

He's flying over here.

[A]

That's my line.

[C]

Are you sure you weren't a co. Yeah.

[D]

Say hi to Eli. He's racially ambiguous. And Brandon, his hair is fucking fabulous. And donut, a dark, joke disposition.

[C]

And there's a fat electrician.

[D]

Welcome to Unsubscribe. Snap, snap, crackle. Okay, you ready to count down? Get this going. Beautiful. Ready? You got it? We crack it at three. On the count of three, you're just gonna open it. Three, two, one.

[C]

That's interesting.

[A]

Hi, everyone. Welcome to the Unsubscribed podcast. I'm joined today by Eli Doubletap, Dakota Meyer, Brandon Herrera, and myself, donut operator. Thank you all so much for being here.

[D]

What's up, everyone?

[C]

Good to see you.

[D]

Good to see you, brother. It's been a while.

[C]

Yeah, it has. Yeah. Glad to be here, man.

[D]

Oh, dude. And we got two Medal of Honor recipients.

[B]

Fuck off. We didn't make it like 10 seconds.

[A]

In, there are pictures of you receiving.

[B]

The Medal of Honor, all of which are authentic, I believe.

[C]

Thank you. Thank you for your service.

[D]

My goal is to have every Medal of Honor recipient say that too.

[B]

This is where we get up and.

[D]

Just like, Brandon gets in the.

[C]

Yeah, I noticed it when I walked in.

[D]

It's actually in there on the right.

[C]

I was like, I forgot about that. I didn't know I was in a fellow recipient's presence. Presence.

[B]

You know, I got nothing.

[D]

Yeah, we just thank him.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And that's all you can do.

[B]

That was very funny with Clint just walking in and hucking at my neck.

[D]

It's a good time, dude. Welcome. Welcome to the show. I know we've been. I've known you for a long Time.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, a long time.

[B]

Where'd you guys meet? Grindr.

[C]

Yeah, I think it was a shot show. One year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Shot show. I think. Yeah, I think it was. I think it was a shot show like back in, gosh, 2014, 2015. Time frame, baby.

[D]

Shot show. You, you are in the best shape you've ever been in. You were a little chunkier during that timeframe.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, I was definitely, I was definitely. I was definitely on a carb heavy diet.

[D]

Yeah, you got it locked in. That's why I was like, damn, Dakota's looking good.

[C]

Yeah, no, I, Yeah, I mean, it's amazing like what you, you know, when you have to meet those standards again, how, how quick you'll get back in shape.

[D]

So, dude, I have, man, I'm excited for this one because that is one of the questions. Rejoining, how many years were you out at that point?

[C]

Yeah, I was out for 15 years.

[D]

Oh, wow.

[C]

Yeah, so I got out in 2010, came back from Afghanistan, got out 2010, and then I re enlisted in 2025. April of.

[A]

Oh, I completely forgot you reenlisted. I read that when you like right around that time you mentioned it. Oh, that's funny.

[C]

As.

[D]

Yeah, it's like, that boy ain't ever getting in trouble.

[C]

Well, yeah, you know, it's, it's. It's kind of, it's kind of interesting. You know, I took, you know, you know how the. In. In Internet fashion, you know, everybody's like, oh, he's just joining to, you know, to. To help recruitment and he's just gonna, you know, go back and skirt. And so like I actually went back in and I did a lap move. So I'm actually going through the recon pipeline. So I started brc. I did RTAP and BRC over the summer this year. And then I go back, actually I check in on Monday and I go back into SOI West. I'll check back into my barracks room. And I will be there until April 3rd to finish up the two phases. Amphib. I got amphib phase and patrol phase left. And then I graduate on April 3rd and I have orders checking into Sears School on April 5th. No. And then I go to sear school to the 17th and then I check in. I'm going to go to jump school on the 20th. Yeah. And then I got dive school left. Yeah.

[D]

And you were 37. Wild. Also, no instructor is going to do.

[C]

Look, everyone do push ups. Dakota, stand up.

[D]

Hey, come on, guys. I mean, I'll do push ups for You.

[C]

No, you know, like, they've been.

[D]

They've been.

[C]

They've been, like, terrified. They've been like. Well, they've been like, real. I mean, they've been real respectful. I mean, but. But, I mean, I'm still getting. I'm still getting. I'm still getting beat up like everybody else. You know, I'm out there just sometimes questioning my decisions. There's been many moments that I've learned a lot about myself, you know, and, you know, these kids, like, you know, I'm going through there. The average age of the guys going through this school is like 18, 19 years old.

[D]

Right.

[C]

They're entry level. They're letting me know that I'm older than their mom. Right. Yeah. So it's hit them back with, what's her number? Well, no, no, no, no. This is what I say back to them. I was like, show me a picture. Yeah, show me a picture. And, you know, so, yeah, they don't. There's no more. There's no more jokes after that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, you're older than my mom. What you just told me is your mom is younger than me.

[C]

Yeah. And it's like, you know, maybe you could be mine.

[D]

She's going to be at graduation. Yeah, she is.

[C]

Show me a picture. Let me see. Let me see if you could have been mine.

[D]

That's wild. So if anyone rewind to even what you joined at what year?

[C]

2020. So. Oh, originally. Oh. So 2006. Like, most of the kids in my. In the school with me were. Were born when I was in Iraq.

[B]

Oh, wow.

[C]

Yeah. Like, to put that in perspective, like, most of them were born around the time I was in Iraq.

[B]

That's kind of wild to think about.

[C]

No, it's nuts. But I mean, these kids are so incredible. Like, when I hear people talk about the next generation and the generation of service members, these kids could run, I'm telling you right now, I truly believe with every moral fiber of my being, if you took my generation of service members and put them on the battlefield against this generation of service members, they would wipe us off the map in 24 hours. No, hands down. Hands down.

[B]

Now, what do you attribute that to?

[C]

Well, I attribute it to, you know, I think when we look at this perspective of, you know, we get these arguments about who's better, who's not, who's what generation's the best. I think we. There's only two factors that you can look at it with is. And that's. That is lethality. Right. Or just really the single factor is lethality. And so I think yeah, you have to add in like the, that they do now have like technology and those aspects of it. But I mean, you know, we get in these dumb arguments I hear my generation talking about, well, these kids don't even know how to sight in with iron sights. Well, I mean I didn't know how to saddle a horse in case my Humvee broke down either, you know what I'm saying? So like where does it stop? And so like, but you look at these kids and like I would argue that they believe in their cause more than we did, right? Like as soon as you took away from my generation, as soon as you took away war and you took away combat, what'd they do? They got out, right? Like we, you, I joined to go fight. You told me you're gonna pay me to go fight. And I could like these cool posters and I mean like let's, let's call it what it was. And then as soon as you took that away from me, I'm like, yeah, right, I'm out. Right? And so, you know, these kids are joining today. They're not joining. None of them have to join to go to college. Like college is not even honestly a relative, a relevant benefit to this generation, right? I mean they're not joining because it's the only way out of their community or their, you know, social or you know, you know, their aspect of what they grew up in. Like they know how to get out. They've got all this information. They're only joining because they don't want to be part of societal norms. They want, they want to earn what they've got, right? Society is actually driving these kids to us and self identifying them by saying everybody gets a participation trophy and these kids are coming because they want to earn what they get, right? They want a result based organization that they can be part of. And so I think that that's it, right? And I think that if you truly, if you wanted to, you know, if we all wanted to admit it, that you know, if we put them on the battlefield against us today, they'd wipe us off the map in 24 hours. And now look, I think if we, we took them out back and we took everything away and we fist fought them, I think we'd still beat their asses, right? But, but that's just not the reality of how we're going to fight the next war, right? And so I think we should be happy that, that, that these kids are the way they are. I mean I watch these Kids, Are they us? No. But let me tell you something. They're smarter than us. They are more in tune than we were. Like, I'll give you an example. In the school, you know, when I went to sniper school in 2007, I mean, we were drinking every day. I mean, like, as soon as we got off work, like, we're going to the bars. You know, this generation, they're getting off work and then they're like, I'm like, hey, what are y' all doing tonight? Oh, we're gonna do an ice bath and we're gonna roll out. And I'm like, What?

[D]

It's an 81% drop in alcohol consumption with this new generation.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Fucking mad. Like, they don't drink.

[C]

Hey, so let me. So let me give you. And I brought this up to. We were talking about, you know, in some of these aspects of problems with drinking and this, you know, this mental health issue we have. So you're right. Majority. So 81, or whatever the percentage is. I'll just say this. The majority of kids that are joining the Marine Corps don't drink or joining the military don't drink. But then there's a drinking issue at some point. So at some point, our culture is now making us worse. You see what I'm saying? So, like, when our culture is a drinking culture now you're.

[A]

You're.

[C]

You know what I mean? Now you're taking people who don't. Who didn't normally do that, and now you're indoctrinating them into a culture that's now not serving us right.

[B]

So they didn't drink before, but now they. Yeah, yeah.

[C]

And now they. Now they're drinking. Now it's a cool guy thing. And then. And, And. And it's an aspect that we don't talk about enough is like, you know, we are not emotionally, like, we do really good in the military of physically and mentally, like, building people up. We do a terrible job at the single factor that you can't avoid, and that's the emotional maturing of people. And that's why I see. I think you see a lot of veterans who struggle because they have no idea how to deal with these emotions, and eventually they just build up like a pressure cooker, and they have no idea how to handle them because we don't. You know, we've acted like they don't exist. And it's like, well, it's a reality that they do exist, and you better figure out how to, you know, cultivate those to where they. They handle it. So I'd say these kids. I'll be honest with you. These kids, they ask questions that, like, I'll say, I'm sitting in this classroom, you know, a lot of. A lot of this school's classroom, and I'm sitting there, and I'm like, these kids will ask a question. I'm like, damn. I know. That never even crossed my mind.

[D]

You know what I mean?

[C]

They're like, you know, they're like, do you think we could. Why don't we do it this way? Does that not make more sense? And I'm. Gosh, that does make more sense. You know what I mean?

[D]

But as a military, it's like, no, that's too easy.

[B]

We gotta repeat this. I was just gonna ask what the response is from leadership when they propose stuff like that. That does make sense. Is it immediately just, no, this is the book.

[C]

No, I mean, I think that they're making it better. I think the only time you see leaders do that stuff is when they're weak leaders. Right. I don't think we have a generational problem. I don't think we have a generational problem in this country. I don't think we have a generational problem in. In the military. I think we have a leadership problem that's failing a generation.

[D]

I mean.

[A]

Well, I. I saw something really interesting. There was a. A sad guy on Sean. It was a little clip I came across the other day, and they were talking about the younger generation. Exactly what you're saying. They were doing a ground nav course. And one of the students was like, well, why do we need this? Like, not. Not in a negative manner. He's just like, why. Why do we need this if we have gps? And they're like, look, what if there's a blocker? You don't have gps. And the kid was receptive of that and was like, that makes sense. But, like, some of the cadre was getting ready to tear into his ass, like, why do we need this? But, like, a couple of them were, like, receptive to his. To what he was saying. And they were like, well, you know, if they jam this, this. And, like, laid out a read, like, tons of reasons why you need to, like, know how to have a map and a compass. And the kid was like, oh, shit, that does make a lot of sense.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So he wasn't looking to fight. He was just curious.

[A]

Yeah, he was looking to fight. But some of the. Some of the cadre were just, like, you know, about to tear into. It's like, why are you questioning Us and like a couple of the cadre were like, oh, well this, this, this, this is why you need this. And they were like, oh, okay. And then like this kid, I think they said he passed like super high in his class on ground nav.

[C]

Yeah. And that's the thing, like, you know, when you look at all this, you know, you get. And I don't know where this came from. I think it comes from a lack of knowing why. Right? And so I think that like leaders get in these positions and I think a few of the most. I think the why question is a very powerful diagnostic tool and it's an opportunity to create buy in, right? So think about this. If a kid asks you why, A, it shows he cares or they care, and then B, it gives you a chance to answer that why. And then to sell and create buy in on why that is important, right? Instead of them just doing it because they don't know, now they understand why it matters. So then, now that they're gonna be able to articulate and this generation really needs that because they are so smart and they are so efficient at what they do that they want to, they have to understand why in order to perform it at the way that they want to perform it and to make it make sense in their process of how they do things. You know, we just, we just did things like we just did whatever we were told. I mean, if you told us to stand outside in the rain, we would stand there until somebody told us different, right? And so like which, which there's, there is a powerful piece of that. But I also think that, like when, when every time you answer that question why you're creating buy in, and I think you're building what, what I call leadership equity. So do tell them that you just have to do this, they're going to do it right? Eventually. When you make sense to them so often of why it does needs to be done that way, eventually they're going to stop asking why and they're just going to do what you say. But you also have to understand this is a generation that grew up in misinformation. They have to question why. Like, we didn't have to necessarily question it. We probably should have a little bit, but you know, we, we didn't have to as much as this generation. This generation, they don't even know what photos are real.

[D]

Yeah, true.

[A]

AI's nuts these days, man.

[C]

I mean, it's nuts, right? And so like, if they don't ask why, I mean, what the why question for them is, Is literally a survival tool for them to get it right.

[D]

And then it's good the leadership's not jumping down their throats for questioning it. Because that used to be that past. It's like, yeah. I mean, you know, when you shut the up, you just listen and be like, we're doing that.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

He said jump. I could just gotta jump that high. That's it. I'm gonna do that every single time. Because the one individual that asks why they get the shit smoked out of them for like three hours. And you're like, huh? That's why I don't ask questions.

[B]

What's this green?

[D]

Eli, if I could read, I would be able to tell you AG1.

[C]

I took that class in high school.

[B]

Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't take corn three. Boom.

[D]

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[B]

Is it a multivitamin that combines your.

[D]

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[C]

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[A]

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[D]

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[B]

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[A]

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[D]

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[B]

Well, if you take out AG1, that's my all of my New Year's resolutions. That's all I want to do is I want to drink more of it.

[D]

They come in little packs or travel packs. Show them the travel pack hot dog.

[C]

Style pack as opposed to the hamburger style pack.

[D]

And we use this for the live shows because when we are on the road or touring, hot dog or hamburger is very nice to carry around. Also, AG1 comes in multiple flavors. We have original grass, citrus berry, and tropical.

[B]

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[C]

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[D]

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[C]

Yeah. And, you know, and I always go back to this why thing and why the. One of the reasons I'm so such an advocate of it is like, I got a medal of Honor because leadership didn't want to listen to what I had to say. Right. I mean, I got a medal of Honor. I got guys who are dead because guys couldn't answer why and what we're doing and why we're doing it this way. Right. Instead of answering why they took me out of the team, they set me there, and they let my team walk into an ambush and they got killed for the same reasons that I asked why. Right. And so, like, I'm a big proponent of it just because, like, I've seen the cost of that. And I think that any leader that feels that they don't owe the people that they're responsible for a explanation to a question that they have is a leader that shouldn't be in that position anyways.

[D]

And it's. I think that situation, unfortunately, happens a lot. You look at even Romesha's. That battle, it was like, everyone asks, why the fuck are we in a fishbowl? You're asking like, hey, patrol. Or, hey, X, Y, and Z, what the are we doing? Whoa, homie. Why are you asking questions like this? This is really stupid. What? And it's just either somebody trying to get a medal.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Or it's, oh, well, we need to do this. And it doesn't matter how high you are. Because General George, he was the one that said the fishbowl was a stupid idea. He didn't. He fought against that. And they. Nope, he wasn't high enough yet.

[C]

So, you know, General George was. He was Colonel George during my battle.

[D]

Oh, see, I didn't even know that.

[C]

So he was actually. He was gone that day. He was actually. He had actually gone home or something. He think he's on R and R or something on leave that day. And that's why that major was in charge of. Of the battle space at that point. I don't know. Maybe he's some lieutenant colonel. But anyways, he was in that area. He was. He was in charge of the area that I was in. In. And so I knew him very well. He's actually. Him and his sergeant major are the ones that actually put me in for the Medal of Honor.

[B]

No.

[A]

No.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Oh, man.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

General George is such, like, grand.

[C]

Hey, Randy, is A great guy.

[D]

Dude. Like, we.

[B]

Very down to earth dude.

[C]

Yeah. And I do believe, like, I mean, obviously, like, we're talking. This is a big statement, so, like, hypotheticals and all this. Right. I do believe. I don't believe that the. That it would have went down that day if Randy George had been standing on the base. I do believe that he would have unleashed all hell if he had been there that day.

[D]

It's crazy hearing two different stories and it's just positivity about General Georgia Randy doing that. He truly cares about the soldiers, his guy's most important thing. And he fights for him. Everyone says that too, which is awesome. It's awesome to see a leader now in that, like, at the top position. And he still has that mindset. He just wants efficiency and efficiency.

[B]

And then the biggest thing listening to him speak, he. The thing he continuously brings up is feedback from the guys. And the fact that he takes that very seriously is very cool.

[C]

Yeah. And. Yeah, I mean, you're talking about a guy who. I mean, I haven't. I mean, I've seen him while he's up there, but I mean, like, I was with him in 2009. We're talking about 2009. Randy George. Right. And so, like, you know, I. He gave that off to me. I wasn't even in the army. I mean, I was a marine who was operating in his battle space. And. And you know, and he. Yeah. I mean, there. I still. I still believe that with every moral fiber of my being that if. If Randy George had been standing on base making those decisions that day, that, that. That it would have never lasted. It would have never got to the point that it was at.

[D]

That's why he's such a. I will say just a real quick, funny one. When he seen Brandon and I at the Christmas party. They invited us to the Christmas party with all the chain of command. And we walk in and he's everyone's surrounding. He looks at us like, oh, trouble's here.

[B]

Him and Weinrell, as he's entertaining, like, foreign dignitaries and things like that, he.

[D]

Just comes up, he's like, oh, how you guys doing?

[C]

That's the kind of guy he is, you know, and that's not. And that's not a play either. No, like, that's authentic. Right? Like, he, you know, he's the kind of guy that, like, gives you hope of, like, you know, you see guys like that get to where they're at. Like, you do know that good. That good people can still get up in leadership positions. You Know what I mean? And, like. And still doing what's right can still get you there. You know, I think all leaders should look around and see, you know, where his loyalty lies, you know, because I. I've always felt like with him, he never looked at it as if he was in charge of people. He looked at it as that he was responsible for people.

[D]

He's very well respected, everyone under him. It's just awesome to see leadership like that. And then Sergeant Major Weimer, like, just. He wants war fighters and he is. That's all he wants. He's like, this is what we need and we need to get there.

[C]

Yeah. And, you know, he had a sergeant major over there at that time, too. His name was Sergeant Major Carabello. And he was a hammer. I mean, like, you know what I mean? So, like, you know, that, that he was a. He was. He was a hammer. He had his guys, like, put. I seen the army, they were walking around with their, you know, I mean, like, you're none of us. There is. First off, there is no desert or jungle like, where we were at, you know? But he had them running around with. They put that netting.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

On their helmets.

[D]

Oh, yeah, yeah, like that.

[C]

Like, they cut it out and they had it like all zip tied to it. And I'm like, yeah, this is badass.

[D]

You know, like, out in the fucking.

[C]

Yeah, we're in Afghanistan, right. I mean, but it was just like, they were just know.

[B]

This is a statement.

[C]

This is a statement, you know. S Major. Doing S major. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They. The guys would get so pissed off about it, they'd be like, oh, you know, his name was. His name was Jim Carabello. Right? And so, like, they call it Uncle Jimmy hair, you know, Like, I don't got my Uncle Jimmy hair on my. You know what I mean? But it was, you know, looking back, it was pretty badass, you know?

[D]

Here, I'm. We're taking one for Randy real quick.

[C]

Okay.

[B]

Oh, nice.

[D]

Get in here, guys. Cody, get in here.

[C]

Scooch.

[D]

There you go.

[A]

I got a scooch.

[C]

Ah. What?

[D]

Photo. Photo. There we go.

[A]

Old man doesn't know how to work a cell phone.

[B]

I thought we could trust the Asian to take a photo.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[B]

So hot.

[D]

Oh, photo.

[B]

Looks so good.

[C]

Okay, Mr. George, your photo.

[D]

That's funny.

[B]

I don't think I've. I've talked to anybody about Randy that had a negative word to say. Yeah, just universally beloved guy.

[C]

Yeah. He's just so authentic, you know? And like, he's just. I mean, you could just tell, like, he, you know, his priorities are in the right place.

[D]

Okay, so now you joined in 2006, and then what got you. What was your mindset going and what made you want to join? Were you just like, hey, I want to fucking. I want to jump out of planes. I want to get into gunfights?

[C]

I really. I really didn't know anything about the Marine Corps. Like. Like, honestly, like, I was walking through this lunchroom one time, and I. I, you know, I grew up in a small town where I think we might have had 100 to 150 people, like, in my graduating class. And it was just one of those towns that, like, you either went to college or you, you know, you went to work on the farm or you got a job, and. And. And, you know, that was kind of it. You really didn't know. There really wasn't, like, a. A huge plan. You know what I mean? You didn't really know much outside of it, so. I was gonna go to college. I was gonna. I was gonna go to school. I mean, there's no chance I would have ever made it, but I was gonna go, at least until my dad ran out of money, right? So. Or got tired of paying for it. So, you know, and I could give a story, like, maybe I was gonna play football or something. Who knows, right? Probably not. And I was walking through the lunchroom one day, and there was a Marine recruiter there, and he just. I started talking to him, and he's. I kind of, like, made a smart remark to him, and he said, yeah, that's good. Like, I wouldn't. You should go to college, because you'd never make it as a Marine anyways. And, like, I just. I think that's what the Marine Corps does the best is, like, they know how to talk. Talk to their people, you know, and you gotta understand that the Marine Corps is the smallest branch. So it's like, they have a very niche that, you know, they can talk. Like, they don't have so many demographics they have to cover, you know. So I walked off, and it just pissed me off. And so I came back and I said, I'll join today. And so we went and signed the papers. He told me. I'll never forget. He told me that. He's like, man, you're smart. So, like, we have, like, a perfect position for you. Like, I don't have any more of these spots open, but I'm only going to make an exception for you. And I'm like, gosh, what a great guy. Infantry and he said infantry.

[B]

And that was a joke.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, no, he said infantry. And so, yeah, you know, and so I, I signed up for infantry. You know, I went. I, I went to Parris island and then, you know, went to. I was stationed in Hawaii. And I'll never forget, I seen these guys running around and I was like, who are they? Like, they just gave off a different presence, right? And so they were, they were the sniper platoon. They were the, you know, the snipers on there. You know, there was, I think there were weapons at that time. But anyways, I was like, I want to. I want to. I want to be them. Like, they are like, they knew their stuff. I remember a guy talked to me about something and like, I was like, holy shit. Like, they really know what they're doing, you know? And so they had an indoc. They were just going to have security guys. And so, like, they came out with this indoc. And I went out for it and made it. And so you weren't even supposed to be going to like a school or anything until after this deployment in Iraq. And I was, you know, just doing my thing and I made it, made it into the platoon. And then right before we were about to go on pre deployment leave, they said that they had a spot open up at sniper school. And I was just so lucky that I was the only one that had all the prerequisites to go. And they're like, you can either go to sniper school or you can go on pre deployment leave. It's up to you. And I'm like, I'm going to, I'm going to sniper school. And so I went to sniper school, graduated the first time through, and then, you know, turn around, deployed to Iraq.

[D]

What is pre deployment leave? I. We didn't get this. That's why. What the. And we did this 15 month deployment, but I've never had. Yeah, that's why I'm like, what, you got, like two weeks or a week?

[C]

Yeah, something like that. Like, what they usually tried to do was, is like after you did your, like final, your final workup, like, you know, like after you went to 29 palms, you usually came back and they would try to give you like a couple weeks to either get your stuff together, go home, see your family, like, something like that. Right?

[D]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Okay. So. Okay. I was like. Because ours was December and then July, you had your only times you could take leave. And we deployed in April, I think, and there was, yeah, train up and then you're gone. We skipped NTC though. Like, it was that.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

You're spinning up and you're just getting out of here.

[C]

Yeah, so we. Yeah, we weren't. We. We did that and then, you know, went on. I didn't. How long was the school? 12 weeks.

[D]

Damn.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. So it was 12 weeks and then graduated. That and then left for Iraq. Fallujah.

[D]

Was your team already out there when you guys landed or you all still deployed together?

[C]

Yeah, we all still went together. Right. So, like, they went home on pre deployment leave, and then they were, like, getting everything ready, and then I was still able to make the deployment. So, like, I literally graduated sniper school, and I think I left like, 10 to 15 days later.

[D]

Oh, okay, that makes sense. We had individuals that were in Ranger school, and I want to say it was just a couple in Ranger school, but we deployed and then they showed up 60 days into the deployment because they were finishing up Ranger school and then putting the weight back on. But. Yeah, that's what I was wondering, how they did that with you.

[C]

Yeah, no, we all, like, it was just like a perfect timing piece. I mean, I got lucky. Like, everything I've done is just by pure luck. Right place at the right time. That's it.

[D]

How was Iraq? Was that completely different than the Afghanistan side? Because you were still 2007.

[C]

2007, yeah. I mean, well, I mean, you know, like, we thought we were going into it, right? And like, we were. You know, we're reading, you know, hearing about everything that's going on over there before we got there. And, you know, I. It wasn't really. We really wasn't. There wasn't a ton going on. You know, I was up in a place called Karma. And to be fair, like, I was only there for, like, 50, 60 days, right? And I got sent back home because I got a. I got bit on my hand. We were in a dwell op on a. Then we. We left off that dwell up into a mission, and I got bit on my hand by a spider. And, you know, we were like, oh, it's all right. It's no big deal. I stayed there. And then next thing you know, like, it, like, my fingers started splitting down the sides and, like, it swollen up so big and so got back and they took me into Fallujah Surgical immediately and, like, be you, man. Put me under. I don't know. I don't know. But, like, put me under. And, like, they did, like, they drained it out. Like, you can see the scar still, but.

[B]

Oh, shit.

[C]

Yeah. And so, like, they drained it out and then they, like, shoved this stuff into it, like, to, like, a packet, I guess. And I'm like, ought to be fine.

[D]

And then in the desert, you know, super clean. Definitely not gonna get infected.

[C]

It'll be fine. And I. I will say this like, we're dirty fucks. Yeah. The one thing I do remember, and I will tell you is I don't. Have. Y' all had surgeries, like, some type of surgery where you've been under anesthesia? No, no.

[D]

Just talking about anesthesia yesterday, literally.

[C]

Yeah. So what I will tell you is, is, like, I think it's a little bit different when they do it, and you're in a combat zone. So, like, I just. I just want to say that, like, I do remember my nurse, when I came out of that first surgery, that, like, they had to give me morphine because I freaked out. Like, I was looking for my gun and things like that, you know? I mean, you're in a combat zone, and then, you know, your mindset is in a certain place, and then they're gonna knock you out, and you wake up in another room. It's like. Yeah.

[B]

So you're just throwing people around.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

Poor nurses.

[C]

Yeah. Like. Oh, yeah. I remember that first wake up was not. Was not good.

[B]

Do you remember it, like, vividly?

[C]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Because I remember I got scared because I think they hit me with morphine and then the. There was some. It was. It was a weird ordeal. But, like, I remember that morphine hitting me. I'd never had it before. And I just remember, like, wondering if I was going to breathe or not. You know what I mean? Yeah. So I do remember that. Vivid.

[B]

Now he's angry and high.

[C]

Yeah. And he can't feel pain.

[D]

God.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. And so then I thought I was going to be fine, and then, like, I actually lost feeling in my last three fingers. And so I stayed there for probably another couple weeks, and then I went back again. They did another surgery, and then they flew me to tq. Maybe TQ or Al Asad. I don't know. One of the two. Anyways. The one with the pool on it, one of them had a pool.

[D]

It was bala. I mean, there was a few that had the. So you're lucky. If you were on Air Force, people, I'd be like, you got two movie theaters at one time.

[C]

So that was the moment that I realized that all deployed deployments weren't the same.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean, that was. That was when I realized that, like, just because you deployed doesn't mean that, like, you deployed. Right.

[B]

So you're like all I got was a crusty playboy.

[C]

Yeah, they're like living. I mean. Yeah, it was. Yeah.

[D]

So you lived out in sector though then, didn't you?

[C]

Yeah. I mean, yeah.

[D]

Yep.

[A]

I think through all of our years in business on the Internet we've all used Shopify. I've used it for merch and my skate shop and a couple other business.

[D]

I will actually agree 100% on that. Everything we do is run through Shopify.

[B]

Even bunkers run through Shopify.

[D]

Our shoes, which is a separate company is run through Shopify and they talk together because of Shopify.

[B]

Shopify runs the world.

[D]

Did you know Shopify will actually help you design a website also?

[A]

Cody I know. I didn't know about starting an online store when I started my career online and Shopify just made it super, super, super easy for my dumb.

[D]

Brandon what happens if people haven't heard about my brand though?

[B]

That's actually easy. Eli Shopify helps you find your customers with easy to use email and social media campaigns.

[D]

Step Cody what happens if I get stuck?

[A]

Shopify is always around to share advice with their award winning 247 customer service.

[D]

Step support bro, you got my back and your front. Shopify helps millions of businesses around the.

[A]

World and 10% of all e commerce.

[B]

In the US from household names like Mattel or Gymshark to new brands.

[D]

Just getting started on some shoes on some merch bunker.

[C]

No.

[A]

We've all been doing this for over a decade and Shopify is the easiest e commerce platform we've ever used.

[B]

I think every single one of us has used Shopify at one point.

[D]

I think all our businesses right now are using Shopify.

[B]

No, except mine. But that's because it's done. So can't do that.

[D]

Just one of them. Can't turn those dreams into sfx Cha ching Shopify new cell sound and give.

[B]

Them the best shot at success with Shopify.

[A]

Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com.

[D]

Unsubpod shopify.com unsubpod so I came back.

[C]

I ended up coming back. I was in lunchtool for like 30 days, maybe 20, 30 days. And then I came back to the stateside and then just like occupational therapy and I thought I was going to get, I thought I was getting discharged, you know, like I thought I was going to get discharged out of the Marine Corps because I was like, you know, if you couldn't pass, like if you didn't get your movement back. So I was in occupational therapy and all this for probably three or four months.

[D]

That's crazy. From a spider bite?

[C]

Yeah, from a spider bite, like, I thought was done. And then I finally, like. I don't know, I finally. I guess I got it back and then, like, started healing. And then, you know, my unit returned, and so that was kind of my Iraq deployment, you know.

[D]

How did you feel on that? And did your buddies that you deployed with, did they look at you different, and did you have any feeling because you felt like you were missed out on it?

[C]

No. I mean, no, they. No, because they knew the type of guy I was like. They knew that, like, I was more pissed than anything else, you know, And I'll be honest, at that time, they. They had started taking, like, our ability to go operate away. Right. Like, at that time, like, you know, commanders didn't want to take risk. So, like, you were having to literally do a 32 point PowerPoint to try to sell you going on missions. You know what I mean? And so it was. It was really like. It was the line 2008, 2009 or 2007? 2007, 2008. You know, we were part of that surgeon that President Bush sent over. Right? And so, yeah, and, you know, it was different for everybody, but, you know, for us, like, we. It really wasn't. You know, it was nothing crazy.

[D]

So it's wild hearing that, because that's. When the guys went back in 2010 to Iraq, it was having to do PowerPoints or they got shot at a single time in return fire, and it was paperwork. How much rounds were spent versus when they pull up to our Cobb and they just throw us at force guns, like. And it was like, okay, cool. It weighs less when we shoot it. So.

[C]

Yeah. But, you know, the one thing that I've seen, though, is the reality of, you know, you can kind of make anything look any way, right? And so, like, if I want to make it look like there's, you know, we're done here. Well, I just don't let you go to places where there's bad guys because then there's no firefights. You know what I mean? Like, it wasn't because there. It wasn't because there was a lack of opportunity.

[D]

It was just controlling the narrative.

[B]

Opportunity is an interesting word.

[C]

Yeah. It wasn't, you know, it wasn't because of that. It was just, you know, and maybe. I don't know. I mean, look, I don't know. I mean, I'm sure the, you know, the mission switched. You know, the. The, you know, it was all changing.

[D]

And so sometimes it probably happened too. Or you've seen it where some battle spaces like no one's been there for a while. So then they just wouldn't go into it because then it's like, ah, there's IDs, debaries, insurgents hang out there. Like the breadbasket was for us and they just wouldn't send troops. And until we showed up. Then it's like the big. That pushed through the breadbasket at the end of deployment. But we got a switch with the company that took or the battalion that was taking over, brigade that was taking over. So that's how I'm wondering if they did that with you guys. It's like, ah, that space, we haven't been there in a while. Ah, let's not worry about it.

[C]

Yeah. The parameters were for sure different. Right. I mean like, you know, we were still doing dwell ups and I mean we, we got like hammered by mortars on this dwell up. I mean it was, I mean it wasn't because they're like the bad guys were gone. You know, it was just that I think that, I mean if you don't get in their way, you know, they are those majority of those guys, like as long as you didn't get in their way and you didn't disrupt their freedom of movement, like they were just trying to do their thing, you know. And so it was, it was, it was an interesting, it was an interesting piece. Right. In 2000 for, for me, you know, I mean, I know there was a ton of combat still going on past that in Iraq, but you know, it was just for, for, for me on that deployment, obviously I wasn't there very long, but it was. And none of the guys, majority of our unit, you know, we didn't. It wasn't really a terrible, a bad deployment.

[D]

Yeah, you'd have like maybe a handful. Even a gunfight's rare being deployed. Even during the surge. You're finding out units or like complete battalions, brigades that just never gotten a firefight or one or two.

[C]

Yeah. And that's. And that's what like a lot of people, Don. Right. Is like I believe that, you know, when you look at, in the ratio of deployments of people that deploy, it's a very small number of people who actually fight. Yeah, I don't know. I'm not getting the numbers of this because I know that, you know, all the keyboard warriors out there that are getting their combat action ribbons on, you know, you know, they got it all. You know, it's like the Reality of it is, and it's not. And I want to say this. It's not their fault, right? It's not their fault. It's just by the luck of the draw, right? Like, it's just a luck of the draw. It's like, it's not there. It's not that they didn't want to fight or they weren't capable or they weren't willing to. It's just. It's all the luck of the draw. And so, you know, it's just. But understand this, that not all deployments are the same and not the majority of people didn't go over there and get in a ton. And I know that, like, the audience is going to be like, ah, you know, he's a. He's better than everybody else because he's seen combat, whatever, you know, they want to get on. It's like, no, I'm not. But also, I'm also truthful and honest. So, like, yeah, well. And that's what I always say is, like, when I hear people talk about combat and they talk about it in this, like, romanticized way, glorifying it, you know, I gotta be honest. I always. For a long time, I looked forward to getting shot at. Right? I mean, that's what we're taught. I mean, that's. You. You train for it. But I gotta be honest with you, every time I started getting shot at and it was real, like, hold on. There's a difference between getting shot at and, you know, a guy knows where you're at and is aiming at you. Like, there's a big difference. And every time it got real, I would have gave anything to. To not been getting shot at.

[B]

That seems like a very fair opinion.

[C]

You know what I mean?

[D]

Like, that sucks. I fucking. That's what I always say. It's like, oh, I was like, oh, you were smart. You didn't join. Or you're. Oh, you got. Oh, God, you got lucky. I wish I had that deployment. Didn't get shot at because it sounds cool. Combat sounds cool. Everything sounds amazing. War sounds amazing. Until you get shot at the first time and you're like, oh, that's a game changer. That's so I could have died.

[C]

Yeah. And, you know, the other thing I want to talk about is, like, if war was so fun, if it was so awesome and fun, like people try to make it out to be, we wouldn't have so many people themselves and PTSD over it. How many people themselves? Because they go to, like, Disney World when they're kids. Yeah, not many. Right. So all I'm saying is, like, if war was such a great experience, you wouldn't be living the rest of your life having nightmares about it.

[D]

That's a good way to put it.

[C]

I mean, I'm just saying, right? I mean, like, if we're just going to call it what it is. I hear all these guys, people say, man, I just give anything to deploy again. You're the same person that bitched the whole time you were over there about hating it, hating the military, not wanting to be here.

[B]

You think it's like rose colored glasses or something else?

[D]

I want to hear yours.

[C]

I think if we're real honest with ourselves, combat is way easier than life here. When I'm deployed, I don't have to worry about bills. I don't have to worry about taking care of my kids. I don't have to worry about doing life. I just have to wake up every day, put my shit on, go on a patrol and live a simple, simple life. Yeah, it's harder, right? I mean, it's a hard way of life. It sucks. You're away from your family, you miss it. But I just. And I do think that, yeah, the rose colored glasses is one aspect of it. I think that our mind is natural to remember the good things. It's a survival instinct that we get rid of the bad things. Right. If you process it. But I think you only remember the good times. And I think that. I think that those are the aspects of what they miss. I think they miss the simplicity of being deployed. I think they miss the, you know, the camaraderie because you are close to your people. Right. And I think that's what's missed. But I have to question anybody that says that they missed getting shot at.

[D]

Sergeant Major Weimer, that's when the first time we met him or at General George's house, they were asking. It was going around, you're supposed to tell something about yourself and it was like, oh, blah, blah, blah. I was like, oh, Eli, deployed? Why'd I join? They're like, why'd you join? I was like, well, I thought combat would be cool. Gonna be kick ass. No, I got a gunfight. That sucks. And yeah, Mike was like, he's been in fights. Yep. He gets it. Like, oh, okay, good. That's the right answer. Because it fucking. It sucks. And it is a stressor. You will. It helps later in life because it takes a lot to stress you out after that shit, for me at least it takes a whole lot to stress me out.

[C]

If you get past it. Hold on. If you like. But. But I think that, like, we're people. What people really need to come, like, and usually men. Like, this is usually a men's conversation, right? I mean, I've never to today. I've never had a female come to me and say, I want to go to combat, or I want to get. You know, I can't wait to go get in a gunfight. So, like, maybe. Maybe it'll happen to me. I don't know. But I think for men, it's an identity crisis, right? I think. I think it's an opportunity. I mean, we all, as men want to be tested. Like, that's. It's kind of, you know, for us, I think it's kind of how you. I don't know. I think, you know, you look at any warrior class of men, like there was always some test. There was always some earning. There was always some piece to becoming a man, right? And we were born as. We're born as males, but we have to become and earn being a man. And I think that there's just that natural aspect of us of wanting to know, wanting the answer to if we could do it. And so I think that that's a piece of it, and I think that that's a way to do it. But I just. I don't. I think sometimes we romanticize it, and then I'll go a little bit further into it of, I think, how we told our stories did a disjustice for it, right? I think we have a lot. I think guys like me who wrote books, I think we have some responsibility of how we wrote our books. We only told the great parts about it, and we only told it in a way that made it look cool. And we didn't talk about the shitty and sucky parts of it. You know what I mean? And I think we do have some.

[D]

Responsibility in that after, because I'm sure you had your guys, especially at the Afghanistan deployment. That's where you've seen that huge. A decade after is when we started seeing a big, like, losing a lot of individuals. My battalion, we're at 20, 29 after. We've been back for 18 years now, I think. Yeah, but that's when you're just seeing, like, way more. We lost 16 over there, and then we've lost 29 since we've been back. We're almost hit double the amount just once, because. And I'm sure you, like, we've talked about it before, that idea of getting therapy, like, going to Sec hall. Going to therapy, like, you don't do that. Crush your feelings.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And so I'm like, hey, actually should probably talk about it. Give advice. Lead by example, too.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Like, hey, if you're. If you're telling guys that are getting in now, like, oh, and you're warning, it's like, hey, PTSD therapy, like, this is a lot, and it can be difficult if it's coming from you. Now, they will take that and be like, oh, well, he says it's okay. And I look up to him, so I'm gonna do that. And I don't think we had that.

[C]

From the previous generation. We did. No, because we had. I mean, nothing against them, because also, you have to look like technology. Like, the resources that we have today are astronomical. We have more resources and technology and knowledge and data to help us today than we've ever had in the history of especially mental health. Right. And so, you know, but all we had to look up to was the Vietnam generation on how they knew how to do it. Right. And so, you know, you also have to think that we've only had medication for about 50 years. You know what I mean? So, like, when you look at, like, the big advancement of this, like, and then you had to test it, and then we seen how we got that wrong real quick. So we got to backtrack on that, and we got to find other modalities. And so. And in that 50 years, I'd have to look at that up in detail, but it's around 50 years. That was the last big advancement. When you look at medical, when it came to mental health, was the medication aspect of it. And I think medication gets a bad rap, Right. Obviously, when you look at opioids and all this other stuff, but it actually is very helpful if it's used in the right ways and it's used with the right purpose. And so I'm not anti. Anti medication, because if that's the case, then, you know, should we all be having surgeries without anesthesia? Right. I mean, you know, like, I wouldn't prefer it. Yeah. So, you know what I mean?

[B]

I've seen Dances With Wolves, so, you.

[C]

Know, it's one of those deals. But, you know, I think for us, you know, the big thing that I talk about back is I think we first have to set an expectation, management. And where I get really frustrated with the military is the military. It is actually, if you want to see a precursor of what's about to happen to the entire society, you just watch the military, right? What happens There first is what's going to come to society. Look, tons of started happening in the military. Well, guess what's happening across society now, right? I mean, when you look at mental health, mental health started being bad there, right? It comes across. And so like you could. Because it's a self. It's a self selected demographic of people and it's from all. It's the most. It is literally the military is the most diverse organization that we have in America, right? And so, you know, they come from all walks of life. And so for me, I think, I think we had an opportunity to really give society a blueprint for mental health. And then you came out with a campaign of 22 a day, right? So I blame the mental health aspect of our, of our military on the NGOs, right? So I have this theory, for whatever it's worth, that, you know, NGO for non government organization, the non profits, you know, they all were doing a great thing when the war kicked off. They came in and filled gaps, right? They were. I mean, they were doing the Lord's work, literally. They were, they were doing it. They were finding a way like society always has done is find, stepped up to support their service members, right? Their people who are fighting.

[D]

And they were doing good ones, like, and it actually made a difference before.

[B]

It became an industry.

[C]

Well, and then this is what happened, right, Is the war machine stopped sending home bodies and people for them to take care of. And so then they had to shift the product. So you started with the hidden wounds, right? So Wounded Warrior started. You know, everybody's a warrior. So now we help everybody, right? I mean, so like it turned into this aspect of just reclassifying what things were instead of 22, you know, instead of having a product of guys getting killed in combat, now it's 22 a day. And so let's remarket this because we need to continue a product, right? Like instead of, instead of being like, hey, we're going to be here to support this, it started turning into an industry. And so. And I think at the expense of service members, right? I mean, one of the big aspects I fight on the top all the time was, is, is like ptsd, depression and anxiety. They are injuries, not terminal illnesses. Correct? Now say that. Go put that on your Instagram right now and watch the hate come through. People will lose their minds.

[D]

Hey guys, you want to see something?

[B]

Not again.

[D]

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[B]

Oh, Brandon, show you have a degree in hr, right?

[D]

That's right. Today's sponsor is True Classic. Cody, what are you wearing?

[A]

I'm wearing a True Classic shirt right now. It fits really well around the arms and the chest. It makes you look bigger than you are.

[D]

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[A]

On a personal note, with my personal endorsement to True Classic, that's no. All the pants and the shirts that I wear, like the undershirts, always wear True Classic. The pants, always True Classic. They're stretchy. Beli's wearing True Classics right now.

[B]

A lot of shirts that you get just off the shelf, like, aren't really cut. They're just generic unisex stuff. They're not really cut to look good. True Classic stuff is actually tailored to fit the male form, which is, you know, actually helpful if you want to not look like a slob.

[D]

Peak male performance. But now imagine my dick, because that's where I'm wearing underwear.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

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[D]

If you want to level up your clothes for summer or coming into the fall weather, head over to trueclassic.com unsub we have a real I will say so the com like the community here. They are so amazing about that. They are respectful. And then we're super blessed on how they react to any of this conversation because they are. They know we put them first. Like, we work for them. We are blessed to have them as viewers and we have a huge audience now.

[B]

Don't be too nice to them, you guys, for one piece of shit.

[D]

But they rally and they are big now on mental health, getting help, helping veterans. Like we do the April or November. We just did the all month. We sell merch and we'll release two new T shirts. No, I don't have it on two new T shirts. And then 100% of the profits we donate at the end of the month.

[B]

Like a handful of veteran organizations and things like that.

[D]

There's a couple and we vet those ones because you have to vet the nonprofits now.

[C]

You have to. And so like you know, I, I think that, I think that's the first expectation you have to set is, is like that, that they, those are injuries, not terminal illnesses. And so what that means is, is like, don't be a victim. Yeah. Like you, you. You can be more than a victim of your own service. Right? And like the worst day of, and here's the reality is, is like the worst day of my life is no more significant than the worst day of your life or your life. Like, why are we trying to out victimize each other? Right? Like it's just the worst day of your life in your mind. And you know what I mean? And so it's like you need to deal with that and get, get past it and in order to be better from it. Right? And so I, But I think that when we set the expectation that once you have ptsd, you have it forever, well then, then you're screwed, right? Because then that's all they ever have and that's all they have to live up to and it becomes their identity.

[D]

Especially if you say it like that. And then they, somebody hears that and then they pass that on. It's like, well, you have PTSD now. Yeah, sorry. Instead of.

[B]

And it becomes, it's. I like what you're saying about some of the way that these people market this stuff is like you have the slogans like some wounds never heal. It's like, well, that's a horrible mindset.

[C]

Well, let me. So, so, so this is why like my team leader came himself a few years ago and, and this is why like I am so hell bent against, like if you commit suicide, it is a cowardly act. Like, I am not backing off that. Right? Like, it is not the same. Like there is nothing more unbecoming than if you, if you yourself, right? Because all you're doing is, is passing on the pain that you have and amplifying it to the people that care about you around you. Like, you are literally tossing that off and it is. There's nothing. I mean, let me ask you something. Would you all, if I had told you and if I had told you that I surrendered to the enemy, would you all like, respect me? I mean, no, you wouldn't, you wouldn't respect me surrendering or quitting to the enemy, would you? Right? So. Well, I mean, is the ultimate surrender. And so, you know, it's a hard one to talk about because none of us wanted you to do that. And like, it doesn't make sense. But until, until we say that and go back to that, people are going to continue to do it and they're going to see it as an acceptable route. They're going to see it as an acceptable way to handle their pain. Right. And instead of going to get help.

[D]

Dan Holloway, he has my favorite quote on that, which is, it's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. And I think that sums it up perfectly.

[C]

Yeah. And I think the thing we have to talk about is, like, if you are a human being, at some point the idea of. Or the thought will cross your mind. Like that is a normal thing. Like that is a. It has crossed everybody's mind. But at some point, like taking action on it is where it is where it doesn't become normal and it becomes a thing that you need to get help for. Right. And it's a. It's a tough one because, you know, I've lost. I've watched some of the hardest men. Some of. My team leader was one of the biggest badasses that I had knew. But, you know, I mean, he took his own life. Right. And it sucks. It sucks because, like, you know, you wanted to fix it and help it for him. And I would have done anything for him. But, you know, it's the most unbecoming thing, I think. And you know how. You know, it is. And this is where you start talking about these nonprofits and these things like trying to change it and to keep the product going and why they. I don't think they care in some aspects other than keeping the product. Now, you're not supposed to say commit. You're supposed to say died by. Because they're trying to take the word commit out of it. Yeah. Right. Like, go look it up.

[B]

Interesting.

[C]

Go look it up. They're trying to change it. Like if you.

[B]

I had noticed that, but I didn't. It wasn't conscious, I guess.

[C]

Yeah. They're trying to take the. Literally the one piece of control you have in it out of it so that you can be the victim to as well.

[D]

Interesting. That's so.

[C]

Because you know how you change the truth. Right. One word at a time.

[D]

Yeah. Yeah. That is. Cody, really quick with the going back to just even that mindset of talking mental health. Getting into that in that generation of we didn't have that within police force and swat. Did you have that or was it still like the guys above you were like, oh, that's for. Don't like figure your own problems out. Especially because as showing up on the scene and you have like a baby.

[A]

I mean, no one ever said it out loud, but you know, the culture is kind of the same things. Like, if you go to therapy. Okay. Like, if you go seek help.

[D]

All right.

[A]

Like, it was kind of brushed off, I guess you could say. So it kind of comes down to the.

[B]

I guess, kind of like an eye roll.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And some of it. Some of it is legit because, like, you know, you have to. Until we have leaders who have gone to therapy themselves, they don't understand what therapy is, and they don't understand that. I mean, like, because you get all these overreacting leaders that, you know, if you go to therapy where you can't do your job right. I mean, it's. It's like, it's kind of a lot, I think, holds a lot of people from going to therapy and getting help. And so I think we got to have leaders who have gone and fixed. Like, the problem is we have broken people leading broken people. And so we need to get. Our leaders, need to. To make sure that they're whole. And then, you know, start helping other people and use these things as, like, you know, hey, I was struggling here too. Like, go get some help instead of saying, hey, you know, I know you're struggling. Let's. Let's. Let's go start getting drunk every night. Right? Like, you know, we got to really call things what they are. And, and, and where I really, what honestly probably changed my life the most to really start taking accountability and responsibility for this, was becoming a first responder. Like, was becoming a firefighter. Because I'm going to tell you something that we don't talk about enough. Like, what cops and what firefighters and what paramedics see makes what I seen in combat and what veterans see in combat look like a Mickey Mouse clubhouse. Like, like, if. If these people are out there crushing life and I mean, like, we should learn from them on mental health right now, I ain't saying they're getting it all 100% perfect, but what I am saying is, is, like, veterans don't have the. Like, when it. You talk about trauma and you talk about, you know, seeing bad shit, veterans don't have the market on that. Like, you want to go see the people who see the worst of the worst, and like, they go on deployment every week.

[D]

Stateside.

[C]

Stateside. Like, look, if you went to combat and deployed and like, I'll say this about, you know, the one difference that I think it's why it's worse for our first responders is because, look, if you went to. If you signed up for the military first, none, none of us Were drafted. So if you enlisted and you deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, seen combat, and you were surprised by what you've seen, you're kind of a dumbass, right? I mean, logically, you should. It should make sense.

[A]

Should know where you're getting into a little bit.

[D]

Especially during the surge.

[A]

It's called war.

[C]

I mean, if you. If you joined during a wartime and you went to war and then you were surprised at what war was like, I mean, I'm not saying it's easy to deal with, but what I am saying is you shouldn't be surprised by it, right?

[D]

No. Our drill instructors are like, any retards think you're not going to war?

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Like, two hands went up. They're like, fucking stupid. It's the surge.

[B]

The photo was on the package.

[C]

And when you go to war, you know, people are like, people will die. Yeah, you should know that. Right? Okay, What I will tell you is, is like, these are people who go from being mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, husbands, wives, to putting on a uniform, driving potentially five miles down the road and showing up to the worst.

[D]

That's a code.

[C]

He has these literally the worst things like that. And none of it makes sense, right? Like when we were over there, you know, you're fighting in like a gunfight and it sucks. Like, yeah, it sucks no matter what, right? But I mean, you're standing there and you're talking to a mother who is sitting in the passenger seat of her vehicle as her husband is dead in the driver's seat and her two kids are getting worked on CPR in the back on a Thanksgiving weekend. And doesn't make sense, right? And so it's like. And then guess what? They look just like your people and your family. And like that. That is hard. All of it's hard. But all my point of it is, we as veterans didn't get the market on PTSD and hard things to go through. Our men and women first responders that walk amongst us every single day. And they are. That are showing up every time we dial three numbers. They are the people that we should all look at when it comes to mental health. On. And again, I'm not saying they get it right all the time, but I am saying that, like, what they deal with is. Is astronomical compared to what we do.

[B]

And the crazy part too, at least for me, outside looking in, is there's no separation. So, like, they will see the most heinous shit possible in this country, and then again, drive five miles back down the road, come back home to cold Macaroni and cheese.

[C]

Yeah. And you want. Yeah. And, you know, you talk about cops like, you know, cops are getting. And I use cops right now because they always get the worst rap. Right. You know what we don't do? We don't recognize them for the good they do. The only time that they are recognized or mentioned is the bad. Right? And we don't sit here. We don't. Like, we don't reward them or give or recognize the lives they save.

[D]

I mean, it's like Cody. And it sucks the amount of hate you get online just because you break down videos with the most information. You reach out and you gather all of it and you present it factually, good or bad. And you present it, and then you still get fucking swatted or dumb. It. Just because.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Oh, formerly. You're a bootlicker. Because he stuck like, that story. They didn't like how it turned out.

[B]

Because, like, you'll break down a video, and it's not. Oh, well, cop was in the right because he copied.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Like, it's not like that. You're like, oh, well, actually, this person was wrong because of this case law. Cop was in the right because of this. This. This. But it doesn't matter.

[A]

It doesn't matter.

[D]

Bootlicker.

[B]

Yeah, whatever.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. And it's. It's. Yeah, it's. It's a. Yeah, it's a. It's an aspect that, like. But I will say the. The bad is still the minority of the good that goes on 100. You know, I mean, like. I mean, I. And it's not necessarily like.

[B]

I was terrified where that was going for a moment.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. No. Yeah. Which. Which word made it. Which word made you get nervous?

[B]

There was a couple in succession that I was very afraid of. I'm like, oh, I'm in frame.

[C]

Which word was it?

[B]

You're like, bad. The bad is the minority. I'm like, well, that's not great.

[C]

No, no, no, no.

[B]

13.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

You.

[C]

No. And I. That's a joke.

[B]

That's a joke.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Sorry to derail.

[C]

No, no. Yeah, that's. Yeah. But, you know, it's like. It's like these. These cops are. Are. You know, it's. I wish. We've got to tell. And the only way you win. The only way you win. The only way we change the world. I truly believe this. The only way that we get the world back to where we need to be is that, you know, you can't just be like, oh, that's wrong. That's wrong. That's wrong. You can't just be a. Because that's what everybody does now is like, they only say, oh, that's wrong. The only way we're going to be able to win this is if we out message it with good. You know what I mean? We can only win the world back if we out message it with good. And there is more good than there is bad. But we have to out message it with good.

[D]

What are you thinking, Cody?

[A]

What do you think I'm thinking? Money, Money, money, money, money.

[B]

I was just gonna go there.

[A]

The only thing that's going to make the news money is headlines of cop kills person unjustly. And that's how they get their clicks. That's how they get their ad revenue. And it's been like that for years and years and years. And I hate to say, you know, the mainstream media, but that's exactly what it is. They only want to focus on the bad and they never focus on the good because no one wants to click on the good.

[B]

Positivity is hard to sell.

[A]

Yeah, you can't sell positivity.

[C]

But here's the great part. The great part is this, is that mainstream media is about to be dead. Right. The great part is, is that I do believe this next generation is a going to start. Like they're not going to give a about the same that that's selling all these clicks right now. Right. I do think this. That's why I think this next generation is going to be so important. Like, I don't think that they are going to be as. As, you know, like they're growing up with all the. That we are like, we, we have like been handed to us to see like what we. We were the experiment.

[D]

Oh yeah. Social media as a whole Internet period.

[C]

But we were the experiment, right? Like they, they just handed us these things. We didn't know what they were gonna do to us and they started throwing a bunch of at it. And now you got a bunch of. A bunch of people who have, you know, it's. Yeah.

[D]

So they know at three how to use all this.

[C]

This next generation though, they see the consequences of it, right? I mean, they see. I. I think that they're gonna be the ones that are going to set us straight. But I do think that what we have got to do is to believe in the greater good and to believe in that they can. And I go back to it. Look, you know, this country was founded because 70 people said that I'm not going to put up with this anymore. Right? 70 people who had no training, who had no idea what they were going to do. They stood up and they said, you know what? I'm a shopkeeper. I am, you know, I'm a blacksmith. I'm whatever, right. I'm a farmer and I'm going to grab my rifle and I'm going to do something no matter what. And I'm telling you, I do believe with everything that I have that we are at a time to where it will work, you know? Yeah, I know. I do agree with you, like the, the. It's all there. But I do believe that, like, I do believe that people are starving for hope. Yeah.

[A]

And I hate the only hope that people can find, especially from a law enforcement perspective, is a post from a random person on social media that goes viral. And you can see like this cop being an awesome person, like maybe playing basketball with a kid or saving a life. And like the mainstream media's been like, cops, bad, cops, bad, cops, bad, cops bad this entire time. But you have these, like you said, 70 people. You have these little people on social media who put these stories out and they go super viral. And like, that's the hope. There's.

[B]

That's also the nice part about social media. There's a lot of, trust me, there's plenty of negatives of social media, but one of the positives is you get to see what people actually want to see. Yeah, it's a.

[A]

It's a blessing and a cursing social media.

[B]

It's not curated though, by like, things that are supposed to make you angry or things that are supposed to make you click or whatever. It's like you get to see those things that, you know, people do actually care to watch.

[C]

Brandon, do you need.

[B]

Not one more time. You got this. Brandon, can you.

[C]

Brandon, do you.

[B]

Almost there, bud.

[D]

Brandon, where do you store your firearms?

[B]

All over my house, in every crevice.

[D]

Well, do I have the product for you, Nick. Show em.

[C]

Here, hand it to me, Brandon, so I can show you.

[D]

Brandon, this is. Stop box. Stop Box.

[C]

We love box.

[D]

You selling me what's in the box?

[C]

You have to open it and find out.

[B]

All right, well, let's see if I can do this. Oh, wow, look at that.

[A]

Oh, can I hide my goop in that?

[D]

You can hide your goop in that. Cody. Cody, do you know why I love this thing? Why? Why?

[B]

Why?

[C]

God, why? Because you don't have to use keys. Gun not included.

[B]

Cody, you've got multiple cats in your house, including Squirt, who's quite the scrapper.

[A]

Mm.

[B]

Would you Want Squirt to have access to your firearms? No, he's violent. Well, then Stopbox is the perfect product for you.

[C]

No cats getting inside that or people without thumbs. The nice part is it is actually TSA compliant.

[B]

I didn't actually know that part until a couple months ago. That is actually really cool. You just put a little lock through there.

[C]

Exactly.

[A]

When you check in a pistol or any gun, if there's a hole that a lot can go through on whatever you're checking your gun in, you have to put a lock through that. This has one hole, so you just need one lock. Easily accessible once you land on the ground.

[B]

I know you're not normally a one hole kind of guy, but. But this is definitely an exception to the rule.

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Wait, what are tariffs like?

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[D]

StopBoxUSA.com use code unsubscribe. They had. That's actually a really good point. You got to see with the Buffalo school system how what mainstream media tried to do with that, because Rich was on it and he was the one having this interaction. And it's us with drinks on the table and his name's Angry Cops and he's been in the news multiple times. But then it was, oh, they didn't focus on, hey, there's like, shit going on at these schools with these kids. These kids are in danger.

[B]

Talking about abuse of children. Like, serious allegations.

[A]

And this is a man on the front lines who was saying, I've seen this. I've seen this. I've documented it.

[B]

I've seen this as an ass.

[A]

Why was he wrong, though? Beli.

[D]

Because booze on table.

[A]

We had a booze on a table when he was talking about it.

[B]

They like this foul podcast, I think is what they said.

[D]

But then it was amazing because the community went fucking bullied. Every journalist or news anchor that had those negative headlines, they changed their headlines because of it. Like, they just removed angry cops or detective. What they. What did they call them? Like bad cop, A different word.

[A]

Stupid.

[D]

And they removed all that Just because the sheer amount of people, like, are you fucking worried about that instead of the kids?

[B]

What the.

[D]

Is wrong with you?

[C]

And, like. And that's, and that's what we need, right? I mean, look, the, the, the, the. The silent majority can no longer be silent. Right? Like, like, we have got to use our voices. We've got to speak up against what's right. I mean, up for what's right and against what's wrong. Like, the silent majority has got to. It's got to stop. And, you know, it's the same thing with voting, right? I mean, look, like, you know, people like, oh, they don't. I believe the system still could work. Like, I believe the system. I believe that. I believe that all of this thing still works. You know, and call me bootlicker or whatever else, whatever else you want to call me, but I do believe in that. And I believe that what it takes, though, is it takes. It takes people actually taking action. And like, like, you know, I think, I don't think there's ever. I don't believe that there's ever going to be a chance for a civil war. Right. I don't think that that's a thing. Like, people who talk about that. I think that. I think that that's.

[D]

They don't have the stomach for it.

[B]

Especially the people that talk about it, like, oh, I can't wait for the. Like, well, you're crazy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Because I don't know if you did any reading on the first one that we had, but it pretty much sucked for everybody for a very long time.

[C]

Yeah. And none of us should want that. Right. Like, I always, always question anybody who wants to hurt another American or hurt another human being. Right. Like, I think that that's, that's insane. And I think just because you disagree with them, and I think that, you know, I do believe, though, I do believe that voting still works. You know, and I think that all these ideas, this. I call it extinctionist. There's an extinctionist mindset that has, that has, you know, entered our culture. Right. And so what does extinctionist mean? Right. The way you kill a population is you make them believe that there's no reason to do good or do the right thing anymore. And so the way you do that is by you start, you know, you start putting these narratives out there that all marriages are bad, all men are bad, all women are bad, having kids is bad, all cops are bad, having kids are bad, or, like, bear over.

[D]

A man in the woods.

[C]

Yep. Or there's no reason to. Or or there's no reason to stand up for what's right anymore. Or let me tell you where it started at. Your vote doesn't matter anymore, right? So you believe your vote doesn't matter anymore. So why are you going to show up and vote? Right. And it's all those aspects that if you get people to believe and, and there's actually this study out there with these mice, right. So these, these, these doctors, these scientists threw these mice into this tub of water and then they watered. It took like five to seven minutes. I don't know the exact time, but, but a short time that the mice started to drown. And so they reached in and grabbed the mice and picked them up, set them on the side and let them eat, know, get their breath and all this back. And then they tossed them back in and they stayed there for like 48 or 72 hours.

[B]

Were they trying to learn something?

[C]

Yes. I'm about to tell you this.

[B]

I'm around.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

They were just torturing mice.

[C]

Yeah. So mice can swim.

[D]

Thank you, Dakota. Glad you told us that story.

[B]

So why funny?

[C]

I don't know.

[D]

Random tangent.

[C]

Yeah. So that's the end of the story.

[A]

I did that all the time.

[B]

Differences.

[C]

They wrote it down. So my point being was, is we could be scientists. No, but the point of it was, is like the, the mice swam so much longer the next time because they believed that there was hope that somebody would come get them out. And it's the same thing with people, right? Like you will never achieve more than you believe. And what you believe and what you think is what you will see more of. And I do believe that we just need leaders to be conversation shifters right now. We need people who believe, like, who actually believe that this country can be better. And look, I mean the majority of people are good.

[D]

Well, that's running for Congress.

[B]

That's the thing on the primary element back on like voting is it drives me crazy the amount of people who get frustrated with, oh, the two party system, it's all rigged. They're all fake. It's like, well, you could have your qualms with the two party system. Good luck. But here's the thing. You're not just. These people aren't just anointed. You can be a part of that like with your primaries and not just like on the presidential level, because I get how that's overwhelming. It's a lot of big numbers, it's a lot of money, it's a lot of influence. But even just at a local level, whether it's Congress, whether it's your local school board, your judge, your sheriff, these things. There are primaries where you get to choose which person is representing that party and you can get involved, you can make that difference on that.

[C]

And that person does matter. Like, like, like you don't have to be like, yeah, president has one aspect. But like I would argue that the people in your demographic, like in your local, your local area matter more than you know, at the federal level. Right. I mean, obviously there are. Yeah, it's your community, right?

[B]

I mean your city council will have more effect over your life than Congress will a lot of times.

[C]

And think about this, like, how many people don't even know who's on their city council? How many people don't even know who's on the school board, Right? How many people don't even know what district they're in or who represents them, right? So before people start complaining about the decisions are being made. But again, like it's, but it's before, like, at what point do you, do we have responsibility ourselves to get involved, like, stop bitching about the problem, stop become part of the solution. The system is set and it does work. I do believe, I do believe it does work. I just think that, and I do believe that we need Republic. I think the two party system works and I'll tell you why on that too is because the only thing worse than what we have now would be if we only had a one party system.

[B]

Well, that's, I think objectively worse.

[D]

That's terrifying.

[C]

But again, but again, you know, it's like you need both. I think what's happened though is, and I don't believe that the leadership of the parties represent the people of the voters. Right.

[B]

I agree with that completely.

[C]

Like when people are like, oh, Democrats are not patriotic, I'm like, I disagree. Like, I know a lot of Democrats that are my friends that support me, that are great people that love this country. I think your leadership that is representing the Democratic Party probably hates this country. Right? But I think that, you know, it's one of those aspects that like they're not, we need both of them to be effective. Right. If it wasn't for the Democratic Party, we wouldn't be evolving as, you know, I mean like they, they help evolve this country and grow this country and that aspect of it. Right? And now look, they've gone way off now. But you know, in the Republic you need the Republican Party as well and you need both of them and they're both important to the system. But, but we have Got to get leaders that represent the people. You know, the parties were supposed to conform to the people, not the people to have to conform to the party.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

And that's what we're missing right now.

[D]

That's why, like, Brandon's running. And, I mean, that's one of your big things. It is. You did this not for love of the game or a childhood dream that you wanted to be a politician.

[B]

People who want power are scary.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Terrifying people.

[D]

And that's unfortunately a majority. And that's the problem. But you come in and you're like, oh, no, this dude is up a whole bunch of shit and we need to do better.

[B]

So it was out of spite. I was just tired of my congressman. I knew nobody was going to do something about it. So, yeah. Threw my hat in the ring. Last time we lost by 400 votes. This time, I think we're going to take it. But it's just. I get fed up because I think the Republicans aren't immune to that either. Like, on our side of the fence, there's. I think the leadership does accurately represent, to a degree, what a lot of the older generation, like the 60s, 70s age group of Republicans believe with the tint of a lot of corruption by money. And there's a lot of industry and there's a lot of. It's an entire machine behind the scenes.

[C]

Yeah, it is. And I think if the Republican Party doesn't evolve as well. Right. I think that you're gonna have a huge problem. You know, the way. But again, like. But think about it. What is the average age of the people in leadership? You know, in Congress. Right. Of course they're not gonna know the problems that we have. Right. Of course they're not going to be able to under. Like, they are. Like, they are. Like, they are arguing for the things that were relevant back when they were in our positions. Right.

[B]

But now they're responsible for legislating Bitcoin and AI. Well, again, horrifying.

[D]

It's terrifying.

[C]

It is terrifying.

[D]

Right?

[C]

It is terrifying. And I also think, you know, what? They have done a great job at. And this is, like, probably the piece that I hate the most about. About our leadership in this country is they have found a way to rig the system in a way to where the repercussions and the consequences of their decisions don't affect them anymore. Right. And that's bad leadership at the point that you can make decisions that you don't feel anymore like you can shut the government down, you still get paid. Right. You know what I mean, this is a. Look, I think if you shut the government down, well, you, Everybody doesn't get to come back. Like you don't get another term. Right. If you all couldn't figure out how to communicate with each other and get a way to get the government to keep going, nobody. We're going to have to start all over on, on people in it. Right. I get it, I get it.

[B]

Stuff at a bare minimum, they should not be, they shouldn't be paid just like every other government employee. But like said, bare minimum, they shouldn't get the back pay either. All the other federal employees get back.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Congress shouldn't. It was your fault.

[C]

Bare minimum. And we need term limits.

[B]

Yes.

[D]

Oh, God.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't think term limits.

[D]

Like, I know.

[A]

No one wants a dinosaur up there telling the next generation or two generations when you have.

[D]

Who was the one that was like, just like, rebooting on stage?

[B]

There's a few.

[C]

Let's talk about Mitch McConnell.

[D]

Yeah. Look like he pooped himself.

[C]

Mitch McConnell. I mean, you know, and it's, and it's like Joe Biden, right?

[B]

I mean, I mean, Dianne Feinstein, she died of old age after casting a vote same day. Dead serious.

[D]

That is wild for them to be in charge of jacking shit.

[B]

Well, the problem is once you. And it's a lot easier when you sell out, you know, and you're in their position because you, you get all this fundraising ability and because as an incumbent, you have the incumbency advantage, you have the name recognition advantage, and you have, have millions and millions of dollars, you become almost impossible to be.

[C]

Well, and then the other way that this system is set up, right, is, you know, you take some of these states that don't have the power because of, you know, the representatives they have and things like that, you also lose. Like, Kentucky's going to suffer because Mitch McConnell is going to be replaced, right? They're not going to have a say, a lot of say. You know, I'm from Kentucky, so, like, you know, they're not going to have a lot of say or the power that Mitch McConnell had because he'd been the seniors, right? And so, like, now you got, you know, so there is a, there's an aspect of that that is always a play of why they keep these people in there. But, you know, we've got to get back to, to a place of, of, you know, we've got to go back old school, right? I mean, we got to go back to where. And I do think that, I do think we got to have term limits in it. We've got to hold these people accountable. And. But. But you know, they can be held accountable because everybody that's watching can go out and vote.

[D]

What kind of shirt is that?

[B]

Actually, Eli, these are what are called shorts, Fabletic shorts.

[D]

But where do you put your head?

[B]

It's complicated.

[D]

Will they look comfortable? Indeed they are.

[B]

And there's something about starting a new.

[D]

Workout that just feels so great.

[B]

But you know what isn't great? Having to buy all of the gear. All that changed when I signed up as a VIP at Fabletics.

[D]

You got 80% off all your clothes.

[B]

That's right, Eli. 80% off everything. I thought it was one of those.

[D]

Deals that's too good to be true, but no, it's true. Do you feel the 80% off? It feels so comfortable.

[B]

That's right, Eli. I'm so terrifyingly fast because I've been working out in my Fabletics athletic wear, which I've been getting for 80% off using code UNSUBPLY. It's very reassuring to know that Fabletics isn't just some online store floating in the void. They have over 2 million VIP members and over a hundred in person retail stores.

[D]

Connor lives in the void.

[B]

I'm from the void.

[D]

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[B]

Not only does Fabletics already have incredible deals, but we've got an exclusive offer just for you, the unsubscribed listeners. If you go to fabletics.com unsub you will get an additional 80% off everything.

[D]

Everything. Just head over to fabletics.com unsub take a quick style quiz, tell them you want the red shorts and and be sure to select unsub when prompted to ask who sent you? That's fabletics.com unsub well, and it is terrifying or aggravating. People should have been way more pissed about even the last election cycle with Kamala just being put into place. Like everything beforehand is wild. Like it wasn't out of the blue, like, oh no. We knew there was problems with the president at the time and then they just kept it going until it's like, oh no, she's replacing it. And you didn't even get to vote that in.

[B]

And it was funny to have her being able to get on stage saying, oh, Trump is the enemy of democracy. He's trying to end democracy. You're running for president. Nobody voted for.

[C]

For you. Nobody.

[B]

That's not a single human.

[D]

That's how you just Got put in.

[B]

Before the presidential election.

[D]

Obviously, it's wild to have that.

[C]

But. But what, but what I think is. But what I think is telling and why I go back to saying that the system still works. That she didn't get elected.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

You know what I mean? Like, she didn't get elected. Right. And so I.

[D]

Billions of dollars and she didn't get like.

[B]

And, you know, I think the most expensive presidential election in history.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah. And I think so. I think our country is going to be fine. I think, I think the biggest thing that people can do, number one, is vote like you should. That should not be an aspect that you, you take lightly or, or any of that piece of it. And then I think the next piece is like, read the Constitution. I hear everybody wants to quote the Constitution to me all the time. And I'm like, when's the last time you read it? Like, is that what you think it said, what somebody told you it said or what, you know, it says? There's a big difference. Right. And, and I, I don't have it on me today. I usually have it in my, with me or in my, if I'm definitely in my suit, I have my Constitution on me. Because when people are like, well, you know, that's unconstitutional. Okay, well, let's, let me pull one out right here. Let's talk about it. Right. And so I think read the Constitution. I think the other thing is history. I think you, I think you. I think the biggest web, like the biggest tool in education that you can have is, Is history. Like, I think knowing history, knowing why things were put in, when things were put in, you know, and, and I, I school myself on it all the time. But I think, I think that if you do those three things, I do believe our country will get back to where it needs to be.

[D]

And that is such a true statement because you look at how right now is, this is worse than the Nazi regime, and you have that information being put out there, and then a dictator, you are on social media saying this, you know what that means? You're not under a fucking dictating regime, like Nazi regime. And that's where it's, it's crazy not understanding or knowing that piece of history to show how bad it was.

[C]

Yeah. And there's a lot of confusion. You know, like, you talk about this Venezuela thing. Right? I mean, look, I hope President Bush is watching what just happened and realizing that maybe he should have done that in Iraq. Right. You know, and I think that, you know, what we're doing is I don't know. I mean, I don't know all the answers. I don't pretend to, but I always like to. But to. We gotta have conversations. This is the problem is like, what I think right now we as Americans have gotta decide. Like, you know, because I keep hearing, well, we shouldn't police the world. Okay, I'm in. So who should? Because, like, we can't argue. Somebody's going to. So who should then? Who should? Who does it better than us? And who can we rely on? And who do we trust to do it?

[D]

It's a hard one, because it is. The only way for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. So what's that line? Because now it is. Okay, there's bad, but obviously terrible human. Oh, look what they did. This is terrible. And it's like, well, pause. How the fuck does any change happen? You just want dictators to rule and then no one does anything.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, maybe. And I'm fine with whatever. Like, I. Look, I think, I think Americans should, should be involved in this. I think this should be a conversation that Americans should have. Right? But I think informed Americans.

[B]

Yeah, well, that's the hard part.

[C]

That's the hard part, right? Like, so I think, like, I think that when we talk about the, these things, like, like, okay, I'm in. I don't necessarily is, you know, I don't necessarily want to have to go police the world either. Right. But I also think that there's a responsibility that if we're watching someone in Venezuela, you know, oppress people and, and not even an elected official by the people, and we have the ability to get rid of them. We should. And then I think, you know, people are like, oh, the oil. Yeah, yeah, you know what? Like, if, if, if you asked for your house to be remodeled, would the builder pay for it? No. So I think that if we are going to go help them with their country and help them become a better country, we should absolutely be compensated for it and we should do it with their money that they are capable of paying for it with. Right? And I think that that's, that's what real nation building looks like. Not Iraq and occupying in that aspect of it. But that is not like. Because then you create a vacuum because we come in and do it for them. It's like having an entitled child, right? It's like you grow up, you raise a child. It's like a trust fund baby, right? How many of them are successful on their own, right?

[D]

And so, like three generations and it will be Fucking gone. All money gone in three generations, gone.

[C]

And so, like, we come in and we help them do that, not by occupying, but by giving them opportunities and by helping them manage that aspect and letting the Venezuelan people select it and then we roll out and we go on to the next one. Right? And so there's definitely a conversation to.

[B]

Be had for sure. Because especially in the world's police thing, it's like, okay, well then who should. I mean, I don't think we've ever really done that in a way that wasn't because of American interests in the first place. Because, I mean, think about how many genocides are going on over the world right now. Like, how many dictators, how many countries are in civil war, how many people are being wiped out in the United States doesn't give a shit.

[D]

23. 23 genocides are going on right now in different countries.

[B]

What I do like is the transparency of the Venezuelan situation where we're like, no, you stole tens of billions of dollars worth of our assets, largely regarding oil that Americans invested in. Yeah, no, we're not going to deal with that. That's an American interest. And you can debate right. Wrong all day long, but at least the transparency was there. It's like, yeah, you got a shitload of oil and you took our. And you're not playing ball.

[C]

Yeah. And I hope we do Cuba next.

[B]

Yeah. That you're gonna grow Guantanamo. Yeah, I think we do just keep expanding from there.

[C]

I think. I hope we grab the Cuban leader next. Right?

[B]

I mean, it was on the table, apparently.

[C]

I think. I hope we grab the. I hope we grab the Cuban leader next. And, but again, like, I don't think we occupy anywhere, right? I don't think we. I don't think we. I don't.

[D]

This is the dumbest shit we can do.

[C]

It's. Listen, it's never worked for us, right? And so I think that. But I, But I also think that we. I don't think we sit back and watch evil prevail because no matter what, inevitably it's going to come to us. Like, where does it stop? So then where do you draw the line?

[D]

Right?

[C]

I mean, we're only in our hemisphere right now, right? So, like, you know, is it hemisphere wide? I mean, what do you do? Right? I mean, and I think that this is a piece that Americans. And if they don't want to do it, then that's fine. Like, if you're willing to. If that's not what you have, if that's what America doesn't Represent anymore, then. Okay, then that's fine. I think that that's what you should vote for. And you know, that's a great part of it, but I need to go find a country that's willing to be the leaders of the free world step up. Right. I mean, I think the American people just have to really have this hard conversation because you don't stay at the top.

[D]

Well, I think you have this divide though, that does make it hard because it is this moving the goalpost right now with Venezuela, it's like they're. Oh, we're sorry, the Venezuelan people. We don't. He doesn't, he doesn't speak for us.

[C]

We would.

[D]

We hate that he did that. And then cue all the celebration going on in Venezuela. Then it's like, oh, move that goal post over here. Well, what's China gonna think? They celebrate Iraq. They celebrated. And you're like, yeah, you got guys just can't be happy. Yeah.

[B]

I mean, on top of that, even just what a lot of the Democratic leadership. I saw one. It's just like a collection of tweets of prominent Democrats that are in power now that were tweeting a couple of years ago like, well, Maduro needs to be replaced. We. I absolutely. The United States needs to get involved in ousting Maduro.

[A]

And now about that $25 million bounty.

[B]

Yeah, we put a bounty on this.

[D]

That's my favorite thing. It's like, oh, so we weren't supposed to capture or do anything? Then why the. Did they put a 50 million dollar bounty or. It was.

[C]

I think it was raised to 50. But yeah, it's a, it's a. You know, and I think that that's just. Look, like what, look what. We aren't. If we're not willing to step up, somebody will. Right? And what you've seen is, is the other two superpowers. So I mean really, you look at us, Russia and China, like there's really nobody else on the global. The global. There's really nobody else on the global board. That's. That's, that's part of it. And so, so you look. So we went down there and took, took out the leader. Russia and China went down there and was working with the leader in their best interests, you know, so like at the expense of the Venezuelan people, You know what I mean?

[A]

So like who gets the fucking bounty now?

[C]

Well, I, I think they should separate. I think for all the people who are involved in the race, they.

[B]

That's pretty funny.

[C]

They should toss it out to them, right?

[B]

I mean, it's fair.

[D]

It was the, the, it was his security team that was like, hey homes. Yeah, there's a lot of money. Would you split it? There's 10 of us. All of a sudden I sell.

[B]

Yeah, no, right.

[A]

All of a sudden they open the.

[D]

Door like, hey, Delta, he's your guy. He's in there. I'm assuming. They sound like Mexicans, by the way. There's all brown people.

[B]

The morning after that raid, a buddy of mine, we're, we're, we're doing an after action. It's like, oh, did you see this? You see this? He's like, yeah, I bet you some maid somewhere in Caracas just made a million dollars.

[C]

Hey, I, I, yeah, well, I mean, listen, I, if, if I was gonna guess, I would say the person that just took over is the one that gave them all the information.

[B]

Really?

[C]

You think if I was, I mean, again, like, I, I, yeah, who.

[B]

It's that woman, the woman that was. Yeah, yeah, because I think the, the, the Venezuelan Supreme Court just said that she's the new. Yeah, she's the new new, yeah, she's.

[D]

Working, she's, I think they already announced like, oh, yeah, we're going to make this transition as peaceful as possible.

[B]

If they did split that bounty though, you know, you just walk into the Delta fucking break room and there's a new margarita mixer and all sorts of.

[C]

Listen, you know, they all start showing up to the team room like, you know, you know, like the NFL players when they start showing, you know, when they show up to the locker room, like, you start seeing Delta guys walking down. You know what I mean?

[B]

Like, you got the, the diamond bedazzled plate carriers in it.

[D]

Living that dream life.

[C]

Oh, gosh, how funny would that be?

[D]

There will be signs, they've all got.

[B]

Grills now for some reason, but I.

[D]

Think it's super interesting showing up in Range rovers.

[C]

I know.

[D]

Photos like that.

[B]

America's gold or tip of the spear has gold teeth now.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, but you know what? Like, I think it would drive a bunch of recruitment like you, I bet you people in the military would start trying out, would be going on the long walk a lot more often. You know what I mean?

[D]

Yeah, I guarantee it.

[C]

And we start getting some bad. Listen, I bet the, I bet the threshold of, of our quality of.

[D]

You call this the long walk. That one is very rare. People, people call it the long walk.

[C]

Yeah, that's what I've heard. It's called the long walk.

[D]

That's a, that's Delta cag. Tryout. They call it the Long Walk. Because I've heard song. Yeah, yeah. You're walking. And this is. You're shooting azimuth and you're walking with 50 to 100 pound.

[C]

It's over multiple states.

[D]

Yep.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

No.

[D]

Oh, dude. And this is. Every day you're doing like, what is it? Like, up to 80 miles in a single day. It's like something stupid.

[C]

I don't know. You're starting to get in details that I'm out on.

[B]

No wonder Wyber likes to walk.

[D]

Yeah. Just walk.

[B]

Oh, wait, I don't know if we could put that.

[D]

Yeah, yeah. Don't know, because it's on social. It does say he was jsoc, so. Gotcha.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

Yeah, I'm out. I didn't say anything.

[D]

Yeah, it was all him.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

AI put his name.

[C]

Yeah. So I just think that, like, look, I think the. Look, I think it's the American people's choice. I think the American people should. But they got to be informed, right? Like, stop. Like saying, stop. Just repeating what you heard or what you think. Like, go. Go look it up. Like, it's just. I don't know. It's just. It's just one of those deals. Like, I think. Look, I think this is America, right? Like, you. We can. We are a place of the people. Like, the Constitution starts off with we the people. So if. If we don't want to be strong and we don't want to be, you know, free, and we want to take the chance of allowing Russia and China to take us over, then. Then, okay, but, like, you know, we just need to say it. You know, we just need the American people to stand up and say, like, hey, like, we don't give a shit about anybody else. We don't care about anybody else's rights. But I also think that, like, if we're not willing to go grab a guy like Maduro out, well, then we need to stop sending all this money over to all these foreign countries to help them out as well. Right? Let's just sit back here. We'll put this money here and that's what we'll do, Right?

[B]

Like, fully agreed on that.

[C]

So all of this. All of this money we see going to these, you know, like this, that they cut when they first went in there, then none of that goes anywhere, right? Like, there's no more of us helping any other countries financially if we're not willing to go get this evil out.

[A]

Well, I get.

[B]

I don't. I guess I just. I don't think it's because it's evil. I don't think anybody would have given a about Maduro if there wasn't oil and stolen American assets. We would have not done that.

[C]

Yeah, I mean I, I, well, I mean I, I, I don't know.

[B]

I'm not saying it's a bad thing. We did it for American interest. I think that's good.

[D]

I think if oil, this is like every resource and they are the pinball. Plus Russia and China also had control.

[C]

Well, I think we're to about to see, right. Because here's the other thing. Right. Like I think we're about to see. I mean if we start going after more evil then maybe, I don't know. I think when we, I think I never get into the realm of trying to figure out why somebody did something else. But like look, no matter what, the Venezuela is better now that he's gone.

[D]

You can tell by the videos of them celebrating.

[C]

Yeah. And so like yeah, there is an interest there for us. I do think we should treat every country, even if there's not an interest for us, the same way. Right. Like anybody.

[B]

We're not going to send dudes in to take out some warlord. Genocidal warlord in Botswana. We should like that.

[C]

We should though.

[B]

Yeah. Fun vacation.

[D]

I mean North Korea, no one there. North Korea has zero exports other than crime. Cyber crime.

[C]

But he says so.

[B]

That's crazy. The percentage of their stuff.

[D]

20% of cyber crime. That's where a their GDP. 20% comes from.

[C]

Crazy.

[D]

Cyber crime. But it's one country we just don't touch.

[B]

You're gonna have to, if you extract Kim Jong Un, you're gonna have to use one of those scoop thing. The net things that they use to carry the whales at sea world.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

That you can't fit them on the Blackhawk.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

I saw that he was a certified forklift driver.

[C]

Yeah. Did you see that he had his people like.

[D]

Yeah. What for real?

[C]

Yeah. Kendra drives forklift.

[D]

Is he like the world's best? My favorite thing is he is the best. He's hit golfer.

[C]

Have you seen that? How many hole in ones that guy got? Everyone. Everyone.

[B]

Man, he must be really good.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

No one believes me. No one believe me.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

He missed his calling.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

On me and no one believe it.

[A]

That's why they're so mad at the world. They're really good at it.

[B]

Everything.

[C]

No one believes them.

[D]

They're actually breaking, breaking every record.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Good at everything except finding food.

[C]

Imagine if you could like imagine if we flew over and just Dropped off like millions of cell phones their people and and had free. Had them already linked to free Starlink.

[B]

They would immediately kill them all. Well, we've seen what they do because they. They brought some of their dudes over into Russia where they now have access to the Internet for the first time. Yeah, they just overdose on immediately. Yeah. No, they literally goon till they died.

[D]

Yeah. Like, oh, that's the TR coming.

[B]

We have a case study.

[D]

So I love that was the mindset though. It's like, what's this Internet? Oh my God. I have access to everything.

[B]

It's the same thing every boy did.

[D]

Big boobies, naked girl. Really Baseline searches.

[C]

We should try to figure out what they were searching for for Right.

[D]

Bob's in vagene.

[C]

Yeah, that's pretty funny.

[B]

We actually hot girl. No cloth.

[A]

We well fed woman.

[B]

They've never seen one before. Not even. They just have never seen a well fed woman.

[D]

Oh, that's naughty. She eating that bee.

[C]

Dear Lord.

[A]

I don't see see bones.

[C]

Oh my God.

[D]

Oh, you should have watched an episode.

[C]

Yeah, that went that also something.

[A]

Did you tell him we can cut anything? Yeah, editor will cut anything.

[D]

We won't.

[B]

We hope.

[C]

He finally. He finally starts talking over here. And you see where it goes right now. Like he finally starts saying something we can talk about serious. He ain't saying a word. But I'll tell you right now, like he's getting into North Koreans with phones. And like, dude, he's got plenty to say about that. You know what I mean? Thanks, Michael.

[B]

He's been holding that in the whole conversation. He was waiting for it to go there.

[D]

Oh, man. We have one. I think his name's Mai, but she'll be joining the podcast. We're talking right now in three months. She escaped from North Korea.

[C]

Wow.

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Coming on the podcast.

[D]

Yep. Oh, that'll be a really cool other one.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

This one just recently escaped. Her and her sister escaped.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

There's three females that escape this one. It's sisters that escaped and their story's wild. But they're like their reactions to just America right now. They're like, what the is all of this it. I mean it's an experience because even a buffet, they have a video of them going to a buffet and it's just mind blowing. That food just sits out like that.

[A]

Like, wait, you can eat. Yeah, you can eat this.

[D]

Which is wild. We take that for we have fucking buffet. Like all you eat buffets. And they're like, oh my God, this is insanity right now. I Can't wait for that. That episode I'm super excited for.

[B]

In that case, I'm very sorry about everything we just said.

[C]

No, no, no, no. Okay. So I do want that part. He just said cut out the sorry part. Good. That's got to be cut out. Yeah, yeah. Now you got, I mean, you talk about, like, I mean, it's one thing to. There's a lot of accomplishments you can, you can get, but, dude, if you escape North Korea, that's, that's pretty gnarly. I don't know if there's any that beat that. Like, you, like, you escape North Korea. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

That's cool.

[C]

I think Brandon should give them his medal of Honor.

[D]

Do Brandon.

[C]

Hold on.

[A]

He has more than you. He has two.

[D]

How many medal of honors do you have, Brandon?

[B]

It depends on which spur you ask.

[C]

Well, nobody, nobody told me.

[D]

I am, so.

[C]

Nobody told me. Or we.

[D]

We would have had.

[C]

You would.

[D]

Had three come back and we'll do.

[C]

Yeah, we'll go after.

[D]

We'll do a photo shoot.

[C]

Yeah, we'll do a ceremony. Can I come to one of your live events and we do a ceremony?

[D]

Oh, my God, please. 100.

[C]

Yes.

[D]

We're actually trying to get him.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[D]

I need to talk to.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Randy and Mike about that. We're trying to get him honorary sergeant major of the army because we talk about the Pentagon. They're like, yeah, this is a possible thing.

[C]

We're like, yeah, I, I, I think we have. Yes.

[B]

While it would be very funny, it'd be great.

[C]

You. No, no, no, no. You know what I'm going to do? And then you know what I'm going to do? As soon as he gets it, I'm going to come out on a podcast and I am going to talk about how he's a liar and his story's not mine. Yeah, I'm gonna do a serious investigation on him. Like, this guy is posing as a metal of our recipient. He is a fake. Like, no, I'm gonna run ads on it. Yep, done.

[A]

Even if you made with like one reel on Instagram where it's like this guy is faking.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm going to do it. I am going to do it.

[B]

I don't think that Larry guy ever.

[C]

Was a cable guy.

[D]

Brandon Herrera, Medal of Honor Honor, it is nothing but Brandon getting pinned by the metal.

[C]

Oh, my God.

[D]

We have started an entire.

[C]

Dude, we have started an entire $4.

[B]

We didn't start. You started like, we.

[C]

This royal.

[D]

We already had no say. And then it just Kept getting bigger. And then they started sending in medals.

[B]

With friends like these.

[C]

Hey, it's. I'm telling you, this, this is. I want to do it at a live show.

[D]

Oh, done and done.

[C]

Yeah. And then I'm going to do a podcast right behind it. Stolen Valor.

[A]

You won't believe what this guy told.

[C]

You won't believe what this guy did.

[B]

I think that was the. That was the name of one of the tours is a Forced Valor. The Forced Valor tour.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Force Valor. And what's great is if we get that honorary sergeant major for you, Brandon, you're going to have. We can probably have multiple Medal of Honor recipients at this point showing up.

[C]

Done. Done. I'll call him. I. I have, like, I'm not gonna look, I'm just saying, like, I have. I have a connection to him.

[A]

Wait, is there a. Is there a Medal of Honor group chat?

[C]

No, there's a society. I mean, you can just.

[D]

Brandon's in an honorary Medal of Honor society.

[C]

Hold on, I'm gonna start.

[B]

This is getting too far.

[A]

This is too far.

[C]

Hold on, I'm going to. Look, we get it right here. I'm going to show you right now.

[D]

I love all footage. It's always Brandon just hating every moment of this as we're like him with honor.

[B]

It's non consensual valor when it comes.

[C]

From Congressional Medal of Honor Society urgent invites. So, like I'm going to start sending. I'm going to start adding him to the list. I'm going to do reply all and adding Brandon into it. It done.

[A]

Done.

[C]

I'm adding him. I'm adding him into it.

[B]

Non, Non Consensual Valor is the name of this episode.

[D]

I love it. This is.

[A]

What if in a 100 years, the joke falls to the wayside in history and they start teaching about the most honorable veteran ever.

[B]

So here's the thing. I'm going to have to leave so because of all of the medals and everything that the fans have sent in, everything. Because this has been a long, long running joke. He's stacked right now because, you know, I keep them all obviously because it's really cool. Like it's a cool thing from the community and everything like that. I'm gonna have to leave all of that with a very, very serious note and explanation in a fucking locker somewhere so my grandkids don't find it and think I was some like, like Mike Vining.

[C]

I don't know that your letter that you put somewhere is going to be able to outdo all what Google's going.

[D]

To say, do we had it for a while.

[B]

There was for a minute.

[D]

Dude, AI, when you Googled Brandon had served in the army and Marines, and he won multiple medals. Like, the AI was just thought he was a. Like, us.

[B]

Chat GPT.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Chat gtp. Just no idea what to do with him.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

It's an honor. It's an honor to be.

[B]

I don't think I like any of you.

[C]

It's an honor. You guys. You guys didn't tell me any of this, like. And I, like, I'm starstruck.

[D]

I'm starstruck is the best thing.

[A]

We brought Dakota here to be humbled.

[C]

Man.

[B]

Now, this is the part where we disassociate.

[C]

I had no clue.

[D]

Oh, man.

[C]

Did you ever need me to carry your bags or anything, man?

[D]

He's worse than Clint, dude, that one. He just showed up on one episode. He says if he could go back in time, it would just not to show up on the veteran episode.

[B]

Eli, text me, because it was. It was a Veterans Day thing, right?

[C]

Yep.

[B]

It was with Jack Mandeville and Crispy.

[C]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

And he's like, yeah. Do you want to go beyond it? I'm like, yeah, sure, whatever. Like, whatever you need. And Eli tries to pin me with his purple Heart. I'm like, get. No. I'm like, nope, nope. Don't, like, don't put that evil on me, Ricky Bobby. And then that just started the entire joke.

[C]

Dude, this audience. This is great. This is. I mean, I'm. I'm truly honored.

[A]

Are we showing his shadow box off to the audience?

[C]

I don't think so. Listen, I seen. I seen in there. Like, I walked in, I was like, damn, there's a medal of honor in here. I was like, holy.

[B]

It's 3D printed. Somebody printed one at the live show.

[C]

I turn around, walked out. I was like, dude, I don't rate. I don't rate to be in this place. Yeah. I think. I think what I want to write is I'm gonna do a children's book, but I'm gonna talk about, like, he's gonna be the main character if it's.

[D]

A different name you use. Yeah.

[B]

By the time this episode goes up.

[A]

You got the stack.

[B]

I have his stack and his dress uniform as well. Every single thing.

[C]

I'll give it to him.

[B]

Every single thing on that. On the. And including the uniform was all just given by fans at live shows and such.

[C]

I just. I. I just want to know, how did you earn this one?

[B]

I think that's World War I, if I'm not mistaken.

[C]

You were there.

[B]

Yeah, apparently.

[C]

Nice. You got, you even got the ribbon. You got the Medal of Honor and the ribbon.

[D]

Oh, you do?

[C]

Holy. Yeah, yeah, that's the real ribbon.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Is it really?

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the real Medal of Honor ribbon. Just saying. Just some. You know, the only. Let's see.

[B]

There's a couple of these. The only thing that I try to tell people is like, please, like I get the joke. Funny. Haha. I, you know all that. Please don't send in your family's medals. Like if this is like your grandfather's.

[C]

And real Purple Heart.

[D]

Oh yeah, it's a real one.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Oh, dude, that one came with a letter. And one of the best moments. Cuz that's when the joke was about to be dead. Like it was. It was going down. And then they sent rich angry cops a letter with. And the guy was like, hey, I want to give Brandon my Purple Heart. And then we presented it to Brandon on the episode and Chase did a beautiful edit with the Star Spangled Banner playing eagles.

[B]

One that is very funny though, is that there's like a foreign jump medal or something like that that came with a letter that basically is giving permission to wear it from the issuer.

[C]

Oh.

[B]

Which is pretty funny.

[D]

He has like the most insane. God, just look at that. That's a hero. Oh, that. Even that.

[C]

I'm sorry. We're sorry about that. Tell them.

[D]

Sorry, sorry. You may do push up. I'll get down right now. It's like I hate all of this so much.

[C]

Thank you. That's not. Imagine how much it sucks to have a real one.

[B]

Yeah, well, I think it's a little different when you've earned it.

[C]

Yeah, well, I don't know. I don't know. I mean they just, they. You don't. They just award it to you. You know what I mean? It doesn't. You don't get it. You don't get a say in it.

[D]

You know, you just show up and you just.

[B]

Now you're in all these group chats and get all these emails.

[C]

Well, you're about to be.

[D]

I know it's gonna help it like the second if it happens, it's gonna be in our group chat brain. It's like, God damn it.

[C]

What's gonna be funny is when he's like, why am I getting responded to by James Livingston? General Livingston. Right.

[B]

I mean like, see, I got nothing here. Cause this is like such a unique form of bullying. I don't know if this has ever happened.

[D]

If you have all of them getting your vote for Congress.

[C]

Oh, my gosh.

[D]

That.

[C]

Listen, you're the man.

[B]

Funny story, actually. There's Kenny County. I don't remember the actual stat, but it's a. I think it's either per capita because it's a pretty small county, or maybe just the most in any cemetery outside of Arlington. They have the most Medal of Honor recipients buried there.

[C]

Really.

[B]

So there's, I think five that are buried. It's very remote. Like, it's not a. Not a highly populated county. But the crazy story is.

[C]

Two of.

[B]

Them that live there in Kinney County. Two of the Medal of Honor recipients got in a gunfight and that's why one of them is dead.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

With each other.

[D]

Well, the fuck happened there?

[C]

You ought to see some of. You ought to see some of the. I've heard about some of the meetings that the recipients have. You know, Makes sense.

[B]

I think it was like a property dispute or something like that. I'd have to. I'd have to research the actual story. Shout out Sheriff Brad Coefficient. He's going to take me down there to the cemetery and like, you know, see all that stuff. I think it's. I think it's really cool because that's crazy history. Like, what are the odds?

[C]

Yeah. Five.

[B]

Yeah. And then two fighting, two shooting each other.

[C]

Wow.

[D]

To make it back from that. And then you're going to war with each other's wild.

[C]

Well, I mean, I guess a lot hasn't changed in the veteran community.

[D]

No, it stays the same. It really does.

[C]

Not much has changed. No. No.

[D]

So actually going to yours because I don't know if. If you want to talk about the battle of Ganjigal. Ganjigal. I was. Dude, that was the one. Is that. I was like.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

You look at. You read it, and I'm like, I don't fucking butcher that, no matter how I say it.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, you know, it was a. It was a. I won't get like a ton of details of it, but basically we were going to go in and run like a key leader engagement. I, like, was on an embedded training team. There was four US And AD Afghans. And, you know, we were. We operated with them every day. And. And we were like. It's kind of like a train, the trainer aspect. So, like, you had multiple ranked skill sets and you taught them everything from tactics to logistics and all this. And. And I. I loved my Afghans. Like, my Afghan soldiers, they were as close to me as the Marines were, like like we, you know, we had to have each other in order to make it back. So like, you know, you really figure out what matters and what doesn't and what you're going to agree on, what you're not going to agree on and what you care about agreeing on real quick when your lives are online. So, you know, we had been there for a couple months, a few months, two or three months, and we'd been asked to come down to run this mission, a joint mission with the rest of the team. So like there was like teams spread out along this corridor or this area in Afghanistan on the eastern border. And so we had gone down to run to. We were in this mission brief and the brief was just, you know, there was a few aspects of it I didn't agree with. I was taken out of my team.

[D]

And you say what aspects were you. Like this stupid.

[C]

So I didn't, I didn't agree with the communication plan. Right. So like the environment over there. Because we were rolling at that time on vhf, which VHF is a line of sight style of communication, unlike hf, that uses waves and uses the electronic sphere and all this aspect to bounce off of, we were using vhf, which is normal. And so the problem was, is that when you got across with the terrain where we were at, that VHF would and reach back to the CoC, which is the command operations center. Right. So which is where you need all the hub of communication.

[D]

Extremely important.

[C]

Yeah. And so, you know, so because of that, we had put snipers up on this high point and the concept was going to be that we were going to relay through the snipers back to the coc. Sounds good. But we were going to have one frequency that you had multiple moving elements on. So you're going to have overwatch positions. So you'd eventually have three overwatch positions or four. I don't know the exact number. So people stepping on each other. Yeah, the other podcasts out there that are going to try to eat me up on this. Like, I don't know exactly how many ops we had at that time.

[D]

Doc, how long has it been?

[C]

Well, so it's, it's been since 2009.

[D]

But that's all you have to say.

[C]

That's, that's irrelevant in the fact that of things. So, but, but long story short, you were going to have basically different moving elements that were going to have to be on one frequency in order to communicate through snipers relaying it back. So my piece was this is very dangerous. I mean, imagine a zoom call with multiple people on it, trying to talk at once, right?

[D]

And radios especially like it, you, nothing's happening, you're cutting off, you're cut completely off.

[C]

Yeah, so, so I said that that was one aspect that I brought up. Another aspect was that, you know, they kept running around talking about air on, like air on strip alert. Right? So what air on strip alert means? It means that the air, like a 15 minute strip alert, it means that, that basically that it has to take off within 15 minutes. But when you're coming from Jalalabad, right where we were at, it was already a 30 to 45 minute flight. And then also on top of it, you don't have priority. So like if, if, if like seals, which ultimately happened to us, if another higher priority takes the air, you don't. You get what's left over. So nothing, right. So, so there's that piece and then the, the last aspect that, you know, you could argue this one way or the other is I didn't think that was we should go into the valley on foot, we should drive the vehicles in so that you have the biggest power with you. And I was argued back on that was that they wanted to go in clandestine. And I said, it's a 90 man patrol, you're not going anywhere clandestine. But that I was the youngest, lowest rank in the room. And so these points were. I was basically told to shut up in color, right? And so with that they took me out of my team and they replaced me. So they set me in the vehicle. So like it was like a punishment to me because like I was always pissed off if I wasn't in the fight. So they took me out of my team and they replaced me with a guy named Gunnery Sergeant Johnson to go in. And so like one of the confusions is was I replaced because you know, like, who knows? I don't know why I was. But long story short, my position was going to be at the trucks and then my team was going in. This is the first time in any mission I'd never, I hadn't been with my team first time since I had been put with them.

[D]

And really quick. So what are you saying with the planes? Like that is helicopters? Yeah, helicopter. It's still like if they get in a tick, it is 35 minutes at a minimum, right?

[C]

So you're still talking 30, 45 minutes. And like that's a long, that's a long time in a gunfight. And so, you know, and, and so I was, my location was the vehicle. So what we did is we drove in that day that morning. And I'll never forget. So everybody thinks that what I did that day, I just came up with the plan that day. Like, me and my team had agreed the night before that this is what I would do, right? Like, I told them, if you all get in a gunfight and you're stuck, I'm coming to get you. Just get to the road. The agreement was, is that they just had to get to the road, and I was coming to get get them. And that's very important in the story that comes up next. And so I'll never forget, though, that morning, driving in. It's kind of ironic to think about, but I was in the turret. Gunny Kennefick was driving, Lieutenant Johnson was in the passenger seat, and in the back was Doc Layton. And then there was a guy in the back, my interpreter, Fazell. And so we were driving in and, you know, usually when we were going on any of these missions, we were always talking about, like, on call targets. Like, we, you know, we were kind of, like, rehearsing, like, warming up of, like, hey, like, we take, you know, hey, what's this on call target? Like, hey, what's this checkpoint? You know, all this, like, we were always talking about the mission, right? Kind of like, I don't know, it's like getting your mind dialed into it. And so that morning, though, as soon as we pulled out, like, we never talked about the mission once. Like, all we talked about was home. It was. It was. It was crazy. Looking back on it. Like, obviously it didn't register at the moment, but, like, all we talked about was home. We had this stupid idea that, like. And I. I should have known that something was up because we were talking about me going to be the one to go to college and they were gonna go work at the college in, like, as in the military. And, like, I don't know, we were gonna have. Then we were talking about, like, who's going to whose house first beer and all this stuff. And.

[D]

And that positivity high.

[C]

You're like, you know, like, that's the thing is, like, everything's contagious. So, like, fear is contagious, you know, And. And I think, like, that's why veterans, first responders, all of us, we have this dark sense of humor because, you know, it's one of the ways that we cope with the stress and the fear of, hey, we might die, you know, and so, like, you know, anytime, like, shit gets bad, none of us want to be like, hey, I'm scared. And then the rest of the team be scared, right? I mean, like, that's. Because that's what would happen. And so, like, you never want to give in. Into that. So you always try to cope with it by, you know, jokes. Some other joke, right? And so to get off of, like, how bad this sucks. And then that's what that was. That. That. That whole drive in. And so we drove in that morning, and we. We parked. And I. I remember, like, the first issue that I had with the patrol was we. We parked. And so, like, the army was going to be out here on this main road, and they were going to be our qrf. We. And it was dog platoon. And so we. We. We parked. And I'll never forget, like, everybody's, like, getting ready to get out of trucks, and I'm like, hey, like, how about you park these trucks off the road? Like, what am I supposed to do if we need dog platoon to come in, Run in every vehicle and pull it off myself. There's only three of us who are staying at this.

[D]

Oh, fuck.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. So, like, we need to get all these vehicles off the road. So my lieutenant brought it up, and, you know, they did. And so I'm sitting in the turret and I'm watching with thermals. And so Kennefick, he gets out, and he knew I was pissed. I was so mad. And I really. Honestly, I was mad in the beginning because I was like, they're gonna get in a gunfight and I'm not. And, like, that's really ultimately the selfish reason that I was pissed. And because up to this point, like, I liked fighting. Like, up to this point, like, I was always looking for a fight. Like, up until this day. And they walked. I'll never forget, he closed the door, and it was. It was the darkest I ever remember it being in Afghanistan. And he. He said, mario, I'll see you on the flip side, and walked off into the. They walked off. You know, it was probably. I don't know, it was a pretty good distance. Over a mile, maybe. I don't. I guess. I don't really know. Yeah, a few clicks to get in there. And so they were walking this road, and my team was in the front of the patrol. And so it's. I was watching with thermals, and, like, I could see people running up the hills. And so, like, I brought it up on the radio, and they were like, get off the radio. And I remember just watching, and then, you know, this. The. All of a sudden, like, where it gets kind of blurry for me is like, There was at a point, like, you just see, like, all these women and all these elders and all these, like, people coming down the road, like, herding their sheep out or their goats or whatever. And I'll never forget, I went up and tried to shake this one guy's hand, this elder's hand. I was trying to talk to all of them. You know, you can usually get a sense of the population by, you know, how they're treating you. And this guy, like, this old guy just stand there with his beads, you know, like, those beads they carry, prayer beads. And he's just like. Like, he wouldn't even shake my hand. I put my hand out. He wouldn't even shake my hand. He's just looking at me. And so I'm like, we're. We're. They are. They are about to, like, we're set up. And, you know, they. My team got. Or the patrol got to the. To the village, and it just, like, turned into a gunfight. I mean, it was just. And it was like any normal gunfight in the beginning, right? Like, you know, it. Usually they throw the kitchen sink at you first, and then they run out of shit and they're gone. And. And it. Dude, it was not like that on this one. Like, this was different. And, you know, the team immediately, like, you know, there's a lot of chaos in the beginning, and they immediately started trying to call for support. And I could sense with my team, I could hear in their voice the level of stress they were at, right? And. But. But it was like, you know, we're fine. Like, they're gonna. Air's gonna come in. QRF's gonna show up. Like, you know, this. This is. This is standard. And I don't know the exact timeline on it, so I'm gonna say that up front. And all of a sudden, I hear Lieutenant Johnson come over the radio, and he. He starts to call in a support artillery mission. And so, I mean, it was perfect. Like, he called in the support artillery mission, gave a. You know, he gave the grid. It was. It was a grid mission, the best I can recall. But he gave the format perfect. And the response he got back was, it's too close to the village. And he said, the village is shooting at me. And they said, it's too close to the village. And he said, I'll quote. He said, if you don't give me these rounds right now, we're going to die. And the response he got back, I quote, was, well, try your best. And so at that moment, like, we had already Requested or they had. Somebody had requested air multiple times. And it was already a certain. Like, it was. It was like 15 minutes. 15 minutes. 15 minutes, 15 minutes. What had happened was, you know, again, like, a lot of this is off sworn statements and stuff. Like, I, I don't know this. Like, you have to say all this shit now because there's a group of individuals out there who are looking for every avenue. Like, it's so, so dangerous to tell your story on a podcast anymore because there's a group of individuals that profit off of sowing seeds to doubt, right?

[D]

So, well, anyway, just for that and the people watching, especially if they try to do that, like, go yourselves. Yeah, it is 15 years ago. I can't recall, like, even my memory is so vague on each little thing. And you're going a high stress situation. Guess what happens. You're not remembering the fine details.

[C]

Well, for sure, right? And like, you know it, but just, just, you know, that's why I'm.

[D]

We got your back.

[C]

That's why. But that's why I'm like, That's why I'm like throwing all this in there. Because, like, they're, they're very, you know, they have a very niche at what they do, right? And so, you know, what had happened was the seals had gotten a tick up in the. Up, I think the Corn Go Valley. And so air, all air was over there on that because they were after an hbt, right? So there was some requests for it, they tried to come, they got canceled. Like, all this with air. But long story short, we go back to. I heard them say, well, we'll try your best. And so it was at that moment that I knew we were right. And so I got over the radio and requested multiple times. I don't. I don't know how many, but more than once. And so I requested to bring the vehicle in, and each time I was told, no, get off the radio. So eventually I got tired of that and so I said, so, like, people say I went against orders. I like to say that I think there's technicalities to it. I just said, be advised, I'm coming in. So technically, I didn't ask, right? So good, right? I mean, technically I didn't. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, fair enough. So Rodriguez Chavez, incredible guy. I would be dead if it wasn't for him. He was staff sergeant at the time. I said, we gotta go. We gotta do something. And he, you know, you know, he was like, yeah, let's go. And so he drove the truck. We're driving. I'm in the turret. And I think on my first trip In, I'm not 100% sure, but, like, I think I started to go in with a mark 19. And, like, dude, as soon as we started to roll in, like, we didn't even get to the mouth of the valley. And we started taking shots. Like, they're already tinging at us. Like. And so we turned around to have to go get another vehicle. And then on the first trip we actually made entry in was with a. I had a 50 cow. And so on the trip in, I begged these Afghans to go with us. And. And some of them did, some of them didn't. And so as we drove in, we come around, and I'll never forget, we come down this valley, come around this turret, this. This, like, terraces. And, dude, as soon as we got, like, to the mouth of the valley, like. Like, I. I mean, I'd been in. I've been in quite. Quite a few gunfights up to this point, dude, I had no clue what, like, it looked like the walking dead coming out. Like, like, these guys. Like, these Afghans were like, carry. Like, had each, like, carrying each other. Like, guys wounded. Like, I mean, it was. I mean, it was horrible. And I was like, what am I going into? Luckily, on my first trip in, I find my interpreter. Like, he was coming out, and he'd already been shot. And he's like. I said, we, you know, will you help me? He's like, yeah. He's like, absolutely. And he was with my team. No shit. Yeah. And so he's like, yeah. He's like. The last time I seen him was. Was at, you know, up. He know. He knew exactly where he thought that they were. And so I was like, well, we got to go get them. And he's like, okay, sounds good. And. And I had heard at some point on that trip in that they came over and they started calling in. My. My gunny started calling in a. A medevac, so I knew somebody was wounded. And so for me, like, on that first trip in, I hear this medevac coming over, and I am, like, I always kept a Sharpie with me, and so I was trying to write in the turret the grid, because, you know, he's gonna have to give the location because I knew if I had the grid, I could put it on a map, and I knew where they were. And. And so I. I.

[D]

Which is wild to do during all of this. Like, a lot of people, I don't think they know you're Looking at a map, getting grid, like, log locations while dealing with everything.

[C]

Yeah. You know, but trying. But trying to, like, right, this. If I knew. Because I knew if I had the location, like, I'd have a better shot at finding them. You know what I mean? And he got, like. He was getting stepped on as he was trying to give out this. And so, like, finally he came over the radio. I'll never forget how frustrated he was. And he said, get off the radio. I've got a medevac. And so everybody shut up. And then he started to give out the first three or four numbers and stopped. And so, you know, we kept fighting and pushing in, and. And so we pushed on in and, like, dude, there were bodies everywhere. Like, my. My. My driver actually ran a guy over. Like, I shot this guy, and then he actually hit the guy because they were trying to grab the truck. Right? And so, I mean, it sounded like stat. I mean, it was just like. It was. It was. It was chaos. There were bodies everywhere. And on the first trip in, like, my Afghan soldiers see me, and they got excited, and, like, they were, like, so excited to. To get help. And, like, dude, they were running at the vehicle, and I'll never forget, and, like, they're just getting mowed down, and. And it was like, you talk about the most helpless feeling you ever had. And so we pushed the truck as far as we could up and. As far as we could up and to, like. To close to the, like, the edge of the village. And, like, we're fighting, and I'm fighting, and my.50 cal goes down to start shooting. Single shot. So I'm trying to shoot. I had a backup.240 in there, so I'm trying to hold it, like, on the side of the turret. Like, I'm exposed way more. It's bouncing around. I'm trying to, you know, shoot the.50 cal. Single shot, which is. Is very ineffective. And. And then, like, I start feeling this blood. Like. Like, one of my arms. My right arm was sweating a lot more than my left arm. And I looked down. I'm just dripping blood. And so, like, I'd been hit by a piece of shrapnel. And so I made the decision to turn the truck around and to go back to get another vehicle, which is the worst decision I ever made in my life, which is, hands down, the worst decision I ever made in my life. And so we turned around and go back and. And at that point, he dropped me off at the mouth of the valley because he had to go all the Way back and get it. And I started establishing a casualty collection point, right? So my major was there. My first sergeant was there. There was some other guys there, Afghans. And so basically what we were doing was we were, like, grabbing those guys from the mouth of the valley and then taking them back to where the vehicles were staged, right? And so my major had been shot in the Army. My first sergeant, who was the only. Other than, like, you know, Fabio and Swenson, there was a couple guys like that who were. Who were, you know, busting around the valley and, you know, doing all the shit they were doing. I wasn't with them, so I can't speak about what they were doing. And. But my first sergeant, as far as, like, command, he was the only one that wanted to go back in there. Like, dude, you almost had to fight the guy to keep him from going back in there. Like, he was a good guy. Like. Like, first Iron Garza was. Was a. Was a good guy, but he just couldn't go back in. He'd been blown up by a rpg. And, like, you know, the guy on Black Hawk down that couldn't hear, like, that's what he reminded me of, right? Like, he was just, like, I was having to scream at him. You know what I mean? He's like, I'm going. I mean, he was, like, wanting to go back in. Like, that dude right there. Like, if. If. If I. If I hadn't convinced him to go back in, he would have went back in by himself and fought his. I mean, he would have. He would have not came out till the guys were out. Good leadership. Yeah, he. He was the first sergeant, Garza was, and I owe him that. Like, I've never given him any credit because I. You know, I was more pissed off at the officer that day than I was, you know, but he was a good guy. So, anyways, Rod comes back with another vehicle, and. And I beg these Afghans to come in with their trucks. So, like, their. Their Ford Rangers. And so on the second trip in, what I would do is I'd put my interpreter, who was a, you know, an Afghan national army sergeant major, so who, you know, then became an interpreter. So he knew weapon systems and fighting and all this. So I put him in the turret, and he would cover me as I would run out and get bodies.

[D]

Gotcha.

[C]

So I would run out and, like, these guys would, like, move their foot, and I would know that they were injured. So I would, like, sprint over to them or try to get to them, and then I would put a Tourniquet. If, like, you can only do so much medical stuff. So, like, if I, If I could, I would give them a tourniquet. If I could, I would do needle decompression. If I could, I would put an airway in them, like, if I needed to put an MPA in them. But, like, you know, if I couldn't do that, then, you know, I would just. I would hold them until they died, and then, you know, to just try to let them know that somebody cared about them, you know, as they died. And so then I would drag them back and I would put in the back of the truck, I would put the dead ones on the bottom, and I would put the ones that are injured and had a chance to live on top of the dead ones. And then we would just fill the back of the truck up and send it out. And so we did this for, gosh, six to eight hours and four to six. Who knows? It seemed like forever. And so then the helicopters finally showed up, and they would fly over and they would say, spot. And so when I heard them say spot, then I would run over and I would know there was a body under it, and I would do whatever I could. And though you were just trying to, like, search for, you know, your teammates and, you know, on the last trip in, you know, we still had to go back and get another vehicle. And then on the last trip in, you know, we finally located the. What happened was, is that Ayer had said, spot, and they said, hey, we got five bodies in this trench. And, you know, I still thought it was just Afghans. I honestly thought my teammates were holed up in a. In a. In like a house, and they were just, you know, waiting for us to get to them, you know, and. And he said five bodies in a trench. And so PJs at that time had showed up, right? Like, at one. At one point in time, we had four Kiowas on station, we had two Apaches, and we had two fast movers and a team of PJs all overhead, all of.

[D]

All.

[C]

All in the, like, all working for us. You know what I mean? It was the only time I ever got a. Or I didn't, but. But we ever got a. A fast mover to do a gun run, right? Like, it's not usually very often in the mountains that they want to do that. And so these PJs were there, and the PJs were going to come in and grab those bodies. And so we were on the road and they came in, they Tried to. They were like, gonna land and they're like, it's. It's. We're. It's too dangerous. We're getting shot at. So they. I. I told Swenson was at the time talking to him and said, hey, drop a can of smoke above wherever they're at. And so they did. And like, as soon as. As soon as they dropped that smoke, like, I took off sprinting. Like, I just sprint as hard as I could. And like, it was probably, I don't know, 50, 75 meters. And I jumped off this terrace and like, dude, I landed on top of Gunny Johnson and Gunny Johnson. And then I went a little bit further down the trench and there was Doc Layton with all of his med gear out, laying on top of Lieutenant Johnson. Obviously he was treating him. And then I went a little bit further and there was. There was Gunny Kennefick. And so they'd all been killed, and there was an interpreter. So that's where the five come from. And so they'd all been killed, killed. And, and so we, at that point in time, I just said, hey, look, you know, the four MIAs are now four KIAs. And we, you know, that was the other thing that, like, on my second trip in, I got accountability of everybody. The leadership never wanted to say that there was missing in action, us missing in action. You know what I mean? It's almost like they were like, they didn't know where they were at, but, like, we're going to try to wait for it, you know, to make itself right. And dude, as soon as, like, I think the. The first time they. They got pissed at me was whenever I just literally came over the radio and said, we've got four US missing in action. But I knew if we said that over the radio, I knew I would get assets for days, right? Like, the assets are going to stack through the roof. Like, we become a priority. We're going. I mean, I got it that we're getting a bunch of visibility on us, and it might make some people look bad, but, like, off, dude, that was at. At that point in time, you know what? We didn't, like, we took priority of air, you know what I mean? And so, like, and, and. And so, yeah, I said, they've been kia, and I'll never forget, I. I went down to pick up Gunny Johnson and like, it was like all the adrenaline was gone, you know, and I picked him up and I started to carry him and I fell flat on my face and the Afghans came over and they. They started to, like, grab one of my guys, and I said, oh, don't worry about it. Like, you guys just. You know, you guys just go on like, I'll get this. Don't worry about it. And they're like, no, you. You helped us carry our bodies or our guys out. We're gonna help you carry your guys out. And. And they did, you know, I mean, they stayed with me the whole time. We. We got them back. We, you know, took them back to the base, and that was kind of it, you know?

[D]

Man. Yeah, and it was all under fire, too.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, it was. Yeah, I mean, we. Yeah, I mean, it was all. You know, it was all under fire. You know, it's. It was a. Yeah, it was. It was a crazy day. You know, we went back, I put. Put the guys in the. In the. You know, we put them in the freezers, sent them back. The PJs were so nice that they took them back for us. And then, Yeah, I mean, I. I went back and ate lunch and. And. Or dinner or whatever it was, and then got my truck back together and then went and got into another gunfight four days later.

[D]

That turnaround is the most wild thing. It's like. It's the speed of combat and the speed you have to be back on mission. We lost Gotti, Aaron Ham. And then it was. We had. That evening or that next morning, we did a. Hey, guys. First time we're out in the cob, like, hey, we lost some people. We're gonna get some time off. Four hours later, hey, you had. We have a house. You got us hit. So. So, yeah, you don't get any time off, and then you're out on a raid again. You're like, holy shit. What is chaos is like. And it pisses me off that you brought up. It's like 15 people on a radio, and then now everyone's talking over each other. You can't get anything out. And it's a stupid. Just like, no one thought of that. It's like, hey, this might be a problem.

[C]

It's complacency, though, right? It's. It's. It's complacency, right? And that look, we. You know, we. They gotten away with it so many times. You know what I mean?

[D]

Like, that's why the mia. Like, that's why they didn't want to say that. We don't want to get in. Oh, we don't want any trouble. We look stupid if we say that. Versus, as you're saying, that's an instant. Now we have birds overhead like, everything. Oh, we have actual troops in contact here is. Shit's already gone bad.

[C]

Yeah. And it's. You know, that's. Yeah. You know, and it's. I don't know. Right. Like, you know, I. Yeah, it was. It was. It was a. It was a crazy, crazy day. Yeah.

[B]

From the time the first shot was fired to when it was over. How. How long was it roughly?

[C]

You know, that's. I think about that. I think about that all the time. You know, I. I don't know. I think maybe, like. I think the probably. It probably started at 6 or 7am and then it would last it until 1 or 2. Right. Like, I would think. I don't. I don't. You know, I really don't know. You know, it seemed like a long time, but. But it was. I mean, it was a good six, you know, it depends on who you ask. It depends on, like, what investigation. It was a good six to eight hours. Yeah. Of gun fighting and. Yeah. I mean, it was crazy. Like, you know, because you got to take, like, I. You know, Monday night. Monday afternoon. It was Monday. Yeah. September 7th. So Monday I left. So we lived in a. Like, a house. So like a little, like, hut. It was me, all four of us. Right. So we lived in a hut. And I left there Monday, and I went back on Thursday, and everybody that I live with was gone.

[D]

Yeah. So it was your entire actual.

[C]

Everybody that I. Every. Everybody on my team was dead.

[D]

That would have been the hardest thing. Like, that Thursday. Like, what was that? If you won't even talk.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. Oh, dude.

[D]

It was just. Everyone you've known, your brothers at that time.

[C]

Yeah, it was. It was. It was horrible. Like, you know, and I did get. They did give me an option. Right. Like, the first aren't. Tried to get me to jump on the helicopter with him, with them, to go back and escort them back home. And. And my thought pattern on it was like, I. They're dead. Like. Like, me going back to their funeral is not helping the mission. Right. It's probably putting people in liability because somebody's gonna have to go back up there to my area. Like, I know my area. Like, I. Like, I would if any of my Afghans got killed while I was gone. Like, I wouldn't be able to live in my. Myself. And so I was like, these guys are dead. Like, you know, like, I'll see them when I get home. And, like, I'm gonna go back and continue the mission. Just, like, they'd want me to do. And so it was tough, man. Like, you know, we, we rolled back and I had, I was so fortunate that, that Bocus and, you know, Richards, you know, they went, they, they were willing to come from other teams and, and come back with me because I was just hell bent, right? I was just like, you know, they were trying to do like a two week stand down on our base of like, hey, everybody's gonna stay there and, and we're all gonna, you know, we're all going to, you know, just kind of decompress from this. And I was like, no, right, like, for me, like, like my Afghans had to go back to the base and so I was like, if my Afghans are going, I'm going. Like, we're in this together. Like, you know, I, you know, I don't talk about the story a lot, but like, after I, you know, put, put the guys and I say I put the guys in body bags because I fucking did it, right? Like, it wasn't like, I'm talking about me. I'm just saying that, like, like, no, other than Bocus, nobody else helped me do that, right? And. Which was one of the most disappointing parts of that day. And so anyways, like, after we got done with that, then I went over to the Afghan side and I helped them clean up their guys. You know what I mean? I helped them take care of their guys and fix their guys and make sure they had everything that they needed. And then I went to eat, right? Because that's what you do. And so, you know, when they had to go back to base, I was like, well, I have to go with them because, like, we went through this together and like, I'm not going to lose this, this credibility that I have with them that, oh, look, like, you know, they get treat, you know, they don't have to deal like, no, we're in this together and I've made this commitment to them and I'm not gonna, I'm not backing off of it. So I actually had to cut a. I actually had to like damn near sneak back to the base, right? So what I did was, is I called up. We, you know, we had cell phones over there that we bought from the, you know, the local shopkeeper, right? And hey, the little cards. Oh, yeah. So I, I called up one of the lieutenants up up there. I said, hey, can you guys run a. Because we couldn't go back with just one vehicle, right? So I was like, hey, can you guys run a logistics patrol down here? And I'm Gonna jump in with you and head back. I need an escort. And they're like, done. So like, they came up with this logistics patrol they had to run down. So they came down and like, I. There was this, there was this guy, he's a great guy, Colonel Kenny. And I, like, I, I talked to Bocus and, and Richardson. I was like, hey, will you guys go with me? And they're like, yeah. So they talked their teams, their teams was good with it until we got combat replacements. And I just told. Told Colonel Kenny. I was like, hey, like, this is the only chance I got to go back, so I'm going to jump in with this patrol. And he's like, okay, sounds good, right? You know, Colonel Kenny was a, you know, he was just a supporter. He, you know, and he was like, sounds good. Like, have at it. You know. So we jumped in that patrol, went back and. And it was hard, right? Like, you know, I go back and the first thing I had to do was, you know, I had to pack up an inventory, every one of my guys stuff, right. To send back to their families. And I did that. And, and then like, as I was doing that, there was another gunfight that broke out. Combat Logistics Patrol got stuck in a. Got stuck in a. A gunfight. And it was bad. It was so bad. And we jumped and went to that and. And I believe that that gunfight was almost as bad as the one that no show. Yeah, that was there, right? I mean, it was just a show of a week.

[D]

Yeah, dude, that's. Oh, it felt like that's how always one is. When we would have. When you'd lose somebody, it'd be like a week of multiple people going down that week, and you had no explanation for it. And then your new ao, and it's like, oh, hey, we're here. Oh, shit. It's not too bad. Three weeks into that ao and then it's like, oh, IAD just. Yeah, killed somebody. Bomber just killed three people. And then a vehicle rolled over in the river and killed another person. And you're like, it's momentum, dude. And it. And you're just trying to stay positive during the entire time and then keeping that mindset and then keeping everyone else positive, which is the hardest thing. Why do you feel the. You. You said, okay, taking the broken vehicle back was the worst decision of your life. Why do you feel that? Because, like, in my head, that I think was. You're looking at it as negative. Like, it was the worst decision. But at the end, you don't know if you were there for five more minutes. Like a round hits you, and now you're not doing what you did.

[C]

Yeah, I mean, it's because, because I was only. Maybe 30 to 50 meters from my teammates, you know, and like, I've tried, like, I've read their autopsies a million times to try to figure out if they were still alive at that time or not. But I mean, who knows? Like, what if, like, what if me turning around killed their hope and they got overran? Right. Because of that. Right? So, you know, I think it was probably the, the most cowardice act I've ever had in my life of turning around at that moment just because, like, you know, we, Like, I lived like, I truly. And I still do, right? I still believe. Like, I, I don't believe in leave no man behind. Like, I, I believe. Like, I believe that's not a T shirt phrase. It's a way of life, right? I, I believe in that. Like, I believe in leave no man behind. And I, and I also believe that, like, life's as simple. You either get them out alive or you die trying. And if you don't die trying, you didn't try hard enough. And so, like, you know, that's, that is the standard for life. And so, like, you know, if you, if you live by that, you have to also answer to that as well. And so, you know, like, when I turned around, you know, who knows? Like, you know, but I was, we were that close to them. And so, you know, I think that, I think that's where, like, the contradictions with the medal of Honor come in, right? Is like, you know, I understand and I understand, like, it's truly an honor to have it, but, like, it doesn't change the fact of the results. And so, like, I think this is where people get mixed up in life is like, it's also why, why I think I've been able to get over it because I don't have to dodge reality, you know, like, to me, like, I know I failed that day. Like, that day is the biggest failure of my life. Like, whether that feels good, whether it doesn't, no matter how you want to factualize, actually blend it, or you want to shift the context so that it fits society's feel good aspects of it. Like, I went in that day to get my teammates out alive. My teammates died. So I failed. But with that failure, I'm thankful for it because, like, it has taught me and gave. Gave me every aspect of why I am the way I am today. But if you change that narrative, you know, it's not real. Like, I consider and be like, oh, well, you know, I did my best. Okay, well, you can do your best and still lose, right? And so, like, you know, this is what, like, people. This is why people can't get over or get past. This is why they're stuck in their trauma because they don't want to face the reality, right? And so, like, you know, for me, like, yeah, I got a Medal of Honor, but it doesn't mean that I didn't fail that day. It was the biggest failure of my life. Like, that day is the biggest failure of my life. And then I get a Medal of Honor, and now I don't even get to walk around living my own reality. I have to live with it in the face of the nation. You know, the first thing I told. I told them when they contacted me about the Medal of Honor is that they're like, you know, you're a hero. And I'm like, okay, go tell their. Go tell my teammates that, you know, and it's like. It's like, look, like I. I have a medal because I. I know what a bad day looks like. Not because I'm a hero. Like, I have a medal because, honestly, I have a medal because everybody else failed around me, right? And so, you know, everybody else should have just done what I'd done, and I should have done better. And so, you know, I think. I think it's one of. I'm not saying everybody else felt that day. A lot of people did a lot of great things, right? But I'm just saying, like, it is a. It is a metal that's there because of failures in leadership and decision making. And, you know, there's a bunch of failures that cause that. And so, you know, I think that that's the reality of it. But you can't change reality because you don't like the way it feels, because then there's no closure to it. You know what I mean? Like, yeah. Does it feel good to know that. That I'm. That I let down the most important people in my life?

[D]

No.

[C]

No, it doesn't. But that's the reality of it. And so because of that, like, I, Like, I have, like, a superpower across the world. Like. Like, I don't walk in any room and fear anybody, because what are you going to take from me? Like, I've already lost it all. You can't take something from somebody who's already lost it. All. Right? Like, what. At the point that you. What you fear losing, like, I don't care about, you know, so, you know, for me, like. But if I change that narrative to feel good, you know, people are like, oh, you know, you did your best. You know, you're not the ones that killed them. Yeah. I mean, I guess you can factually blend it however you want to make yourself feel good. You can justify, identify anything you want and lie to yourself as much as you want. But the reality is I went in there to get him out alive and I didn't. So that's called failure, you know, and. And it's, it's. It's a. It does contradict it, you know, like, obviously, you know, I, you know, I. And then you get this award and then you live in the face of nation where, you know, there's this expectation. It's like, dude, like, the difference in me and you is the, like, how many chances you had to get a medal of honor? None. What about you?

[D]

I have no idea.

[C]

Yeah, so there you go, right? That's the difference in us. That's the difference in us. Right. Like, you ain't been in the situation to get a medal of honor, but what that medal represents is what it's about in the world, right? That medal represents literally the potential inside of every human being. As long as they believe in something bigger than the themselves, and they love people so much that they're willing to do whatever it takes to stop the suffering, even if it's all the way up to the cost of their life. That's all it is. I'm just a guy from Kentucky who believed that I could do something and took action and was going to do it until something stopped me from doing it. And like, that's it. Like, it's that simple. And that's the potential inside of every human being that walks this planet. They believe in good.

[D]

I think it's the potential. But the people that do step up, well, that. To grasp that, that is because I, I get your side too. Because it is hard because you look at it as the worst day of your life and the you look at as a failure and it is like, it's that battle with yourself. You're like, dude, like, you would give that medal in a heartbeat to have guys back for sure, instantly, for sure, any day of the week. But you still saved how many lives? I don't know how many. Like, and then how many families that. That individual? Those, that one. Dude, you saved that two, three, four? Like, all those people you saved, how many kids did they have? All those lives you affected and then now you have generations of individuals that. You made that change. You brought life to that family. You brought them home to be with their family. And that's not like five people. That is multiple. When you bring in the factors of, like, kiddos, their grandkids, kids on that, like, that is saving bloodlines.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And you have to look at it that way, too. It is, like, the worst. But you've also changed so many lives in that same moment where it was just you being selfless. You didn't think about anyone else other than everyone around you. You didn't give a shit about yourself. You're like, I'm running in gunfire. I don't give a f. I want to help as many people as I possibly can. You went back and you set up a medium.

[A]

Yeah.

[D]

Like, even that. And it's that hard one. It's that battle. You're going to have to. I mean, you.

[C]

Yeah. Like, yeah, I don't.

[D]

Dude, I will just say this. You are one of the, Like, I. I understand you way more after you're, like, hearing this, hearing you talk and then your mindset on it. It is. It's motivating. It. It's sad, it's motivating and it's. But you are one of the most humble dudes, like, Chris.

[C]

Appreciate that.

[D]

Possible, man. Like, it is crazy to hear what you've been through and then how humble you are because you do not give a. About yourself. Like, you truly do care about the people.

[C]

Yeah. I mean, every. You know, everything I do, like, I wake up every day to try to get stronger and to be better. Not for myself, but so I can help more people. Like, that's, like, literally, there's. That's the only context that I have. It's only, like, it's the only way I know. Like, I can't. Like, I, I, you know, and I've tried to fight it. I've tried to go against it. I've tried to, like, oh, you know, I'm tired of doing this. But it's like, it's the only thing I know. Like, there is nothing that, like, there's no other purpose I have on the face of this planet than to stand up for people who can't stand up for themselves. Like, I don't have to believe in them. I don't have to agree with them. I don't have. Like, it's not conditional either. Like, it's not conditional either. It's. It's. I just love people. And I like. And I just, like, if I can just Give them hope. Like, I know the power of hope, right? And so, like, you know, that's. That's what matters to me. And it doesn't matter whether it's, you know, whether it's. It's walking down the street or whether it's in a gunfight or whether it's on a fire truck. Right? Like, any of those aspects. And, and, you know, it's just. I don't know, like, I. Yeah. I mean, maybe. Maybe I saved a lot of people, maybe I helped a lot of people. Maybe. I don't know. But I just, you know, but the other thing about me that I think is different is, like, I don't show up. I don't show up every day for the results or the titles or the awards. I show up for the test. I don't care about anything else. I don't care about anything else. You know, most people finish a race and they want to look at their time and they want to look like I'm just looking for the next race. You know what I mean? That's it. I don't show up for. I couldn't care less. Like, the win or loss. I'm there for the test. You know what I mean? Like. Like the win and loss is nothing more than a data point of. Of a reflection.

[D]

And so bettering myself each and every time I do this.

[C]

Yeah. Bettering myself. And when I get better, I know I can use that betterment to help other people. Like, the more I grow, the better I get. The more I learn about myself, like, the more I can turn around and lead other people through that. And I have a. Like, you unlock more to helping other people, you know? And so, like, I will say this, you know, for the metal piece of it, I'd say probably the last couple years, I finally got to a point to where, like, and this is going to sound bad, but, like, I think you just have to live in this. This reality of it is like, I don't. While I would absolutely change my, like, switch my guys spots, like, in a heartbeat, I wouldn't change a thing. And I know that sounds tough, right? Like, obviously, I still think today this is how crazy it is as we're talking about it, I still think today that I don't know that I have ever faced, that I might not still won't ever hear their voices again. That's how nuts it is, right? But I'm thankful for it because anytime I talk about or anytime I use a narrative or anytime I'm ever sad about it, like, all I'm doing is taken away from their legacy of being heroes. And so think about us. I think about it all the time. If I could die on the side of a mountain somewhere and people could still be inspired by my death 15 years later, I would do it in a heartbeat. I would do it in a heartbeat. If I could die in a way to where people would be motivated, be inspired, like, it would be like, shit, most of us, people are going to forget about us in 90 days after we die. These guys names are going to live on forever. Right? And so it's important to go out and to not only tell their stories, but to live a life that's worthy of their stories. Right. Like, there's so many veterans out there that are running around, oh, I seen the cost of freedom. Well, you should start acting like. And start living like you've seen the cost of freedom because you can't walk around and point at everybody else and tell them that they're not like, you know, that they're not living to their fullest when you're not doing the same. And so, like, I've seen the cost of, like, dude, I mean, these people, they gave their, they gave their tomorrows for our todays. And every day that I don't go out and, and make the most of it is a day that I'm doing nothing but spitting on their graves, you.

[D]

Know, it's beautifully said, dude.

[C]

You know, and it's just the reality of it, right? It's just. It is what it is. And I think that, like, I think that it's so dumb for us to wish things were different or to. You know what I mean? Like, it's so irrelevant. It's so. There's nothing to it. Like, you know, too many people are walking around and they're like, you know, what do you wish was different? Nothing. Because if one thing was different, everything's different. And so, like, it's just on us to like, take all these things that we face and figure out how we can use them for the greater good of the world. Right. And because there's a lesson in all of it.

[D]

Yep. Thank you, brother.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Seriously, thank you for, for coming on here and just telling your story, man, because that's incredible.

[A]

Yeah. It was really good, man.

[C]

Thanks. No, it's, you know, I. I don't. I don't really tell it. I. I don't. I don't tell it anymore. Just because it's like, like, dude, if I say one thing today that contradicts, like, if I'm like, oh, you know, I, I, I made four trips in and they're like, oh, he said on this podcast. He did. I mean, the veteran community is so.

[A]

Like, oh, it eats itself.

[C]

They are the, I mean, but same thing in like the first responder community. Like, all of it, like, like, it's.

[D]

Just, it's like, who hates veterans more than veterans?

[C]

Veteran.

[D]

And is the truth. And it sucks and it's something. But I will say it. You have an entire army now.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah.

[D]

That will go to war in the comment sections for you now because they're going to be like, any negative. And that's why we love the community we built. They are savages.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

It's like, oh, so we've watched it time and time again. It's like, oh, they try to, try to talk to. And it's like, no, good luck.

[C]

Good.

[D]

Literally good luck. You have people. It's like, you don't fuck with that community. Just that is one where it's like, off limits now.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

Because it is. It's like this motivates people. This changes people's lives. Yeah. Is that was the purpose of unsub? It was, how do we make an impact the best way we can.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

And then share these amazing stories. So they live on because in 20 years, 50 years, 100 years, these podcasts, it is World War II veterans, Medal of Honor recipient veterans telling their stories in a relaxed environment. And that's going to go on forever. That will never be lost.

[C]

Yeah. And, you know, and, and I thought about this the other day. Like, I don't know, I woke up and it just, like, had hit me. Like, honestly, I was in bed and I, like, I had to get out of bed and shoot this video because it was like this urgent on me. And, you know, I always have lived by, you know, look, history never, never remembers the haters. Like, like, I've always remembered that. Right. Like, I've always, like, just lived by that saying and because, I mean, think about it, right? I mean, you hear all these good stories that we live off of legacy, but you don't, you don't remember the haters. You know what I mean?

[B]

Like, like the man in the arena thing.

[C]

Yeah, it's the man in the arena. Right. And so, but for the first time, for the first time in our history, the haters are actually writing it. The haters are actually, like, controlling the message out there. Right. They're louder than everybody. And so, like, that's why it's so important for us to tell our stories. It's so important for the good to tell their stories. Because if not, I mean imagine this, like, imagine this. Imagine if the Bible was a compilation of stories of the people that deny Jesus, how we would be set. Think about that, right? Think about like think about that. Think about if the 70 people had listened to all the naysayers when they were going to, you know, when they were going to fight against the British, we wouldn't be where we are, right? And so it's like, but right now, in a time where the Internet and where all these platforms give access to everybody, we have to out message the haters because if not like what are my kids, what are our kids going to look up to and to remember and to remember the world as right?

[B]

Like well, it's the best and worst or the best way part about the Internet is that everybody gets a voice. The worst part about the Internet is everybody gets a voice.

[D]

But I, I think a lot of those, we call it like drama content creators, we, they have such a shelf life cuz once that dries up and it will and it's maximum two to three years. I think you're. What's the average content creator's lifespan?

[B]

Like three, four years, something like that.

[D]

Four years and then gone. And then if yours is based off.

[B]

So we're all on borrowed time.

[D]

Oh well, I think we've all passed four years.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, I'd say yeah, we were good so far.

[D]

But it is when that's all you go after, you do not have a loyal audience base. They will turn on you in a fucking second. We've got to watch this time and time again now. And it's happening really quickly on the Internet where yeah, it might have been cool and now they're just cannibalizing each other because then they turn on each other.

[C]

You just get to watch because, because I could tell my story in a way that like pisses everybody off. You know, I mean like, like how you, you can tell your story in whatever way you want to and you, but it's like what are you intending to do? Like every story, everything you say, everything you do should be with the intentions of making the world a better place.

[D]

You see, you, you did not focus on a, a negative individual during that all you were saying you still painted every one of. But part of that is like here's what they did. This is why they were amazing. And that is truly how stories should be told.

[C]

That's how it's got to be done, right? Like you know, I can sit back here and I can judge everybody else how they did. Like, but I don't know what they knew. I don't know what, like, you know what I mean? Like, I believe everybody did the best that they could that day, right? They. They all gave their all. And look, who knows, if I had to face that day again today? Who knows, right? Like, you never, I don't think you ever do anything in life that you get to live off of it forever. Like, I don't think you ever have one single action. I don't think you have one single accomplishment that you get to go through the rest of your life and you get to live off of that action and it justifies your existence of good for the rest of your life. I think that that action is only good for that moment. And like, what you do past that, you should be judged every single day on the win and loss or the greater good that you impacted from that moment.

[B]

It's like the, the saying, like, you're only as good as your last at bat, 100%.

[C]

And that's how it should be. Right? You got, you know, you just. I see too many people, I call them, they have the Uncle Rico syndrome. Right? Like, they want to.

[D]

They want to throw a pink skin car mouth.

[C]

Yeah. You know what I mean? Like, they want to talk. They want to talk. They want to talk about what they did. They want to talk about what they've done. And it's like, well, I just want to know what you're doing. Right? Like, I just want to know what you're doing so.

[D]

Well, on that note. Well, first off, you have merch. You're doing some merch.

[C]

Yeah, yeah. So I do own. I have own the dash. Right. So I have that. And then, you know, I write on substack a lot. Like, I put all my, my thoughts out there. I like substack just because, like, it doesn't have to be short form. Like, so it's a blog, right? It's called the Bluff. And so it's like the bottom line up front. And so I just put out content on, you know, whatever I feel like, you know, whatever's going on in the world, I try to like, I try like, dumb it down to my perspective of like, you know, at a marines level of like, real simplified. And so, you know, like, I just put long form content on there. It's just a blog of like, what. What my thoughts are on, of current events and things like that. So. Yeah.

[D]

And then what's the merch?

[C]

Yeah, so it's just like, I have T shirts and stuff on the dash. I came up with this. This concept of, you know, the dash is like, you know, we're all. When we all die, it's going to be our last name. And you're going to have the day you were born, the day you die. But really what matters is that dash in between, right? Like. Like, you can't control. You can't control the day you're born, and you can't control the day you die. But what you can control every day is that dash that's in between. And so using that to impact the greater good, really, that's what it comes down to, is nobody's going to remember how. Linda Ellis wrote this poem and she talks about in it of how she stood at the funeral of a friend and first came the date on the tombstone, from the beginning to the end. And then she goes into, like, you know, nobody's going to remember how much money you make. Nobody's going to remember how many followers you got. Nobody's going to remember any of those aspects. Really. What matters is, is what people say at your funeral. And, you know, they're not going to talk about how much you make. You know, they're going to stand there and they're going to. They're going.

[D]

They have a.

[B]

We have a running joke.

[C]

Yeah, what is it? I want to hear it.

[B]

It really does not fit into.

[D]

Yours is very motivational.

[B]

We have a running joke that whichever one of us dies first, the other has to go and say every single slur at it as a eulogy at.

[C]

The end of the day.

[A]

But you can't just scream it.

[B]

It has to be like. It has to be woven into a narrative.

[D]

I. I just like the big 72 font text.

[B]

I just did the real life Joe Carey. As soon as you said the only thing that matters is what someone says at your funeral, I'm like.

[C]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah, well, that's.

[B]

Sorry.

[C]

You know what I think we should do, like, for a show, is we should do a mock funeral so we can hear them practice it.

[D]

Oh, I love that.

[B]

I think it'd be great for all of our careers. Yeah.

[C]

Have you. Hold on. Before we go, have you all seen that? There's. That. There's like that guy that goes around to funerals. Like, you can. You can pay him. And I. I don't know what he's called, but, like, basically, he comes to your funeral, you can pay him, and he, like, calls out the people that. That, that, like, you hate. Like, so, like, he's like, that's awesome. It got. It got started. So it got started. Some guy paid him. The guy knew he was going to die, and this guy knew that this guy was banging his wife. And so he goes to the funeral, and, like, he comes up there and starts speaking, and he's like. Like, whatever his name is. He's like, joe, you know, I know you've been banging my wife for this many years, like, in front of everybody. So it's like you can pay this guy and hire him to go to your funeral and do this stuff.

[D]

Grieving widow to awkward widow real quick.

[B]

Yeah, the grieving harlot. Yeah, but it's like the other guy. It's like a famous thing where it's like, yeah, if my homie dies, I'm gonna pay a gay dude to cry extra hard at his funeral.

[D]

Oh, my God. That is.

[C]

That is cool.

[D]

Pulls up in his Mustang.

[A]

Yep, exactly.

[B]

That yellow Mustang.

[D]

Just a random dude just crying at Cody's feet.

[A]

I like, dude, I like the Mafia outlet. You pay some giant Italian guys to wear their suits and come by to your. Your casket and be like, we're gonna miss you.

[C]

We're gonna miss.

[A]

Don't say anything to the family and leave.

[B]

It's like, what the did he do?

[D]

Just confuse everyone?

[A]

Like, 20 big Italian guys.

[B]

We gonna miss the big CG.

[A]

Yeah, we're gonna miss that guy.

[D]

Condolences.

[B]

Yeah, you'd go to your. Go to your mother. Like, if you need anything. You need somebody to disappear.

[C]

Dude, I. I wanted to, like, record myself saying, thank you for coming and, like, have my arm sticking out and, like, you slap my arm as you go back. Nobody ever thanks you for coming to their. To their funeral. Or, like, have, like, me standing up in, like, a photo booth, you know, I mean, like, I love that a.

[D]

Photo booth's really good, but really bad.

[A]

Bernie's photo booth. Yeah.

[C]

What do you think? Like, yeah, what do you think? It's a good idea.

[D]

I think if you like some animatronics, too.

[C]

Yeah.

[D]

I'd pay extra for animatronics in my body.

[B]

So I like the conversation between the funeral home and the animatronics expert would be hysterical.

[C]

Yo.

[B]

Because that's. Logistically has to happen somehow.

[D]

There is a price point.

[B]

I guess we'll just put a screw there.

[D]

Make me dance. You just put one of the new AI robots walking out in your flesh doing the robot dance happen. 100%. People are going to just imagine the.

[A]

Star wars cantina.

[B]

You know, one of the new Tesla robots that just has An Eli skin.

[D]

Yeah.

[C]

So, like, will you, like, if they get to the point to where they do, like, brain transplants, will you do that? I want to.

[B]

God, I hope not.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah, I'm good.

[C]

No, I think that'd be awesome for you.

[D]

Just brain.

[C]

He just keeps going forever. A brain in a jar keeps going forever.

[B]

Nixon's back.

[D]

It's not Brandon's choice. It's his friends that make him do this. It's like forced power and forced life. Kill me.

[B]

The only thing he says in Morse code and through the computer is, let me die. Let me die. Let me die.

[A]

I'm gonna sue your estate for power of attorney to put you in a Tesla robot.

[C]

And then I die.

[D]

Frowny face.

[C]

I'm sad.

[D]

It's cannot self delete.

[B]

It's like the robot that's only purpose is to unplug itself.

[C]

And what if we could, like, pick the body you went into?

[B]

Oh, no.

[C]

Oh, yeah. Oh, I hate that.

[B]

Worse.

[D]

I like this way more now.

[C]

We could pick the body he went into. Oh, yeah.

[B]

Plot twist.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I only accept if it's yours.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't know if you want that.

[B]

I am become actual Medal of Honor.

[D]

I am Medal of Honor.

[C]

What if we could. What if we could switch brains?

[B]

Oh, I don't think you'd want that either.

[C]

Dude, that'd be awesome. Yeah.

[D]

Where do we find you on social.

[C]

Yeah. Dakota Meyer. 0317 on Instagram. And that's, you know, that's pretty much it.

[D]

But you're going to. You're thinking about doing YouTube too?

[C]

Yeah, maybe some YouTube later on.

[D]

We'll shorten that title. We'll get that name without numbers at the.

[C]

I've tried YouTube a couple times, but I just, like. I get. I don't know, I just get so overwhelmed. I just get tired of it. I hate. I hate shooting videos, bro. Yeah. What do y' all think?

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. We've all had the fatigue at one.

[A]

Point or the other.

[C]

Yeah. But I. I'm like three videos in. I get fatigued.

[B]

I mean. Yeah, that's fair enough. I mean, you gotta be a psychopath in one way or the other to do this.

[D]

Yeah. True.

[B]

Or at least a little autistic.

[D]

Yeah. A lot of autistic. Cody, close us out, you beautiful son.

[A]

Of a. Bye, everyone. Thank you for coming to the unsubscribed podcast today. We had Eli Double Tap, Dakota Meer, Brandon Herrera, myself, donut operator. Thank you so much for being here.

[D]

Love you.

[C]

You know my name.