Unsubscribe Podcast Ep 227

The Explosion That Almost Killed Me ft. Braxton McCoy

Release Date: August 24, 2025
Hosts: Eli Doubletap, Brandon Herrera, Donut Operator, The Fat Electrician
Guest: Braxton McCoy

Overview

This episode is a wild, insightful, and at times intense conversation with Braxton McCoy—a cowboy, author, Army veteran, and survivor of a devastating suicide bombing in Ramadi, Iraq. The hosts and Braxton blend their signature irreverent banter with genuinely poignant moments as Braxton shares his journey through military service, catastrophic injury, recovery, and his current conservation activism. This summary captures the main themes: war stories, military humor, American conservation, and overcoming trauma—with plenty of laugh-out-loud digressions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introductions and Early Banter

[02:41]

• The hosts rib each other and introduce Braxton, who’s described as “one of the most cowboy” guests ever.
• Braxton shares his background: raised in southern Utah, now living in Idaho for about 8-10 years.
• Discussion of “cowboy names” and jokes about being the ideal bar fight partner.
• Quick fitness updates from the hosts, setting a joking, relaxed tone.

2. Braxton’s Path to Podcasting & Conservation Work

[05:10 – 11:59]

• Braxton’s first big podcast was with Jocko Willink, who’s now on the board of Sagebrush, Braxton’s non-profit for wildlife & public lands protection from a right-wing perspective.
• Sagebrush seeks conservation with responsible recreation (hunting, etc.), not the “tree-hugger” model.
• Braxton candidly critiques manipulation in public land debates, emphasizing honesty over left-right data spins:

  “I don’t like…manipulation of data to convince people of things.” —Braxton, [08:14] “The right wing is reactionary now toward any info that comes from the left—and rightly so, they get lied to all the time.” —Braxton, [11:00]

• Discussion of landmark conservation legislation, history, and the problem of selling/privatizing public land.
• The difference between real conservation and politicized “green” initiatives is highlighted through humor and sharp commentary.

3. History Lesson: Teddy Roosevelt & American Conservation

[12:33 – 28:22]

• Braxton dives into U.S. conservation history: Roosevelt’s ethos, the buffalo hunt that changed him, and the role of Gifford Pinchot (whose father was a timber baron).
• Colorful stories about Roosevelt’s realization and subsequent policy decisions, connecting history to current conservation challenges.
• Entertaining asides about the era’s outlook on natural resources:

  “[Settlers] felt there was such an abundance they’d never exhaust it. I don’t like to look at history and say, 'these were terrible people...' They just didn’t understand.” —Braxton, [22:33]

• Hosts are fully engaged, frequently interrupting for more details and historical trivia.

4. Braxton’s Military Journey

[29:09 – 54:54]

• Enlisted in the Army National Guard in 2003, motivated by 9/11.
• Classic recruiter shenanigans: promised airborne, ended up as a radio guy (“the gayest MOS ever” per Braxton, [39:47]).
• Eventually found a fit on a Personal Security Detail (PSD) team—protects officers and “does the dangerous errands.”
• Hilarious stories of military mix-ups, drill sergeants, and broken MOS promises; bonding with the hosts over mutual military bureaucracy frustrations.
• Served around 2005-2006, in the heart of Ramadi during the surge (“like South Chicago on a Friday”—Braxton, [45:44]).

Notable Quotes:

• “I didn’t go to war to listen to people talk on the radio. I’m here to shoot people, man.” —Braxton, [40:11]
• “Journalists being dumb—oh my God…” —Hosts, [44:05]

5. The Explosion That Almost Killed Me: Ramadi, January 2006

[54:54 – 99:42]

• Braxton’s team was helping recruit Iraqi Police at a glass factory adjacent to their base—wanding and checking hundreds of locals daily.
• Despite “three promised peaceful days,” a fourth day was ordered due to command push (“hearts and minds bullshit”—Braxton, [70:12]).
• S2 Intelligence warned of a possible Vehicle-Borne IED that morning.
• Crowds at the gate were far larger and earlier than usual, raising suspicions.
• While troubleshooting crowd issues and chasing down a suspected tripwire, a suicide bomber detonated in the crowd. Braxton was about 15 meters away.

The Aftermath (Graphic) [77:19 – 99:42]

• Immediate chaos, heavy injuries: broken arms, shattered femurs/hips, “about 30 holes” in his legs.
• His own compartment syndrome likely saved him from bleeding out (“acted as internal tourniquet”).
• No morphine for the first stretch due to low blood pressure.
• Multiple medevacs: Ramadi → TQ (too much blood loss), then emergency surgery in Fallujah (where both quads split open to relieve pressure), finally to Balad’s Air Force hospital and eventually to Walter Reed.
• Two of his close comrades (including his colonel) and a beloved dog handler killed; the working dog, Bruno, survived and went on to redeploy.
• Grueling, years-long recovery:

  “It was six or eight years [of rehab]…but you’d never be able to tell.” [100:03]

• Honest, dark humor in recalling:

  “Is my dick good?” —Eli, [82:02]
  “Well yeah, because I didn’t wear underwear, so he could just like see it. As soon as he said that, I was like—I’m good, man!” —Braxton, [82:02]

• Recovery was both physical and psychological—the journey becomes the basis for his book, The Glass Factory.

6. Book: The Glass Factory

[56:00, 98:34, 126:06]

• Braxton’s memoir, available at braxtonmccoy.com (“I tried to write something relatable…Not just another war book, more about healing after being wounded”—[56:28]).
• The hosts repeatedly encourage listeners to pick it up, especially for veterans or those healing from trauma.
• The book’s reach expanded after Braxton’s Twitter presence grew.
• Braxton is candid about how civilian and veteran feedback has made the difficult writing process worthwhile.

7. Recovery, Cowboying, and Bent Rods (Literally…)

[100:39 – 107:56]

• Post-injury life: returns to ranching, breaking horses (“cold starter”).
• Recent story of being bucked off a draft-cross filly and bending the metal rod in his leg; doctor discovered the incident only after Braxton had continued with ranch chores.

  “You broke your back, dude.” —Doctor Mike, [104:52]

• Life lessons: brutal honesty about the realities (“I didn’t get any smarter over the years, is the thing.” —[105:52]), but also about grit and humor in the face of pain.

8. Conservation, Politics, & the Case for Public Lands

[109:56 – 125:13]

• Transition from post-war life to activism: began investigating public land transfer initiatives in Idaho/Utah, and decided privatizing public lands is a formula for disaster.
• Explains why federal stewardship (with strong local, expert oversight) is necessary—otherwise land ends up in the hands of mega-corporations, foreign buyers (China, Blackrock, Saudi Arabia), or is ruined for future generations.

  “The whole intent of transfer is to sell it off. The intent, to me, the most practical argument…practical argument is: [now] those lands are held in trust for 330 million people.” [110:09]

• Ran through the economics (tax bases, maintenance costs, Pilot funds in lieu of taxes, migration corridors for wildlife) and why “just let local ranchers buy it” isn’t realistic.
• Passionate about hiring and mentoring local youth for ecosystem management, rather than credential-obsessed bureaucrats—emphasizing personal investment and annual performance.

  “…You find that kid that’s actually been working it, you pay him…‘how healthy is this ecosystem, how well did you manage it?’” —Braxton, [121:13]

• Consensus: local knowledge + accountability + a large stewardship base = best model.

9. Classic Unsubscribe Detours: Jokes, Merch, and Trenchant Banter

Various Throughout

• Running gags about bullying journalists (“always bully journalists”—Eli, [44:19]).
• Roasting Zach Bryan with made-up song titles (the “Alexa, play [crazy song] by Zach Bryan” meme—[63:44]).
• Host and guest plug items in irreverent, self-mocking fashion (poncho shirts, “perfect jeans,” Ghostbed, booking.com…).
• Random stories about military incompetence, inside jokes, and product gags (“OnlyCowboys.com”).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On surviving the blast:

  “I saw guts, I thought I was for sure blown in half…rubbed this organ in my fingers to see if it was mine. Didn’t pass anatomy, so didn’t even know if you could feel these things…” —Braxton, [79:02]

• On adapting after trauma:

  “It was six or eight years [of rehab]…but you’d never be able to tell that was the level you went through. And that’s what’s awesome.” —Donut Operator, [100:07]

• On conservation activism:

  “You find that kid actually working there, and you pay him to manage it, with yearly reviews based on ecosystem health. If he f***s it up, you fire him, find someone else.” —Braxton, [121:23]

• On manipulation in politics:

  “I just want everybody to have the right conversation—look at facts as they are. Groups on the left and the right will try to change the conversation to what they want it to be…” —Brandon Herrera, [10:41]

Key Timestamps

• (05:10 – 11:59): Braxton’s intro to podcasting, conservation non-profit, & anti-data-manipulation stance.
• (12:33 – 28:22): Deep dive: Teddy Roosevelt, Gifford Pinchot, and U.S. conservation history.
• (29:09 – 54:54): Military journey; recruiter shenanigans; ended up radio operator then PSD.
• (54:54 – 99:42): Ramadi, the bombing, injuries, medevac chain, hospital stay, and lengthy recovery.
• (56:00, 98:34, 126:06): Discussion and plugs for The Glass Factory memoir.
• (109:56 – 125:13): Braxton’s conservation argument: federal stewardship + local knowledge.
• [79:02]: Describes his realization after the explosion.
• [44:19]: "One of the biggest things we say is bully journalists." —Eli

Closing

The episode ends on heartfelt appreciation and banter. Braxton plugs his website and book (Glass Factory), and the hosts share gratitude for his candidness, heroism, and humor.

“Brother, I gotta say, it’s been a genuine pleasure. Thank you for coming on, man.”
—Brandon Herrera, [125:34]

Where to Find Braxton McCoy and his Book

• Website/Book: braxtonmccoy.com
• Twitter: Search “Braxton McCoy” (lots of “shit talking” per Braxton)
• Book: The Glass Factory (on his site, with warnings about shipping delays!)

Final Take

This episode is a signature blend of the Unsubscribe Podcast’s rowdy, uncensored humor and real, hard-earned wisdom. Braxton’s story—equal parts wild, harrowing, and hopeful—anchors the ep, but there’s also plenty for history buffs, gun guys, and anyone who’s ever doubted the credibility of a military recruiter.

If you want an honest look at adversity, grit, and what it takes to keep fighting (on the battlefield and back home), listen to this one—preferably while wearing perfect jeans, sipping a Bush Light, and cleaning your AR-10.