




Ish Villegas is one of three people who have received the Silver Star twice, since 9/11.  



Today he walks us thru the battle in 2009 where he got his first Silver Star.  It was a 16 hour fight that resulted in at least 32 enemy insurgents killed.  During this fight, Ish ran 200 feet across an open, uncleared IED minefield to more effective position and returned fire with his M-4 and then directed aircraft (rotary and fixed wing) onto the enemy locations in a surgical and lethal manner.  It’s an incredible story; one that he completed with two broken arms.  



He also trained my brother, Mark Forester, at FOB Cobra/Tinsley and we are forever grateful for his friendship to Mark and for showing him the ropes in one of the most active areas in all of Afghanistan.  



Ish is a great American and we’re lucky to have men like him on our side.  You can listen to details of his 2nd Silver Star here on Black Rifle Coffee.  



*PTC is on Patreon.  If you like what you’re hearing please check out how you can help the cause so I can provide quality content and keep on keeping on!



Copyright 2022 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com



Ep 094 | Ish Villegas – 2-time Silver Star Recipient

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CW4 Matthew Longanacre (Matthew on Facebook) was an AH-64D Apache Pilot with 1-101 Aviation Regiment “Expect No Mercy”.  He was the Pilot-In-Command of one of the two Apaches that were overhead when Mark and Calvin were killed on 29 September 2010.



Printed in Mark’s book, My Brother in Arms, Matthew wrote to our family: “We pride ourselves on doing whatever it takes to protect these gifted warriors on the battlefield. This is why the loss of Mark has hit me harder than any in the past. I was overhead that day and unable to prevent this tragedy. I just hope that his family and friends can find some small measure of comfort in knowing that he took the fight to the enemy right until the end. Very few in this world can say the same…”



Longanacre joined me today while we walked 28 miles for the Mark Forester JAG 28 Memorial Birthday Walk/Ruck. Therefore, the audio isn’t stellar, but the best this low-tech guy can do. We were moving the entire time in mist rain.



My family and I appreciate Matthew keeping in touch, making the effort to visit and support. He developed a friendship with Mark, all over the radio, while they slew the enemy!



Enjoy the outro music, “Sons of War Veteran“. This short clip was written by former AF CCT, and 2-time PTC guest, Dan Schilling.  You can hear the full version here: 



https://open.spotify.com/track/5iujSF8UmN4VyvWB42UfLa



Freedom Blends, supplements and vitamins for men and women: use discount code PATRIOT at checkout.



Copyright 2024 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

Ep 117 | Matthew Longanacre – AH-64D Apache Pilot Overhead Mark in Afghanistan






Eric Moutsos (@ericmoutsos) is a small business owner and creator of Freedom Blends, a supplement company based on the principles of Freedom and Liberty.



A former Salt Lake City Police Officer, Moutsos loved the job but quickly started being outspoken about disturbing practices (aka quotas) and discrimination within the department. In the end, Eric lost his badge and gun when, for religious reasons, he asked to trade into a security assignment instead of being in the celebration of the Utah Pride Parade for the LGBTQ community. When the story made national news, Eric decided to resign from the department and go into the private sector.



Today Eric tells us why he’s no longer a police officer and how he created the Utah Business Revival during Covid to help save small businesses. Part of this was organizing what was probably the first music concert in America during the lockdown.



If you want to try Freedom Blends, go to: https://freedomblends.myshopify.com/?ref=patriotand use code PATRIOT at checkout to get 10% off. I’ve been taking Freedom Fuel w/ energy and 1st Amendment Men’s multivitamin since mid-April. So far, I approve. I get up early to work and/or workout almost every day. I have 3 active young boys and we are always playing sports, in the woods, rucking…. just staying active. I used to be very tired every day. I feel much better while taking these vitamins and supplements. 



Freedom Blends:  use discount code PATRIOT at checkout.



Watch Eric’s documentary “Non Essential” here: https://www.ericmoutsos.com/non-essential-the-full-documentary/



Watch this interview on YouTube here:  https://youtu.be/ow8SnRUratI



Copyright 2024 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

Ep 116 | Eric Moutsos – Freedom, Liberty, and Non-Essential










Brian Jodice (@brianjodice) of Pick Up The Six Productions and NGBN TV is back to promote this new network for men in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.  



Discussed in this episode:



-why focus on this demographic?



-men’s mental health



-Biblical application



-best athletic gear and brands for outdoor workouts (specifically F3 and GORUCK events)



-prison ministering



-oldest man to play Division 1 football



-other random topics that may or may not offend



You can also watch this interview on YouTube here.



If you’d like to support Patriot to the Core podcast with a very small regular donation, visit my Patreon page here.  



Brian Jodice was also on PTC in Episode 95.



Use code PUT6 at Mudgear.com for a discount, compliments of Brian.  



Enjoy the outro music.  This short song clip was written by former Air Force CCT, and 2-time PTC guest, Dan Schilling. You can learn the history of this song here. Dan’s goal is for it to be something that urges people to turn up the volume when they play the track!



Copyright 2024 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

Ep 115 | Brian Jodice – Men’s Heath and Recognizing Signs of Suicide






Within weeks of the 9/11 attacks, Air Force Combat Controller Joe O’Keefe was in Afghanistan working with the CIA and other special operations units.  



Joe and his small team made their way into the mountains of Tora Bora with the help of the Northern Alliance.  Armed with the element of surprise, he was able to start calling in close air support against hundreds, if not a thousand enemy fighters. 



What was initially thought to be an overnight observance, turned into 5 days with only 1 hour of sleep the entire period.  The CIA station chief told his team to drop bombs for as long as possible because the President was getting sit-reps on it minute by minute.  



He and his team ended up killing hundreds of people.  “They had chosen their course, we had chosen ours, that’s the nature of it.”  



You can read an excellent article about this mission in Task and Purpose here:



Task and Purpose – Air Force Commando



You can also watch this interview on YouTube at the link below:



YouTube



Other CCT interviews mentioned in this episode:



Ep. 91 – Will Markham



Ep. 88 – Kyle Stanbro and Michael Lamonica



Copyright 2024 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

Ep 114 | Joe O’Keefe – Hunting Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora in 2001






The late Woody Williams will never forget the odor of burning human remains.



“There are some things about that 4 hours that have bothered me my whole life… I can’t remember going back and getting the other 5 flamethrowers.  It was so horrific, I didn’t want to remember.”



I was introduced to death by flamethrower after learning of Mr. Williams.  He went thru 5 – 70 lb flamethrowers in a 4-hour battle on Iwo Jima.  Two of the Marines assigned to him were killed that day protecting his life.  At the time of this interview in 2017, he was the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from that battle, and the last surviving Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in World War II.  Mr. Williams died in 2022.  



I asked Woody, “What did you know about Iwo Jima before you got there?”  His response, “Not a thing!”  Later he saw the flag raised on Mount Suribachi, but didn’t consider the significance at that time.  He had a job to do and wasn’t reveling in the moment.



His story is remarkable.  He was awarded the Medal of Honor by Pres. Truman, but admits being more nervous to meet the Commandant of the Marine Corp than the President.  He shares with us what both these men told him regarding the medal.  He didn’t know anything about the MOH beforehand.  Even the day he received it he didn’t know what it was about.



Awesome interview.  You should read his medal citation below and learn more about him at these links:



Read his Medal of Honor Citation



Learn about his foundation:



Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation



*originally published Oct 30, 2017



Copyright 2024 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

Ep 094 | Ish Villegas – 2-time Silver Star Recipient

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