Summary

Please welcome former Green Beret Ryan Hendrickson, Founder and Owner of Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal (501c3), to the Harder Not Smarter Podcast. The conversation discusses the shift in the environment in Ukraine since 2022, with an increase in Russian activity and strikes. Ryan talks about his experience in Ukraine and his mission to train advise and assist other humanitarians in his landmine removal efforts. He highlights the importance demining and removing explosive hazards to help civilians rebuild their lives. Ryan also discusses the challenges of running a nonprofit organization and the competitive nature of the nonprofit world. He emphasizes the need to stick to the mission statement and remain focused on helping people. The conversation ends with a discussion about the future expansion of the organization and the need for more volunteers. The conversation with Ryan Hendrickson focused on the challenges and needs of demining operations in Ukraine. The main themes that emerged from the conversation were the importance of equipment and funding, the scale of the landmine problem in Ukraine, the need for experienced leadership, the long-term nature of demining efforts, and the potential use of technology like drones and AI. The conversation also touched on the impact of the war on morale and the importance of finding purpose after leaving the military.

Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal is ACTIVELY involved in demining efforts in Ukraine and welcomes donations and support. Please consider sending some love their way!

Show Links

Episodes also available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon Music.

Ryan's Links

https://linktr.ee/rmhendrickson.tipofthespear

www.landmineremoval.org

Chapters

00:00 Shift in the Environment in Ukraine

03:22 Working as a Solo Operator

06:09 The Importance of Demining in Civilian Areas

09:30 Finding Purpose in Helping Others

11:10 Transitioning from Special Forces to Humanitarian Work

22:04 Dealing with Security Concerns

25:09 Navigating the Nonprofit World

30:57 Learning on the Job

36:56 Dealing with Competition and Challenges

40:30 Building a Team and Expanding

41:45 Current Needs and Future Plans

41:49 Equipment and Operating Costs

44:07 The Extent of Landmines in Ukraine

49:58 The Challenge of Demining Ukraine

54:39 The Impact of Landmines on Agriculture

58:17 Demining Techniques and Technology

01:06:26 Morale and Uncertainty in Ukraine

01:09:08 Supporting Landmine Removal

01:11:02 Donations and Contact Information

01:13:04 Finding Purpose After the Military

Keywords

Ukraine, Russian activity, strikes, demining, landmines, explosive hazards, nonprofit, mission statement, volunteers, demining, Ukraine, equipment, funding, landmine problem, leadership, technology, drones, AI, morale, purpose, Landmine Removal Organization