Always in Pursuit

In this episode of our podcast, we kick off with a discussion about the challenges of being an infantryman and the debate over who makes the better host for the show.We then delve into some of our favorite episodes from this season, including the highly downloaded episode featuring Michael Rodriquez, who shares his experiences and work with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation. Mike Lavigne's most downloaded episodes include interviews with Nich Palmisciano and Chelsey Porterfield,...

Logan always knew that he wanted to live life differently and sought ways to challenge himself. After the 9/11 attack, he knew that the military was the logical route. When he joined, he attended the premier military leadership school, Ranger School. He decided to go to Special Forces (SF) selection and after multiple deployments with SF along with almost 10 years of service, he applied to Harvard and was accepted for his undergraduate degree. But he didn’t stop there, he continued his ...

Michael “Rod” Rodriguez grew up surrounded by men who’d served their nation - and his pursuit of the same life of service showed him humanity at its best - and also at its most depraved.After seeing the humanitarian crises in Somalia and Haiti up close, Rod chose the life of the Green Beret. He tells us the journey he took – the twisty path that placed him in the position he currently holds, as the president and CEO of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.If you enjoyed this episod...

Mike met Kevin and Jessica through the Veterans Yoga Project where Jessica was an instructor while Mike and Kevin were her students. In this episode, they talk about why they joined the military and some of the good and bad of military service. They all had different reasons for joining the military along with different experiences, but they shared the same struggles after they transitioned from the military to civilian life. It was difficult to integrate after deployments and not taking the ...

CPT Benjamin Ordiway is a Philosophy Instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. After serving as a Cavalry Scout in the 82nd Airborne and Cavalry Officer, he made a shift to Civil Affairs and served in 1st Special Forces Group. In 2020, he pursued his Master’s Degree in Philosophy from University of Michigan. Along the way, he found his passion and incredible insights into ethical training and moral reasoning. He has authored multiple articles which have been read by thou...

Growing up in a rowhouse in blue-collar North Philly gave Patrick J. Murphy a full education before he ever stepped foot in college. Those humble beginnings launched him into a career in the law, service in the Army, and ultimately into the halls of Congress as the first veteran elected with service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Murphy’s resume is long and diverse, and his experiences defy an one label we could try to assign - but AIP co-host Mike Lavigne did his damndest, as he explores t...

Matt joined the Air Force to travel the world, but initially he only joined to do one enlistment. But after the events of 9/11, he was called to dedicate his life to flying the skies as a crew member of Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) program. After spending two decades burning holes in the sky, Matt decided it was time to find a new path. His next adventure would meld together his passion for friends, the outdoors, and playing games. He invented the Rollers ...

One NCO’s first experience in combat completely changed the trajectory of his life - and put him on a focused path to a lofty goal: help every member of the joint force be physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to fight in the most disadvantageous terrain on their worst day – and win.John Wayne Troxell, who served as a command sergeant major for 20 years before becoming the third Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2015, learned a lot in the 7 month...

Colonel John Spencer is a scholar, author, combat veteran, scholar, and is recognized across the globe for his expertise in urban warfare. He enlisted in the Army and quickly rose to become a senior non-commissioned officer before becoming an officer. In this episode, Mike and John talk about how he got his start in writing and some of the mentors that helped him. Unlike most, he went straight for the big leagues as his article was accepted and ran by the New York Times. From an Army of ...

SGT Retired Michael Sugrue served as a police officer for 14 years and also served in the Air Force as an officer in the Raven Program. After 8 years as a police officer, he would answer a call that would forever change his life. What ensued for the rest of his career can be described as a perfect storm of trauma. In those final years of his time as a police officer, he went through a divorce and a 4 year investigation into his actions on the previously mentioned call. He watched as ment...