I talk a lot about maximizing opportunity as I believe there is no shortage of it in this country. This episode is a prime example of it. I sat down with Angel Cortes - former L.A. gang banger turned Army Ranger, and now studying to be a registered dietician to help the type of communities from which he came from. Lots of great insight into immigration policy as well as rising up in the face of abject poverty and adversity. Sponsored by @jockofuel, @originusa, and @resiliencecbd----------Table of Timestamps:Breaking the Ice - 2:15Trouble at Home - 11:00Morning Routine - 19:45Illegal Immigration - 30:00How to Cross the Border - 39:00Gang Signs - 49:45Cops and Robbers - 1:00:30Idols and Superheroes - 1:08:00Joining the Military - 1:16:30Boots on the Ground - 1:31:30How I Got Out - 1:41:00An Army Story - 1:48:15Florida Ranger School - 2:04:15Coming Home - 2:20:20Diet and Exercise - 2:30:15A Question for Mike - 2:49:15----------To find out more about Angel or to purchase any of Angel's apparel, visit www.r (https://rangercortes.com/)angercortes.com or follow him on Instagram @angelgcortes175.----------Support our sponsors:Origin Labs | www.originmaine.com/origin-labs | @ORIGIN USAResilience CBD | www.resiliencecbd.com/militaryandfirstresponderdiscount | @resiliencecbdApparel, accessories, protection dogs, and online training at www.trikos.comOnline dog training | https://teamdog.petTeam Dog Facebook | @TeamDogTraining Books, Blog, Media and more from Mike Ritland at www.mikeritland.comThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5531509/advertisement
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Episode 62: Angel Cortes - Gang Signs & Ranger Tabs

The Mike Drop podcast is hosted by former Navy SEAL, Mike Ritland. It is a not so politically correct discussion of wide ranging topics that span from government, politics and war to health and fitness, from guns and survival skills to food and nutrition with music, BBQ and a touch of everything else in between. This is THE platform that is completely raw, totally unfiltered and in your face, while still intellectually sound with good intuitive dialogue between A-holes that know what they’re talking about.

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Bedros Keuilian believes that you can have it all. Fame, fortune, glory - any earthly desire, all within reach, but only if you're willing to earn it. He's a CEO, entrepreneur, author, mentor, podcast host, and an early immigrant, having immigrated from Armenia to southern California at a young age. Most importantly, he's an ardent believer in the American Dream, and the power of the human spirit. 

Today, Bedros uses the stage, social media, and his podcast to share his story and inspire others, but that's far from where he started. So what's it like starting over with nothing? How do you find your footing in a country where you don't speak the same language as everybody else? And most importantly - what's got Bedros so fired up in the first place? 

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Support Bedros Keullian - 

Website - https://bedroskeuilian.com/

Podcast, 'The Bedros Keuilian Show' - https://bedroskeuilian.com/podcast/

Book, 'Man Up: How to Cut the Bullshit and Kick Ass in Business (And in Life)' - https://a.co/d/haPmpaK

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@BedrosKeuilian

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bedroskeuilian/

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BUBS Naturals 

The BUBS namesake derives from Glen ‘BUB’ Doherty, who was heroically killed in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. In addition to remembering Glen for the patriot he is, the BUBS ethos centers around the passionate and adventure seeking life that Glen lived. 

BUBS Naturals products are rooted in sustainably sourced ingredients and controlled consistency to provide our customers with the highest quality Collagen Protein & MCT Oil Powder that help you feel amazing and live a fuller life.

Our mission is simple. FEEL GREAT. DO GOOD. 10% always goes back to charity, helping military men and women transition back into civilian life. 

Go to https://www.bubsnaturals.com/mike and use code MIKE for 20% off your order. 

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Fit Body Bootcamp Owner Bedros Keuilian | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 184

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Jimmy Watson has got one hell of a story to tell. He served 17 years on active duty, first with two deployments as a U.S. Marine before getting into private contracting at Blackwater, where he'd eventually rise to the rank of Team Leader and find himself squarely in the sights of the F.B.I. following the events of the Nisour Square Massacre. 

From there he'd join SEAL Teams over at SDV off the coast of Hawaii, before eventually pivoting into bodyguard work for one John McAfee - shortly before becoming Team McAfee's very own CEO. Throw in a scandalous dash of crypto trading, a sketchy stint doing in contract work in Columbia, and you've got yourself one hell of a story. Fortunately for us, when it comes to Jimmy Watson, nothing is off limits. 

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Support Jimmy Watson - 

Join Jimmy's Warrior Tribe, Touchpoint Nation, at https://www.jimmywatson.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mightywarrior2023

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MightyWarrior2024

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mightywarrior2024

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ALL THINGS MIKE RITLAND:

SHOP for Fueled By Team Dog Performance Dog Food, Treats, Apparel, Accessories, and Protection dogs - MikeRitlandCo.com - https://www.MikeRitlandCo.com Team Dog Online dog training - TeamDog.pet - https://www.TeamDog.pet
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Navy SEAL Blackwater Team McAfee CEO Jimmy Watson | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 183

Air Force Pararescuemen, also known as PJ's, are the only elite combat force in the Department of Defense that are trained and equipped to perform personnel recovery. PJs are highly trained special operators who rescue, recover, and return American or allied forces in times of danger or extreme duress. It's a dangerous position from any angle - air, land, or sea, PJ's are there when others are not. Just take it from Brandon Daugherty. 
With seven back-to-back deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and a few classified missions in parts unknown, Brandon knows a thing or two about flying into the dark. And after 10 years in Pararescue, he's since pivoted to rescuing astronauts with his company at Operator Solutions that we covered in his previous episode. But what makes PJ's so special? Where's Brandon seen the most action? And most importantly - what kind of situations has he seen that the rest of us never even heard about? 

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Support Brandon Daugherty and Operator Solutions - 

https://os-rescue.com/

Support Project Alpha 5 and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation - 

https://specialops.org/alpha5

----------

Sponsors: 

Beam

Take advantage of Beam's biggest sale of the year and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to https://www.shopbeam.com/MIKEDROP and use promo code MIKEDROP at checkout!

----------

BUBS Naturals 

The BUBS namesake derives from Glen ‘BUB’ Doherty, who was heroically killed in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. In addition to remembering Glen for the patriot he is, the BUBS ethos centers around the passionate and adventure seeking life that Glen lived. 

BUBS Naturals products are rooted in sustainably sourced ingredients and controlled consistency to provide our customers with the highest quality Collagen Protein & MCT Oil Powder that help you feel amazing and live a fuller life.

Our mission is simple. FEEL GREAT. DO GOOD. 10% always goes back to charity, helping military men and women transition back into civilian life. 

Go to https://www.bubsnaturals.com/mike and use code MIKE for 20% off your order. 

----------

Black Buffalo

Go to blackbuffalo.com/discount/MIKEDROP for 20% off your first order!

Black Buffalo products are intended for adults aged 21 and older who are consumers of nicotine or tobacco.

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SHOP for Fueled By Team Dog Performance Dog Food, Treats, Apparel, Accessories, and Protection dogs - MikeRitlandCo.com - https://www.MikeRitlandCo.com Team Dog Online dog training - TeamDog.pet - https://www.TeamDog.pet
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Air Force Pararescueman Brandon Daugherty Part Two | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 182

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Brandon Daugherty rescues Astronauts. It's a complicated notion for a such a simple statement - where do Astronauts need to be rescued from, exactly? How many Astronauts are you rescuing in a given month, or even a year? And how does a guy like Brandon go from diving out of helicopters to snatching cosmic explorers right out of the ocean? Turns out, it all starts in the Air Force with a decade of Pararescue, along with seven back-to-back deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa to boot.

Nowadays, Brandon's own Operator Solutions is doing incredible work alongside the likes of NASA and SpaceX, as well as his philanthropic work over at the Alpha 5 Project for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, but you don't get to save spacemen without doing a little homework first. So how do you rescue an Astronaut, anyway? Brandon's got the answers. 

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Support Brandon Daugherty and Operator Solutions - 

https://os-rescue.com/

Support Project Alpha 5 and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation - 

https://specialops.org/alpha5

----------

Sponsors: 

Beam

Take advantage of Beam's biggest sale of the year and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to https://www.shopbeam.com/MIKEDROP and use promo code MIKEDROP at checkout!

----------

Ned

Visit https://www.helloned.com/mikedrop to get 15% off your first order using promo code MIKEDROP. That's https://www.helloned.com/mikedrop with promo code MIKEDROP for 15% off! 

----------

Fueled by TeamDog | www.mikeritlandco.com | @Teamdog.pet

ALL THINGS MIKE RITLAND:

SHOP for Fueled By Team Dog Performance Dog Food, Treats, Apparel, Accessories, and Protection dogs - MikeRitlandCo.com - https://www.MikeRitlandCo.com Team Dog Online dog training - TeamDog.pet - https://www.TeamDog.pet
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Astronaut Rescue Air Force PJ Brandon Daugherty Part One | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 181

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop

You might not know it, but the United States Secret Service does a lot more than simply protecting the President. They're acting security for any Heads of State, including those foreign and domestic, alongside their families and any close confidants that require around-the-clock service. They also investigate crimes against the financial infrastructure of the United States, moving across the globe to ensure the validity of our economic systems. And with any wide berth of responsibility comes preparation - simply put, when you have to be prepared for anything, preparation quickly becomes everything.

So what's it like working inside the White House? Have there been any close calls or scandalous operations that the mainstream media never reported on? And most importantly - how can you tell whether or not somebody is telling the truth when it really counts? Let's ask Evy. 

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Get Your Copy of Evy's Book 'Becoming Bulletproof: Life Lessons from a Secret Service Agent - 

Becoming Bulletproof (Book) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/1982103760

Support Evy Poumpouras - 

Website: https://www.evypoumpouras.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evypoumpouras

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Beam

Take advantage of Beam's biggest sale of the year and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to https://www.shopbeam.com/MIKEDROP and use promo code MIKEDROP at checkout!

----------

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ALL THINGS MIKE RITLAND:

SHOP for Fueled By Team Dog Performance Dog Food, Treats, Apparel, Accessories, and Protection dogs - MikeRitlandCo.com - https://www.MikeRitlandCo.com Team Dog Online dog training - TeamDog.pet - https://www.TeamDog.pet
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Episode 62: Angel Cortes - Gang Signs & Ranger Tabs

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