For ten years, Tommy Maxwell served as a U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer, operating under pressure, saving lives, and learning from some of the best — including the late Master Chief Tony DiCenso, a legend in the SAR community.

Now out of the military, Tommy has shifted his mission — from rescuing people to educating and inspiring others through wildlife storytelling. On his popular YouTube channel @Tommys_reptiles, he shares his lifelong passion for reptiles, showing the world that these misunderstood creatures deserve respect, not fear.

In this episode of Calm in the Chaos, we talk about:

• What it’s really like to serve a decade as a Navy Rescue Swimmer
• The mentorship and legacy of Master Chief Tony DiCenso
• Transitioning from the military to civilian life and creative purpose
• Tommy’s mission to humanize reptiles and share wildlife filmmaking adventures

👉 Subscribe, share, and review — it helps more veterans, first responders, and families find hope through these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 46

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#TommyMaxwell #RescueSwimmer #NavyRescueSwimmer #AviationRescueSwimmer #TonyDiCenso #CalmInTheChaosPodcast #BrianDickinson #SoOthersMayLive #NavySAR #Reptiles #WildlifeFilmmaking #VeteranStories #AnimalEducation #NavyVeteran #RescueSwimmerStories #SARCommunity #HumanizingReptiles #MilitaryToCivilian #NavyLife

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When Hurricane Katrina unleashed chaos across the Gulf Coast, Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Tim Hawkins was sent into the storm. In the middle of the devastation, he faced an unthinkable decision — save a life or risk losing his.

This episode of Calm in the Chaos dives into the real rescue missions of Hurricane Katrina, told by one of the men who lived it. Tim Hawkins shares what it meant to operate in impossible conditions — flooded cities, downed power lines, exhausted crews, and endless rescues. His split-second decision in that moment would define not just his mission, but his mindset for the rest of his life.

In this episode:

• Inside the chaos of Katrina rescue operations
• The life-or-limb moment that tested Tim’s training and mindset
• Lessons in composure, courage, and compassion under pressure
• The brotherhood of the Aviation Rescue Swimmer community

👉 Subscribe, share, and review — it helps more veterans, first responders, and families find hope through these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 45

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#TimHawkins #RescueSwimmer #NavyRescueSwimmer #AviationRescueSwimmer #HurricaneKatrina #CalmInTheChaosPodcast #BrianDickinson #SoOthersMayLive #SearchAndRescue #MilitaryStories #NavyLife #HeroicRescue #VeteranStories #NavyAviation #SAR #RealHeroes #SurvivalStories #NavyBrotherhood

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He started as a non-designated airman aboard a Navy ship — no rating, no clear path forward. But through discipline, faith, and relentless drive, Laurquis earned his wings as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer, mastering one of the Navy’s toughest training pipelines. His journey didn’t stop there — he rose again, becoming a Surface Warfare Officer (SWO), leading sailors on the high seas.

In this episode, we dive into:

• What life is like for a non-rated sailor trying to find direction
• The brutal reality and brotherhood of Rescue Swimmer School
• Leadership lessons that carried him into the Surface Warfare community
• The mindset that separates those who quit from those who rise

👉 Subscribe, share, and review — it helps more veterans, first responders, and families find hope through these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 44

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#LaurquisRockSowell #RescueSwimmer #NavyRescueSwimmer #AviationRescueSwimmer #NavySWO #SurfaceWarfareOfficer #CalmInTheChaosPodcast #BrianDickinson #NavyMotivation #MilitaryLeadership #RescueSwimmerStories #NavyLife #SoOthersMayLive #VeteranStories #USNavy #NavyJourney

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In this powerful episode of Calm in the Chaos, I sit down with Jay Shropshire, retired Senior Chief, Aviation Rescue Swimmer — a brother I went through training with. Jay opens up about the catastrophic Navy helicopter crash in Kuwait that everyone miraculously survived, and the invisible battles that followed after 23 years of dedication to serving our country.

We talk about survival, purpose, and the quiet struggle of transitioning from military life to civilian reality. It’s one of the heaviest and most honest episodes yet — a reminder that even the strongest warriors carry unseen scars.

👉 Subscribe, share, and review — it helps more veterans, first responders, and families find hope through these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 42

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#CalmInTheChaosPodcast #AviationRescueSwimmer #RescueSwimmer #JayShropshire #BrianDickinson #NavyVeteran  #SoOthersMayLive #HelicopterCrashSurvivor #MilitaryTransition #VeteranMentalHealth #Resilience #Brotherhood #FaithThroughAdversity #LeadershipUnderPressure #MilitaryPodcast #VeteranStories

For more content, subscribe to our channel and follow @TheCalmintheChaosPodcast:

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Collin Koss built a remarkable Navy career as a Rescue Swimmer, performing multiple rescues at sea before witnessing one of the most harrowing moments imaginable — an F/A-18 ejection that struck the back of the carrier. Later, Collin made the jump to officer, leading from the front and shaping the next generation of sailors. Now, with retirement on the horizon, he reflects on a career of service, sacrifice, and lessons that will last a lifetime.

In this episode, Collin shares the highs and lows of his journey — from rescues in the fleet to the burden of command — and the perspective that only comes with decades in uniform.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 43

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#NavyRescueSwimmer #USNavy #HelicopterRescue #CombatRescue #MilitaryPodcast #NavalAviation #CarrierLife #F18 #RescueSwimmer #MilitaryLife #VeteranStories #SearchAndRescue #AviationPodcast #MilitaryHistory

Before joining the Navy, John Brown was selling surf gear in Florida. Soon after, he was jumping from helicopters as a Rescue Swimmer on multiple deployments, later advancing through SWTI — the “Top Gun” for rotary aviation — and finishing his career shaping the next generation as an instructor.

In this episode, John shares the grind of fleet life, the intensity of advanced training, and the responsibility of teaching others to carry on the mission. His journey is proof that resilience and grit can change the trajectory of a life.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 41

Listen to full episode now! “Calm in the Chaos” is available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. Find our conversation and subscribe! - LINKS IN BIO.

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#NavyRescueSwimmer #USNavy #CSAR #SWTI #TopGunForRotary #HelicopterRescue #CombatRescue #MilitaryPodcast #RescueSwimmerInstructor #NavalAviation #MilitaryLife #VeteranStories #SearchAndRescue #AviationPodcast

Chris Vliet’s journey is one of resilience, survival, and service. A former U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer, Chris lived through some of the most intense training and unique missions the Navy has to offer before transitioning to a career as a firefighter.

In this powerful episode, Chris opens up about his time as a Navy Rescue Swimmer, the lessons he carried into firefighting, and his near-death experience in a BMX biking accident that left him in a coma. His story of recovery and determination is both inspiring and a reminder of the strength of the human spirit.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 40

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#NavyRescueSwimmer #FirefighterStories #SurvivalStories #USNavy #RescueSwimmer #VeteranStories #ComaSurvivor #BMXCrash #MilitaryPodcast #FirefighterPodcast #OvercomingAdversity #Resilience #SearchAndRescue #NavyVeterans

Dave Hewitt dedicated 20 years of his life to the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer.. Over the course of his career, Dave performed three dramatic rescues — each one a testament to skill, courage, and dedication. In this episode, Dave shares the highs and lows of a life at sea, including one tragic mission where a pilot was lost due to a decision made by another pilot — a choice completely out of Dave’s control, but one he’s carried with him ever since. His reflections are raw, powerful, and a reminder of the weight service members sometimes bear long after the mission ends.

I had the honor of serving alongside Dave during our deployment to the Persian Gulf in the 1990s, and in this conversation, we revisit those days, the bond of our crew, and the moments that defined our service.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 39

Listen to full episode now! “Calm in the Chaos” is available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. Find our conversation and subscribe! - LINKS IN BIO.

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#NavyRescueSwimmer #USNavy #PersianGulf #HelicopterRescue #CombatRescue #MilitaryPodcast #WarStories #RescueSwimmer #NavalAviation #MilitaryLife #VeteranStories #Heroism #SearchAndRescue #AviationPodcast #MilitaryHistory

Mike Dobson, a U.S. Navy Aircrewman and Door Gunner with Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three — HA(L)-3, served heroically in the Vietnam War, flying into the most dangerous combat zones to rescue wounded troops and protect fellow service members. In this powerful episode, Mike shares firsthand accounts of life as a Navy Seawolf, the intense firefights over the Mekong Delta, and the courage it took to fly into enemy fire to save lives. Whether you’re a military history enthusiast, a veteran, or simply someone who values stories of sacrifice and service, this interview is an unforgettable look into the brotherhood, danger, and heroism of the Vietnam War’s most daring aviators.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 38

Listen to full episode now! “Calm in the Chaos” is available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. Find our conversation and subscribe! - LINKS IN BIO.

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#VietnamWar #NavyAircrewman #DoorGunner #HAL3 #Seawolves #VietnamWarStories #HelicopterRescue #MilitaryPodcast #VietnamVeterans #CombatRescue #NavyPilot #USNavy #VietnamHistory #WarHeroes #CombatHelicopter

In this episode, I sit down with my good friend and former SAR brother, Steve Ayers, a retired U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer 4 who spent three decades in naval aviation, performing every mission a helicopter is capable of and more. Steve shares stories from high-risk search and rescue operations, the intensity and lessons of SERE school, and his unforgettable winging party. It’s a candid, personal look at friendship, service, and the traditions that make Navy aviation truly one of a kind.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 37

Listen to full episode now! “Calm in the Chaos” is available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube. Find our conversation and subscribe! - LINKS IN BIO.

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch

(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)

Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout

100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

#NavyCW4 #AviationRescueSwimmer #NavalAviation #SEREschool #WingingParty #NavyHelicopterPilot #MilitaryPodcast #VeteranPodcast #SearchAndRescue #NavyVeteran #MilitaryAviation #RescueSwimmer