Choices Not Chances Podcast

By Ryan Rogers And Matthew Charette

The Choices Not Chances Podcast came about after the release of Ryan Rogers’s new book, "Lions of Marjah". The Podcast is a veteran-oriented work, focusing on interviews of not only combat veterans bu... more

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FAQs about Choices Not Chances Podcast:

How many episodes does Choices Not Chances Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 166 episodes available.

Choices Not Chances Podcast episodes:

December 12, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 85 - Ron Holmes (USMC Master Sergeant Retired)
Ron Holmes retired from Marine Special Operations Command after serving over 20 years in the U.S. Marines. During his time at MARSOC as the Communications Operations Chief he was the senior enlisted responsible for creating the first Marine Special Operations Communications School called MNOC (Marine Network Operators Course). Before this, he served with Force Reconnaissance commands for much of his time in
service. His primary job was Reconnaissance Communications. Post retirement he worked in support of the Global War on Terror for the Joint Special Operations Command. Shortly thereafter serving as a Sensor Operator on an Intelligence Reconnaissance Surveillance platform. This led him to work as an Independent Diplomatic Security Consultant. In 2014 he was diagnosed with cancer and could no longer deploy. As of today, he is cancer-free. For the last 15 years, He has run his own firearms training that has provided over
7000 hours of marksmanship instruction for all skill levels on multiple weapons platforms. RYKER USA was created in 2014. He holds a patent for the RYKER Grip that he invented. He is a principal owner of RYKER USA. He has a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Management, with honors. The summer of 2023 he created the Life SKillZ Academy. A summer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-15. The camp works to create assets in the home and the community starting at the age of 6. Their motto is God-Family-Country. He is married to Tracey lynn Holmes together they have their son Ryker Jeffrey Holmes who the company and grip
were named after. His son is also named after fallen Force Recon Communicator, Jeffrey “Corky” Starling. He lives by the 5 F’s and a B. Faith, Family, Fitness, Fighting, Firearms, and a BOW. The goal with their company, products and training is the same. Make a positive impact and leave you better than when you started. You can reach Ron Holmes at the following.
[email protected]
www.rykerusa.com
[email protected]
www.lifeskillzusa.com
Instagram @instructorone , @rykerusa , @lifeskillzusa
Youtube @rykerusa , @lifeskillzus
...more
2h 35min
November 20, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 84 - Brad Moses (Col. US Army Ret.) Army Special Forces GWOT
Accomplished Special Operations leader for 26 years with a passion for coaching and mentoring others and developing new ideas and initiatives while always maintaining the highest ethics. Brad is a highly analytical problem solver, adapt at arranging the individuals on the team for optimal success and creating opportunities for emerging leaders to develop and grow. With over 80 months of combat experience throughout Afghanistan and North-Western Africa, he has had the honor of serving with and leading the most elite people on earth. Brad Moses is a native of New Jersey. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in May 1995. He has served in the 82d Airborne Division, the 75th Ranger Regiment and 3rd Special Forces
Group Brad resides in Holly Ridge North Carolina with his wife Stacy and their two sons, Hunter and Lucas.
Brad has a Master of Science in Strategic Studies, from the United States Army War College, and a Bachelor of Arts, in English, from Virginia Military Institute
...more
2h 35min
October 29, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 83- Jo Munisteri- Explorer and Author
Intrepid Explorer of inner and outer worlds. Jo is an educator, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, was a Sundancer, a certified combat analyst,a student of martial arts, and an avid hiker, choreographer/dancer and swimmer.
Jo is a mother of a son and a daughter- Denali and Sequoia Schmidt, and former wife of the late USAF PJ, mountain guide and climber Martin W. Schmidt.
Jo's non-fiction, technical writing and research is published in New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Pakistan, Russia, India, and Iraq (in English).
Jo publishes her poetry and creative fiction under Jo Patti.
She is a graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Massey University, and has her diploma from New Zealand School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In addition, Jo has a Third Class Radio Engineering License (NYC) and completed numerous Professional Development courses.

...more
3h 22min
October 23, 2024 Choices Not Chances Special Edition- Episode 82-Rick Greene (Col. US Army Ret.) Georgian Civil War
In this episode, our returning guest Rick Green walks us through the Georgian Civil War from the eyes of the first American on deck in an official capacity. Rick was a Specialist in the Russian Language and Culture. He was selected to be a U.N. Observer to keep the peace between Abkhazia and Georgia as the nation started to split. Rick was in the conflict zone in a small safehouse in Gali, a town ravaged by both forces multiple times. He details his daily battle rhythm and some of the scarier times he experienced in days past. Rick also compares what we see today, versus what we saw in the past.
...more
2h 20min
October 09, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 81 Ron Jansen (USMC - Fallujah)
Ron joined the Marine Corps Reserves as an Infantryman in 2002 and deployed as
force protection to Djibouti, Africa in January 2003 in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom. In 2006 he was deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. There, he served as infantry squad leader in a variety of counter-insurgency
missions. Some of Ron and his unit’s experiences are recounted in the book Fallujah
Awakens: Marines, Sheikhs and the Battle Against al Qaeda, by Bill Ardolino.

Ron holds an Associates Degree from Grand Rapids Community College, a Bachelors
in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University and a Masters of
Management, Strategy and Leadership from Michigan State University.

Ron joined SpartanNash in 2020. Prior to joining SpartanNash he was Senior Manager,
Mergers and Acquisitions at Stryker, medical device company. Ron held several roles at
Stryker to include Project Manager, M&A Integration and Program Manager, Strategic
Development. Prior to joining Stryker, Ron held a variety of project and operations
management roles at SecurAlarm Systems, a video and access control system
integrator.
...more
1h 42min
September 24, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 80 David Pouleris (Maj. USMC retired)
David Pouleris grew up in Richmond Virginia and attended Midlothian High School. His interests during this time included skateboarding, flying, collegiate-style wrestling, hunting, fishing, and being an active member of the volunteer fire department and rescue squad. He attended Virginia Military Institute and graduated in 1998. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve as a Motor Transport Operator until his commissioning in 1999. After The Basic School 2nd Lieutenant Pouleris graduated from communication school and was awarded the Communication Officer MOS.
In the 20 years Dave spent in the Marine Corps he served in the following units: 4th Combat Engineer Battalion | 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit | 2d Force Service Support Group | 2d Force Reconnaissance Company | 2d Marine Special Operations Battalion (now known as 2d Raider Battalion) | Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic | Programs and Resources, Headquarters Marine Corps - Pentagon | Marine Security Cooperation Group | Headquarters, Marine Forces Special Operations Command.
While on active-duty Dave was certified as a Navy and Marine Corps Parachutist and a Joint Terminal Attack Controller Instructor (JTAC-I). His personal awards included the Meritorious Service Medal (x2), Navy Commendation Medal (x3), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, and numerous unit and campaign awards.
Dave’s deployed experiences while on active duty include Joint and Multi-National training evolutions both home and abroad, as well as deployments to Kosovo, Kuwait, two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan.
Upon retirement from the Marine Corps in 2018 Dave became the first Director of Programs for The Honor Foundation (THF) campus serving Marine Forces Specials Operations Command in Wilmington North Carolina. In 2021 Dave turned over his duties at The Honor Foundation and was hired as the Vice President of Operations for CloudWyze, an IT services company in Wilmington N.C. In 2022 Dave was presented with a rare opportunity to return to the fire service as a Firefighter / EMT with the North Topsail Beach Fire Department where he still serves part-time. In 2024 Dave was hired as the full-time Operations Manager with PipeView Technologies, a utility cleaning and surveying company in Wilmington N.C.
...more
3h 42min
September 10, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 79 Stephen Y. Roberts (SSgt, USMC) Afghanistan/Iraq
Stephen Roberts is a highly decorated infantryman with 11 years of military service, seamlessly
transitioning into a successful Inventory and Procurement Management career. As Supply
As chain Manager at Dakota Matting, he excelled in managing strategic sourcing and procurement functions. Stephen played a crucial role in the seamless integration of an enterprise-wide ERP system, tracking assets and enhancing operational efficiency.
In prior roles, including Distribution Center Manager at Leaf Home, Hudson, Ohio, and
Warehouse Manager at Leaf Home Solutions, Stephen showcased his skills in effective sourcing,
procurement management, and warehouse optimization. His strategic distribution and
procurement strategies, coupled with his ability to establish centralized control programs, led to
enhanced cost-effectiveness and resource utilization.
Stephen's military experience as Chief Instructor in the United States Marine Corps from 2011 to
2016, where he received recognition as the Top Enlisted Instructor at The Basic School in 2014,
further highlights his leadership and training capabilities. Recognized for heroic actions in Iraq
and Afghanistan, he received multiple military awards, demonstrating his commitment to
excellence. Beyond his professional achievements, Stephen's community involvement, academic excellence, and OSHA 30 Certification from Eastern Michigan University showcase his commitment to well-rounded success. With a Bachelor of Science in Social Science from the American Military University and Dean's List honors, Stephen brings a unique blend of leadership, strategic thinking, and procurement expertise to any organization.
...more
1h 40min
August 27, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Episode 78 Lieutenant General Lawrence Nicholson (USMC Retired)
Lieutenant General Lawrence D. Nicholson, USMC (Ret.) retired after 39 years of active duty
service to our nation in October of 2018 as the Commanding General of III Marine Expeditionary
Force in Japan. He was born in Toronto, Canada, and commissioned after graduating from The
Citadel, in Charleston SC in 1979. From 1980-1990 he served as an Infantryman in the First
Marine Division, and as a Series and Company Commander at MCRD San Diego. From 1990-
1993 he served at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Additionally, he served
as a United Nations Observer in the Middle East in 1994-95, at NATO HQ in Brussels, Belgium
from 2002-04, as the Commander of the Warlords of 2nd Bn 2nd Marines from 1999-2001, and
as the Senior Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon from 2010-
2012. Lt.Gen. Nicholson earned a master’s degree from the United States Army Command and
General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS. and is a 2002 graduate of the NATO Defense
College in Rome, Italy.
Multiple combat tours include service as the G-3 (Operations) of the 1st Marine Division in
Ramadi, Iraq during 2004-05, and as the Commander of the 5th Marine Regiment in Fallujah,
Iraq 2006-07. He commanded Task Force Leatherneck and the 2nd Marine Expeditionary
Brigade in Helmand Province Afghanistan from 2009-2010. He later returned to Afghanistan in
2012 as the CJ-3 Operations Officer for the ISAF Joint Command (IJC). Lt.Gen. Nicholson
commanded the famed 1st Marine (Blue Diamond) Division at Camp Pendleton California from
2013-2015.
After retiring from active duty, Lt.Gen. Nicholson served as a Vice President for Execution and
Leadership for the H.T. Hackney Company in Knoxville, TN until July of 2022. Today he serves
as a Senior Mentor and Highly Qualified Expert for the Joint Staff travelling globally in support of
large scale exercises. Additionally, he serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow for the Sasakawa
Peace Foundation is on the advisory board for Spirit of America and serves on several
veterans-focused non-profit boards. He and his wife Deborah enjoy spoiling their 9
grandchildren, and hiking in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
...more
1h 6min
August 23, 2024 Choices Not Chances Episode 71-Kevin Knuckles(Cpl. USMC)Marjah Marine
Original "Lion of Marjah" Kevin Knuckles, joins the show to share his perspective of The original work up and push into Marjah, as well as his follow-on deployment back to Marjah. The second pump thriving in a leadership position in the squad. Kevin was always a special Marine to Second Squad. He was thirsty and reliable. A Marine that was honest and required very little supervision when given a task, "Message to Garcia" as the saying goes. Knuckles will forever be a war hero, a man amongst men, a Marine through and through.
...more
2h 13min
July 01, 2024 Choices Not Chances Podcast Ep. 77 Sean Carano (LtCol. USMC Ret.) Afghanistan, The Honor Foundation
In this episode, Sean Goes into his unorthodox career progression during service, and his transition out. He is now the Director of The Honor Foundation, where his team aids in transitioning the Nation's Special operators through fellowship and networking. Sean is a stand-out man and an awesome leader.
...more
1h 28min

FAQs about Choices Not Chances Podcast:

How many episodes does Choices Not Chances Podcast have?

The podcast currently has 166 episodes available.

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