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Buckle up for Episode 10 of Death on Call — this one’s loaded with raw AC-130 gunship stories, hilarious crew chaos, and honest talk about transitioning out of the military.Joining JL Pelt are two standout guests:Mike Grochol – Former AC-130U Sensor Operator who flew 100+ combat missions and later built a defense tech company from under $1M to over $100M in revenue before selling to General Dynamics.Brian Flanigan – Former AC-130 Navigator turned Pilot who flew multiple deployments, beat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (including a tumor the size of a softball), and later served as Director of Operations for MQ-9 Reapers.From intense danger close fires and chaotic missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, to range shenanigans, man-card revocations, P1 Passions dedications, and the infamous “nighttime activities” calls — this episode captures the full spectrum of gunship life.They also open up about the mental and professional transition after leaving the uniform, leadership lessons learned in the booth, and how their gunship experience shaped their success in the civilian world.What You’ll Hear:Wild range stories and crew hazing that only gunship guys understandFirst combat shoots and a few “almost” disastersSupporting SEALs and Army units in heavy contactThe legendary French Tick mission chaosBrian’s battle with cancer and returning to the fightGoing from the flight deck to building companies and airline cockpitsIf you flew the gun, supported it, or just love real military aviation stories — this episode is for you.

🔔 Subscribe for more raw AC-130 gunship stories, crew confessions, and never-before-heard combat tales.

💬 Drop a story about your gunship family in the comments — we read every single one.

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Listen/watch us on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean

Email: [email protected]

#AC130 #SpookyGunship #Navigator #Firecontrol #GunshipPodcast #DeathOnCall #AFSOC #SpecialOperations #GWOT #CombatStories #AirForceVeteran #GunshipLegacy #MilitaryPodcast #AC130U #VeteranStories #DarkHumorMilitary #gunshipcrew

Ever wondered what it’s actually like inside an AC-130 gunship when the headsets are on and the cameras are off? In episode nine of the Death on Call Podcast, host JL Pelt sits down with our guests to pull back the curtain on the "Symphony of Chaos."

Joining us from the newly renovated "Gun Deck" studios are Tech Sergeant (Ret.) Juan Newman, a veteran flight engineer, and Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Jen Brock (Walker).From the high-stakes pressure of the schoolhouse to the gritty reality of deployments, this episode is a raw look at the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of Special Operations. We talk about the gear, the "honey bucket" horror stories, and the hard truth of fighting a war when politics get in the way.

𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄:

➤ Shows first Female Loadmaster: Jen’s journey to the AC-130U.

➤ Shows first Flight Engineer: Juan on the mindset shift from delivering to hunting.

➤ The Culture of the "Suck": Why crews fight at shutdown but die for each other in the air.

➤ Safety vs. Mission: A candid look at friction with "bean counters."

➤ The "Muffin Prank": The hilarious traditions that keep crews sane.

🔔 Subscribe for more raw AC-130 gunship stories, crew confessions, and never-before-heard combat tales.

💬 Drop a story about your gunship family in the comments — we read every single one.

-- CONNECT WITH US --

Listen/watch us on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean

Email: [email protected]

#AC130 #SpookyGunship #Navigator #Firecontrol #GunshipPodcast #DeathOnCall #AFSOC #SpecialOperations #GWOT #CombatStories #AirForceVeteran #GunshipLegacy #MilitaryPodcast #AC130U #VeteranStories #DarkHumorMilitary #gunshipcrew

Welcome to Episode 8 of the Death on Call Podcast! In this all-officer episode, hosts JL Pelt and Jon Shipley sit down with retired Air Force officers Chris Tharp and John "JLo" Lorenz for a conversation that is, at it's core, a love letter to the gunship family.From the moment they stepped into the 19th SOS, they felt it: that instant, unbreakable bond that turned coworkers into brothers and sisters for life. What started as shared cockpits and chaotic training lines grew into something deeper — a true family that showed up in the darkest moments, from first-deployment firefights to life-changing personal trials. Chris shares how the entire gunship community rallied around his family, facilitated prayers from six continents, the kind of love only this family can give. JLo talks about how the gun deck became home more than anywhere else, and how that camaraderie still hits him years after retirement.This episode is packed with the raw stories, dark humor, Travis the Monkey and unicorn pranks, and real stories of faith and solidarity.Topics Covered:From Civil Engineering to Aviation: Both guests share their backgrounds starting in CE as enlisted troops before commissioning and moving into special operations aviation.The Gunship Family & Brotherhood: Stories about checking into the 19th SOS, finding an immediate sense of home, and forming unbreakable bonds in and out of the aircraft.Combat Realities & Levity: How incorporating humor during training kept students sharp and fostered absolute trust among crew members.The Legend of Travis and the Unicorn: The story behind Travis the chimp and the unicorn, and how these running jokes became absolute staples in the cockpit.If you have ever worn the gunship patch, or felt that deeper-than-blood connection, this one’s going to hit you right in the chest, and gut busting laugher.🔔 Subscribe for more raw AC-130 gunship stories, crew confessions, and never-before-heard combat tales.💬 Drop a story about your gunship family in the comments — we read every single one.

-- CONNECT WITH US --

Listen/watch us on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean

Email: [email protected]

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene02:53 First Impressions and Training Experiences08:36 Deployment Stories and Morbid Humor26:36 Dark Humor in the Military35:48 The Balance of Seriousness and Humor47:46 Memorable Student Experiences and Lessons Learned57:11 Classroom Chaos and Leadership Emergence01:02:55 Reflections on Military Culture and Change01:09:28 The Impact of Personal History on Military Careers01:15:46 First Combat Experiences: The Reality of War01:21:34 The Weight of Responsibility in Combat01:32:44 Training for Real-World Scenarios01:40:35 Teamwork and Communication in Combat01:48:17 Cross-Training and Backup Roles02:01:18 The Gunship Community and Its Bonds02:08:54 The Impact of Personal Connections02:14:03 Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life02:26:42 Reflections on a Career in AFSOC02:34:27 Building New Connections and Community02:46:28 Reflecting on Mentorship and Legacy

Master Sergeant (Ret.) Eddie Robinson and Tech Sergeant Jimmy Christensen join guest host Jon Shipley for one of the wildest episodes yet.

From their unlikely (and chaotic) friendship to gunner hugs, hot sauce pranks that went way too far, GBJ poker battles, and the non-stop shenanigans that kept gunship crews sane downrange — this is the real, unfiltered gun deck experience.

They also open up about:

- The brutal intensity of gunship training

- First deployment stories that changed how they saw the mission

- The mentors who shaped them and the lessons they still carry

- What the gunship legacy really means to them today

If you ever flew the Spooky, survived the Hurlburt dorms, or just want the raw truth about life on the gun deck… buckle up.

🔔 Subscribe for more raw AC-130 gunship stories, crew confessions, and never-before-heard combat tales.

💬 Drop your favorite sensor or gunship memory in the comments.

#AC130 #Gunship #Spooky #GunnerHugs #GunDeck #DeathOnCall #GWOT #AerialGunner #AC130U #AC130J #GunshipShenanigans

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Listen/watch us on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Podbean

Email: [email protected]:00 Introduction to the Guests

03:06 Friendship Origins: Eddie and Jimmy's Story

05:31 Danger Close Apparel

06:24 Paths to Gunships: Career Beginnings

09:34 Training Experiences: Transitioning to Gunships

12:13 Intensity of Training: Expectations vs. Reality

14:54 First Gunship Deployments: Experiences and Anecdotes

17:35 Traditions and Shenanigans: Life on Deployment

20:26 Gunner Blackjack: A Deployment Tradition

23:07 Memorable Crew Traditions: Beyond Blackjack

37:42 ROE Graphics

38:53 Traditions and Memories in Service

41:58 Wrestling and Team Dynamics

44:13 Never Show Weakness

45:06 Hard Earned Lessons

47:23 The Hot Sauce Incident

59:21 Food Challenges and Boredom

01:00:21 Transformative Flight Experiences

01:06:29 War Stories and Unconventional Experiences

01:12:45 Lessons from Gunship Operations

01:19:46 The Importance of Teamwork and Regulations

01:27:00 Legacy of Gunships and Personal Reflections

01:34:47 Reflections on Legacy and Growth

01:37:31 Misunderstandings and Personal Growth

01:38:24 The Ruthlessness of Gunner Black Jack

01:38:55 Gratitude and Acknowledgments

01:44:18 I'm A Gun Ship Guy (You Know What You Are).mp3

From Season 1 Episode 7. What it takes to be a good crew member. Episode release 3/29/26 @ 10am EST

Episode 6 of Death on Call — “Sensors Tracking” — takes you inside the booth with two legendary retired AC-130 sensor operators: Master Sergeant (Ret.) Tracy “Rage” Rich and Master Sergeant (Ret.) Jeremy “TF” Whitley. From AWACS origins to gunship chaos, they share raw, unfiltered stories of their first shoots, near-misses with RPGs and power lines, floor-loaded 40mm runs, coaching rookies under fire, dark humor in the gun deck, epic crew rivalries, the infamous Cinnabon meltdown, and the unbreakable bond that made gunships the best job they ever had. They open up about the mental shift from taking lives to living with it, the importance of calm under chaos, and why the enlisted sensor role was the heart of GWOT gunship success. If you want the real story of what it took to be the eyes and trigger finger of Spooky — this is it.Sponsored by Danger Close Apparel & ROE Graphics — use promo code DEATHONCALL (one word) for 15% off.🔔 Subscribe for more raw AC-130 gunship stories, crew confessions, and never-before-heard combat tales.💬 Drop your favorite sensor or gunship memory in the comments.#AC130 #SpookyGunship #SensorOperator #1A4 #GunshipPodcast #DeathOnCall #AFSOC #SpecialOperations #GWOT #CombatStories #AirForceVeteran #GunshipLegacy #MilitaryPodcast #AC130U #VeteranStories #DarkHumorMilitary #GunshipCrew-- CONNECT WITH US -- Listen/watch us on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and PodbeanEmail: [email protected]

All loadmaster.... and an EWO.In Episode 5 of the Death on Call podcast — "The 1A2 Show" — host reunites with two legendary retired AC-130U Spooky loadmasters: Master Sergeant (Ret.) Cade Cooper, a 4th SOS plankholder with 17 deployments, 5,000+ flying hours, and combat spanning the Balkans to Iraq (including one of the first U-model engagements in Kosovo), and Technical Sergeant (Ret.) Joshua Johnson, who cross-trained from dental technician to gunship loadmaster, logging 2,223 total hours (1,500 combat), 8 deployments, and 250+ combat missions. Over three raw, unfiltered hours, they share wild stories of early U-model days in condemned trailers, 36-hour endurance flights, floor-loading 40mm in combat (one night destroying 15% of ISIS black-market oil trucks), rogue gunship moments, shooting mosques used as fighting positions, near-misses with Russian fighters over Syria, throwing refrigerators out the ramp, pit-pack satellite dish attacks, dark humor pranks that sent psychologists running, the psychological toll of GWOT missions, and the unbreakable family bond forged in brass, blood, sweat, and beer — a legacy where you brutalize each other inside but defend the tribe against anyone outside. We also have potentially the funniest revelation of what the common access card reader is actually called.-- CONNECT WITH US --Listen/watch us on: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and PodbeanEmail: [email protected]