Episode 41 drops with Roy Wylie — a veteran who served 37 years between the Army and Department of the Army civilian service.

From Desert Storm to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, Roy saw the evolution of war firsthand. Soft-skin convoys, IED threats, convoy security, and the shift from early war chaos to heavily armored operations.

But the real story isn’t just the deployments.

It’s what came after.

Multiple marriages lost. Years of PTSD. 24 pills a day just to function. And eventually… walking away from it all to rebuild his life on the other side of the world.

This is what service really costs.

This is what healing actually looks like.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

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Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

Mac is back for Part 2.

We finish what got cut short during the tornado warning and go deeper into the realities behind the uniform. We talk about Billmeyer and the lasting impact of his injuries, the weight of leadership, and what it really looks like to take care of your people.

We also get into something most don’t talk about enough. Knowing when it’s time to step away. Mac is retiring at 20, not because he has to, but because he refuses to miss raising his kids. That decision says more about a man than any rank ever will.

This is what leadership looks like after the uniform.

Mac, I’ve got a lot of respect for you. Proud of the man you’ve become.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

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In this episode of Echoes Unfiltered, Sam sits down with Travis “Mac” McCullough, a fellow soldier from the Dodgeville unit, to talk about his deployment to Afghanistan.

Mac shares what it was like running route clearance missions, surviving a grenade attack, and working alongside SEAL Team 10. He also reflects on leadership, purpose, and moments where faith became real in the middle of combat.

This is Part 1 of the conversation. Due to a tornado warning, the episode was cut short — Part 2 will continue right where this leaves off, including the full story of the day Bill got hit.

Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

Jerry Heim, the voice behind Blue Cord CSM and the BootsandChutesUnfiltered podcast, joins Echoes Unfiltered to share his 30-year journey through the Marine Corps and Army, retiring as a Command Sergeant Major.

We talk about combat, leadership, the transition home, and the reality many veterans face when the mission ends but the fight doesn’t.

This is a raw conversation about service, identity, and what it really takes to keep moving forward.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

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I sit down with Kevin, also known as Lt. Fire Duck, who served in Ramadi during the same time period. We talk about his path into service, what he experienced overseas, and what life has looked like since coming home.

This is an honest, unfiltered conversation about war, transition, and what it takes to keep moving forward.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

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Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

In Episode 37 of Echoes Unfiltered, Leo Beach joins me for a powerful conversation about trauma, healing, and why men need to start talking about the things we usually keep buried.

Leo shares personal experiences and the lessons he’s learned about facing pain instead of hiding from it. Conversations like this remind us that none of us are carrying these burdens alone.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

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Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

In this episode I sit down with Army veteran Joe Nichols. Joe deployed to Afghanistan and opens up about something most men struggle to talk about. While he was deployed, his brother was killed in Afghanistan not far from where he was serving.

We talk about loss, grief, brotherhood, and why keeping things bottled up doesn’t work. Joe shares his story honestly because he believes talking about it helps.

These are the conversations a lot of veterans have behind closed doors. On this show, we bring them into the open.

Real talk. Real loss. Real healing.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

Follow the mission:
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Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

In this episode, I sit down with John Levin for an honest conversation about service, life experiences, and the stories that stay with us long after the uniform comes off.

Echoes Unfiltered is about real conversations with veterans, first responders, and people who have lived through extraordinary experiences. No scripts. No filters. Just honest dialogue.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

Follow the mission:
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Facebook – Echoes Unfiltered
TikTok – @echoes_unfiltered
Podcast available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio

Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

In this episode, I’m joined by Army veteran and former platoon leader Lieutenant Alec Z. We served in different wars, but the brotherhood and the weight that follows are the same.

We talk about route clearance in Afghanistan, leading soldiers in combat, coming home to a different kind of battle, and why the buddy checks don’t stop when the war ends.

This is a real conversation about service, survival, and what healing can look like years later.

If this episode resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

You can order my book, now available on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

Follow the mission:
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Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

In Episode 33 of Echoes Unfiltered, I sit down with Marine veteran Seth Mahoney.

Seth opens up about his deployment to Iraq, the struggles that followed after coming home, and the road that led him through addiction and prison. But this isn’t just a story about falling — it’s a story about redemption.

We talk about faith, consequences, brotherhood, and the reality that no one is beyond a second chance.

If you’re in a dark place right now, this conversation is for you.

Order my book on Amazon:
Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton

Follow Echoes Unfiltered on YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, and TikTok @echoes_unfiltered.

Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.