Blayne Smith is a former Special Forces soldier that started his career off as an Armor Officer after graduating from West Point. Blayne deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the service and writing Perseverance Is Greater than Endurance.

Support the show
https://patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://jcramergraphics.com
https://ANGLICOshop.com

Blayne's links
Company: https://www.appliedleadershippartners.com/ 
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Endurance-Resilience-Adversity-Together/dp/163774627X

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad
00:00:30 Journey to West Point
00:06:08 The History and Heritage of West Point
00:11:59 Transitioning to the Army and Armor Branch
00:14:47 Pre-9/11 Military Training and Mindset
00:20:56 Iraq Combat Ops and Recon Missions
00:35:27 Surveillance and EOD Escort Missions
00:42:32 Combined Arms
00:46:54 Special Forces Selection Process
00:52:50 Moral Ambiguity in Special Operations
00:59:15 Insights from the Qualification Course
01:10:23 Building Team Cohesion | Team Dynamics and Training
01:14:48 Deployment Decisions and Responsibilities
01:19:09 Mission Objectives and Local Forces
01:24:53 Engagements and Tactical Challenges
01:32:22 Ambush Experiences and Lessons Learned
01:38:18 Leadership Under Pressure
01:43:09 Reflections on Loss and Moving Forward

Retired Army Command Sergeant Major Bart Womack shares his journey from basic training in 1977 to deployments in Korea, Turkey, and Germany. He recounts a firefight in the Korean DMZ, his service at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and his experiences during the September 11th attacks and an insider attack in Iraq.

Support the show
https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://www.jcramergraphics.com
https://www.ANGLICOshop.com

Brandon Young joined the Army and immediately tried out for a spot in the 75th Ranger Regiment when the opportunity presented itself at the Basic Airborne Course. Brandon's unit was one of the first to respond to the 9/11 attacks and he deployed to Afghanistan 3 more times.

Support the show
https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://www.jcramergraphics.com
https://www.ANGLICOshop.com

Brandon's links
Book: https://www.perseverancebook.com 
Website: https://www.applieleadershippartners.com

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad | Military Gear Discussion
00:03:11 Volunteering for the Army Rangers
00:06:08 Ranger Indoctrination Program
00:09:11 Evolution of Ranger Training and Readiness
00:12:01 Deployment Experiences: The Reality of Combat
00:18:01 75th Ranger Regiment Structure
00:20:48 Life Events During Military Service
00:26:56 Connecting Veterans with Civilian Communities
00:44:28 Navigating Military Responsibilities and Personal Life
00:47:06 Understanding Moral Injury in Combat
00:49:41 The Complexity of Combat Decisions
00:56:01 Reflections on the Afghanistan Withdrawal
01:04:19 The Struggles of Mental Health in Veterans
01:10:00 The Value of Journaling and Reflection
01:26:15 Understanding the Battlefield
01:27:57 First Deployment to Afghanistan
01:32:21 Chasing Ghosts: The Reality of Combat
01:36:46 The Evolution of Combat Experience
01:39:44 The Impact of Casualties
01:52:58 The Weight of Loss and Reality

Justin "Hasard" Lee is a F35 and F16 test pilot who makes social media content that focuses on the life of a fighter pilot. We discuss the future of fighter pilots as drones become more advanced in this clip taken from Ep. 170.

Support the show
https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://www.jcramergraphics.com
https://www.ANGLICOshop.com

On April 9th, 2005, Matt Klein, a retired NYPD detective and US Army infantryman, was struck by an IED while patrolling a cemetery in Samarra, Iraq. After the strike, the other members of his unit located and captured the triggerman.

In this clip taken from Ep. 180, Klein shares his incredible story of survival and resilience. He talks about the moment of the attack and the aftermath.

Support the show
https://patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://jcramergraphics.com
https://ANGLICOshop.com

Brennan Morton is a former reconnaissance Marine who served with 2nd Recon Battalion during two deployments to Iraq. Brennan is also the author of Valhalla Boys, a book about his service.

Support the show
https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://www.jcramergraphics.com
https://www.ANGLICOshop.com

Brennan's Links
https://www.facebook.com/Brennan.Morton.Author
https://www.facebook.com/paladinpresspublishing/
https://www.instagram.com/paladinpresspublishing
https://amzn.to/4jq4ixy

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad
00:00:29 Intro | Joining the Marines
00:05:07 Marine Corps Tattoos
00:08:28 Call-To-Arms
00:12:19 Recon and SEAL Contracts as Recruiting Tools
00:16:15 Are SEALs Better Swimmers than Marine Recon?
00:20:42 Prepping Your Feet for Rucking
00:25:04 Marine Snipers | Organizational Changes
00:29:50 From Marine Infantry to Recon ARS
00:38:54 Work-Up and 1st Iraq Deployment
00:59:17 Over Worked and Underutilized
01:10:49 Grooming Standards | Advisor Teams
01:20:12 Sniper School
01:29:07 2nd Deployment to Iraq with 2nd Recon
01:35:04 Occupying Compounds
01:40:59 Valhalla Boys

Brian Dickinson is a former Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer and alpinist that has climbed the highest peak on each continent. Check out our entire interview on Ep. 211.

Support the show
https://jcramergraphics.com
https://ANGLICOshop.com
https://patreon.com/formeractionguys

Brian's Site
https://briandickinson.net/

00:00:00 Tibet Route vs Nepal Route
00:04:09 Acclimating to Everest
00:07:27 Summit Day
00:09:59 Gear Malfunction
00:13:52 The Final Push | Summiting Everest
00:19:57 Verifying a Summit

Merryl Tengesdal had a dream to reach space and believed her best chance was as a Naval Aviator. She began her career flying H-60s, moved on to training students flying the T-34c and T-6a, then applied for an inter-service transfer to screen to become a U-2 spy plane pilot.

Support the show
https://www.jcramergraphics.com
https://www.ANGLICOshop.com
https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys

Merryl's sites
https://merryltengesdal.com/shop-book/
https://www.youtube.com/@UC_RCb3DfyEaWv80aQlKooRg

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad
00:00:40 Intro | mIRC Chat
00:04:47 1st Deployment | 1st Females on Ship
00:10:00 I Wanted to Be an Astronaut
00:14:40 Flight School
00:19:59 Landing SH-60s in Rough Seas
00:32:24 SH-60 Roles
00:34:40 2nd Deployment | South America
00:46:58 Different Cultures
00:56:44 Applying to be a U-2 Pilot
01:01:38 U-2 Spy Plane Pilot Selection and Training
01:16:54 U-2 Pilot's Custom Space Suit
01:23:04 Operating at High-Altitude
01:32:58 First High Altitude Flight | Food During Missions
01:37:02 Foreign Navies and Life on US Ships
01:42:33 Reality Checks | Casualty Assistance Officer
01:52:46 Extreme Ross

Aren Brandfass & Cody Anderson are former MARSOC plank holders who also worked as government contractors before starting the Stranger By The Hour podcast. We dive into some current events and controversies in this episode!

Support the show
https://www.jcramergraphics.com/collections/infantry
https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys
https://www.ANGLICOshop.com

Stranger By The Hour Link
https://open.spotify.com/show/5Webs3ny2aEpe7AuKp6rPv

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad
00:00:40 Intro | Podcasting
00:09:00 Information Operations
00:15:50 Who is "They"
00:24:30 Epstein
00:29:49 Ukraine vs Russia
00:50:43 Immigration
00:57:35 Artifical Intelligence
01:03:37 Assassination Attempt
01:17:46 OnlyFans
01:33:43 Tech Overlords
01:45:04 Not Caring About Overseas Conflicts
02:09:43 Keeping Perspective

Travis Harless is a former 0311 Marine Rifleman who joined when he was 17 and linked up with C 1/7 in Kuwait only weeks after graduating from the School of Infantry. Because his first deployment began so soon into his enlistment, Harless was able to deploy three times during his four year enlistment.

Support the show
C 1/7 Flags: https://www.jcramergraphics.com/search?q=charley 
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/formeractionguys
ANGLICO Gear: https://www.anglicoshop.com 

Travis's podcast
https://youtube.com/@badgesbulletsblunders 

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad
00:00:40 Intro | Joining the Marines
00:06:48 Police Academy vs Marine Boot Camp
00:10:06 Infantry Training | Deployment with C 1/7
00:26:51 First Engagement
00:35:02 Rockets
00:45:03 The Infantry | From Iron Sights to Optics
00:56:55 Hillbilly Armor
01:11:13 Pre-Deployment Training
01:25:38 Is Iraq Safer Now?