Hazard Ground

Henry Hughes' family tradition of military service dates all the way back to the American Revolution. For him, he chose the Army and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He served multiple combat tours with the 173rd, including one at COP Keating - the infamous outpost we've covered in several previous episodes - in 2008. When Hughes left the Army, it was to pursue a new passion - filmmaking. He has since been mentored by George Lucas, nominated for an Academy Award, and co-produced and acted in "The Outpost" - the 2020 film about COP Keating and the Battle of Kamdesh - as he continues down the path of a working filmmaker. Hear his powerful and inspirational story on our latest episode of HAZARD GROUND!

"Day One" | "The Outpost"

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light (www.silenceandlightmusic.com )

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eddie Wright's story is pretty insane! In 2004, he and his small element of Marines were ambushed in Iraq. Eddie immediately lost just about 100% of his physical ability to fight back. Calm and alert through the entire firefight that followed, Eddie remained a leader on the battlefield, directing other Marines returning fire and guiding those rendering aid. Despite the loss of two limbs, Eddie would return to active duty not long after the ambush. Hear his amazing and powerful story on this latest episode of HAZARD GROUND!

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nick Rucker is a veteran of two combat deployments - one to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. Those deployments didn't come without a price. After returning home, Nick struggled with Post Traumatic Stress and alcoholism - two powerful adversaries that required the will to fight, even after the wars for him were over. Nick is now a touring country songwriter and singer, an author, and most important of all: sober. Hear about his struggle returning from one battlefield to a war on the homefront that nearly destroyed him, on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

"Time Cap" | www.guitars4vets.org | www.killcliff.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For our first episode released in both audio and video formats with our partners at Kill Cliff, Greg "Billy Bob" Thornton & Raymond "Donk" Strasburger - both Air Force A-10 pilots - take us through one of the most harrowing combat missions at the onset of the Iraq War in early 2003.  Both pilots flew their A-10s through a blinding sandstorm, in a white-knuckle effort to provide critical close air support to U.S. troops in direct contact with Iraqi tanks. One of those troops was also one of their own - a fellow A-10 pilot from their squadron who was serving as the JTAC for the unit on the ground. Hear firsthand how the mission unfolded, and how it nearly ended in disaster, on this powerful, "keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat" edition of HAZARD GROUND!

www.killcliff.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brian Ribera is a retired Navy SEAL and the founder and president of Military Mobility - a non-profit, adventure-based organization that specializes in off-road expeditions and resiliency training for veterans. Military Mobility's mission is to "put clients in a team environment which fosters camaraderie, trust, and inspires the realization that any challenge - no matter how great - can be overcome." Hear how Brian has served his country at the most specialized levels of combat operations, to how he continues to serve veterans across the spectrum, in this bonus edition of HAZARD GROUND!

www.militarymobility.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we wrap up an extensive look at COP Keating and the Battle of Kamdesh, which occurred on October 3rd, 2009, in Afghanistan, Zachary Koppes takes us on an intense and sometimes hilarious/sometimes heartbreaking journey through the day-long battle and its aftermath. Koppes spent the entire day in the fight, firing his MK 19 grenade launcher at enemy targets while trying to avoid being hit by a sniper who had a bead on his position (and his head). Hear the powerful story of combat, survival, loss, and resilience from the unlikeliest of soldiers, on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jeff Depatie is the first ever Canadian servicemember we've had on the podcast. The man was born to be a warrior, spending his career in the Canadian Armed Forces as a sniper/assaulter in JTF 2 - an extremely high-readiness and precise, tier one special operations forces unit. JTF 2's mission is to protect Canadian national interests and combat terrorism and threats to Canadians at home and abroad. Following his time in the military, Jeff co-founded The Special Forces Experience - a program that immerses participants in adverse environments with the intent to catalyze post-traumatic growth and improve human optimization. Hear Jeff's story of combat and survival on this latest episode of HAZARD GROUND!

www.thespecialforcesexperience.com

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, another detailed look at COP Keating and the October 3rd, 2009 Battle of Kamdesh in Afghanistan with Chris Jones. Chris was an Infantry soldier in Red Platoon, Bravo Troop 3-61 Cav. He was also one of the five guys who volunteered for Clint Romesha's small team to take back the outpost against overwhelming odds. Jones talks about the intense battle that unfolded that day in October 2009, and the strong bonds amongst brothers in arms that kept a relatively small number of them fighting like hell until COP Keating was once again secure. Hear his powerful story of combat and survival on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we return to COP Keating and the Battle of Kamdesh, which took place on October 3rd, 2009 in Afghanistan. Kyle Knight was a Forward Observer in Red Platoon, Bravo Troop 3-61 Cav. Kyle offers an unvarnished perspective of what life was like on Keating before the overwhelming October 3rd attack, the leadership failures that lead to it, and the hours fighting on the ground to win back American control of the combat outpost. He and his unit of just 53 U.S. cavalry scouts ultimately repelled over 300 Taliban fighters while defending COP Keating. Hear his story of combat and survival on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

"Midnight Chow"

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Shauna Springer's father raised his kids like a drill instructor - up at 5 a.m. three times a week to run miles in the dark at a local track. That kind of activity at an early age, along with solo mission service trips to foreign countries starting at the age of 10, may just have been the spark that started Dr. Springer on a path to understanding the psychological trauma veterans face on and off the battlefield. She isn't a veteran, but she has made it her life's mission to understand the psychology of a warrior, to the point where she is one of the most trusted docs within the veteran community. Hear her story and how she continues to help veterans heal in our latest episode of HAZARD GROUND!

www.docshaunaspringer.com | "Warrior: How to Support Those Who Protect Us"

Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors!

Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link)

Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!

Episode Intro Music: "Prelude" by "Silence & Light" (www.silenceandlightmusic.com)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices