It’s often said on this podcast that war and combat change you forever, no matter your level of exposure. Tim Stolinski is living proof of that. Deployed to Iraq to train and advise Iraqi Border Police as part of a Military Transition Team (MiTT) in 2009, Stolinski was integrated into a society and fledgling military reeling from an insurgency and a leadership void, the genesis of which extended back decades. Due in part to the day-to-day effort to remain amongst the living, Stolinski’s experience in Iraq would leave a lasting impression, changing him, as it does, forever. Once home and able to process his time at war, Stolinski noticed that the divide between the civilian populace and those who had ventured off to different wars in the Global War on Terror - one of which has lasted for nearly twenty years now - had become much deeper than what it was before he joined the military in the early 2000s. Stolinski hopes to bridge that gap, through writing and outreach within his community, and continued service to his country and those he hopes to help better understand his fellow veterans coming home from war. Hear this veteran's story on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!  

www.poptartsandapistol.com

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When Brad Snyder talks about his experiences at the U.S. Naval Academy you can sense his appreciation for how the Academy builds strong leaders - men and women of character, integrity, fortitude, and optimism. Brad Snyder graduated from the Naval Academy in 2006. He would deploy as a Navy EOD officer for the first time in 2008. Five years later, he would be medically retired from the Navy, permanently blinded by an IED blast in Afghanistan. The bomb that took his eyesight would not destroy the person he became through valuable life experiences, forged by the indispensable lessons taught to future Naval officers at the Academy. Brad Snyder would go on to win a total of five Gold medals combined, in swimming at the Paralympic Games in London and Rio de Janeiro, and break a World Record that had stood for over thirty years. He has become an inspiration for many, both athletes and leaders, on and off the battlefield. And he continues to prepare the next generation of leaders as well, teaching at the Naval Academy. Most importantly though, he's taken an injury that most would see as an immovable obstacle in life and become something greater than what he was before his injuries. Hear how it all unfolded, and get inspired on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

www.bradsnyder.us | "Fire in My Eyes"

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Dan Luna is using his experience as a Navy SEAL to do something revolutionary, that for a species that has enacted violence on itself in times of war, for centuries, probably shouldn't be. That "something" is preparing American servicemembers for the shock that war is on the human brain. He's helping servicemembers get ahead of Post Traumatic Stress by working to minimize its effects from the front end, rather than saving all of the treatment for after servicemembers come home from war. And Luna has plenty of experience to draw from. He is a 20-plus year veteran of the SEAL Teams, spending some of that time with Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He's also an expert in Leadership, credentialed through both operational and institutional education experience. In this episode, Dan talks about the highs and lows of surviving combat and operating at the highest level. He also covers his experience as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, where he's worked to prepare the next generation of servicemembers and leaders for the violence they will see in war. Get into the psychology of combat and survival in this latest episode of HAZARD GROUND!

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We don’t often hear the stories of women who served in Vietnam, especially those who deployed directly to combat zones. Diane Evans is one of those women who had the opportunity to serve as a nurse in combat in Vietnam in areas where humanity seemed only a ragged shred of existence. She joined the military in the late 1960’s with the intent to go to Vietnam. Like her brothers and other young men she knew in her rural Minnesota town, she felt a sense of duty and calling to serve her country in a time of war. She would fulfill that duty serving in Evacuation Hospitals on the front lines, one of which was located not far from the Cambodian border in the Central Highlands. She would do this at the young age of 21, from 1968-69, arguably the most brutal year of the Vietnam War. When Diane returned home, she found herself fighting a different war: the fight for recognition for the women who contributed so bravely to the war effort in Vietnam. After a nearly 10-year battle, her dream was realized in 1993 with the dedication of the statue commemorating Vietnam-era female veterans as part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Hear her complete and inspiring story on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

"Healing Wounds: A Vietnam War Combat Nurse’s 10-Year Fight to Win Women a Place of Honor in Washington, D.C."

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From an early age, Jack Murphy wanted to join the military - he wanted to be close to the action, to experience war. 9/11 happened during his senior year in high school, so as soon as he graduated he enlisted to become an Army Ranger. As a Ranger he served as an anti-tank gunner, sniper, and team leader with 3rd Ranger Battalion. A friendly fire incident nearly derailed his military and special operations career, though. Luckily for Jack, he was able to continue serving in Special Operations. In 2006, he completed the Q-Course, becoming a Green Beret and joining 5th Special Forces Group as the senior Weapons Sergeant on a military free fall team. In 2010, Jack left the military to attend Columbia University, where he graduated in 2014. He has since written multiple books, co-founded a military news website run by SOF veterans (while still in college), and become a full-fledged journalist, reporting from around the world. Jack Murphy's story is one of honor and service, and seeking the hard truths in a chaotic world. Hear it all on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

"Murphy's Law" | "Gray Matter Splatter" | "Direct Action"

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Legendary journalist, Joe Galloway, joins us again on the podcast! Joe has covered just about every major conflict involving the U.S. military from the Global War on Terror all the way back to Vietnam, where he made a name for himself and was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device for rescuing wounded soldiers under fire at Ia Drang, becoming the only civilian to receive a combat medal from the Army during the Vietnam War. More importantly, Joe has embedded himself in military conflict to ensure the stories of those who fought in those wars, along with the families who supported them at home, are heard, even after those service and family members have passed. In this episode, Joe talks about his time covering the first Gulf War, up to the GWOT and present day, as well as his new book about remembering the sacrifices of those who fought in Vietnam, who, despite a bitter welcome home, went on to achieve great success. Hear it all on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

"They Were Soldiers: The Sacrifices and Contributions of Our Vietnam Veterans" | “We Were Soldiers Once…and Young” | “The Vietnam War”

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His military career had an almost idyllic start. Following in his father's footsteps, he signed up for the Infantry, and set out to do his part in the fight against terrorism and protect not just Americans, but also the continually oppressed. He even ended up sitting next to his future wife on the long flight from Infantry School to his first duty station in Alaska. But Eric Donoho's time as an Infantryman would take a dark turn, literally the moment he stepped off the plane for a 14-month deployment to Iraq in 2006. During that deployment he survived blasts from two IEDs and one EFP, along with personal tragedy. The blasts would take their toll, leading Eric to early retirement from the Army, and eventually to the edge of taking his own life. Ironically, it was the shock of personal tragedy once again that pushed Eric forward to a place where he could heal and return to the husband and father he'd always hoped to be. Hear Eric Donoho's moving story of combat and survival on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND! 

www.handupllc.com | www.rocwheels.org

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Fred Wellman has experienced some pretty significant highs in his military career. He was commissioned in Aviation out of West Point; flew Scout missions in Desert Storm; studied at Harvard; learned to fly Black Hawks so he could return to active duty to serve in combat in the Global War on Terror; as well as served as the spokesman for Generals David Petraeus and Martin Dempsey. But with those highs came unimaginable lows. From personal tragedy to combat loss, to fractured relationships from years of untreated post-traumatic stress, Wellman has lived through the fire and is still standing to see the other side. This episode gets deep into that journey and the ride Fred Wellman took to become a successful entrepreneur and leader in times of crisis, which he is still doing to this very day! Hear his powerful and inspiring story on this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

www.scoutcommsusa.com

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Green Beret James Stejskal holds the distinction of serving in one of the Army's most unique and at one time, highly classified Special Forces Detachments operating in East Germany during the Cold War. Known simply as Detachment "A", the unit operated behind the Iron Curtain within the Soviet-controlled German Democratic Republic. The unit's primary mission was to wreak havoc behind the enemy's lines, and buy outnumbered NATO forces time to breakout from Berlin if hostilities commenced between the West and the Warsaw Pact Armies. It was a daunting mission - it's even been described as "suicidal." But the men of Detachment "A"/Special Forces Berlin carried out this mission for over thirty years, remaining in the shadows until the unit was officially recognized in 2014. In this episode, Stejskal details what it was like to serve in a unit that defined Unconventional Warfare and the backbone of Special Forces, and what it was like to tell the unit's story decades later in his book, "Special Forces Berlin." Check it out in this latest edition of HAZARD GROUND!

"Special Forces Berlin: Clandestine Cold War Operations of the US Army's Elite, 1956-1990" | "Masters of Mayhem: Lawrence of Arabia and the British Military Mission to the Hejaz"

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Following a promising college football career at Notre Dame, Rocky Bleier was on his way to starting a pro career in the NFL. It was 1968, and Bleier, who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, was nearing the end of his first NFL season when he received another draft notice. This time it was from the Army, and it was for a report date the morning after a Steelers game Bleier was suited up for. It was the height of the war in Vietnam, and Bleier's number was called, budding NFL career or not. Bleier accepted, and by May of 1969 was thrust into combat in Vietnam. He would go on to serve honorably, sustaining serious injuries and receiving the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals for actions in combat. Following his service in Vietnam, in spite of his injuries and being told he'd never play football again, Rocky Bleier worked his way back into the NFL, eventually starting at running back for the Steelers and winning four Super Bowls. It's an incredible and inspirational story - hear it all on this week's episode of HAZARD GROUND!

www.rockybleier.com | "Fighting Back"

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