In this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, we talk to former Air Force Chief of Staff, General Merrill A. McPeak, who served as a military adviser to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, and the President. He’s also a career fighter pilot with more than 6,000 hours under his belt, including time as a solo pilot  with the elite Thunderbirds. The General currently has three books out, Below The Zone, Roles and Missions, and Hangar Flying, about his time being ringside during one of the most tumultuous moments in recent history: the Vietnam War, where Gen. McPeak was an attack pilot and high-speed forward air controller.

How the US Air Force tricked CSAF McPeak into staying in the military

Mandatory Fun is a weekly podcast about the military and pop culture. Join us in breaking cultural tropes and bridging the military-civilian divide through storytelling and entertainment. The show is hosted by the We Are The Mighty's editorial team: Air Force veteran Blake Stilwell, Army veteran Logan Nye, Navy veteran Tim Kirkpatrick, and Navy veteran Orvelin Valle (O.V.).

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The attack on the Alamo in 1836 was not a 13-day siege and slaughter as often portrayed in film and television. Don't get me wrong – the defenders of the mission-turned-fortress were killed en masse as Mexican troops stormed the structure. It's just that not everyone inside the Alamo died that day.

The story of the slave who survived the Alamo

Jumping into freezing water is just part of the legacy of being a Navy SEAL. During World War II, the U.S. Navy Combat Demolition Units were just a handful of guys equipped only with a pair of shorts, a knife, and maybe some explosives. But the roots of being amphibious is still close to the Navy special warfare community – that's why they still call themselves "Frogmen." Some 74 years ago, these Navy Combat Demolition Units braved the freezing waters of the English Channel in the predawn hours of June 6, 1944 – not to mention the thousands of Nazi guns pointed at them at the water's edge. They were trained for this. Not necessarily the undertaking of being the secret first wave of invaders of the most fortified positions in the world. No, they were trained to win against any and all odds or obstacles. These men were the precursor to modern-day SEALs, moving to do their part on the beaches before the D-Day Landings. That's how SEAL training works to this day, teaching recruits to overcome the things they think can't be done. Now, in tribute to those few who landed at occupied France well before the rest of the Allies, 30 current and former Navy SEALs, as well as some "gritty" civilians will recreate those NCDU landings. Today's SEAL re-enactors will do a seven-mile swim to land at Normandy, then they'll scale the cliffs on Omaha Beach, to place a wreath at the memorial there. At that point, they'll gear up with 44-pound rucks to do a 30-kilometer ruck march to Saint-Lô. Why? To raise awareness (and funds) for the Navy SEAL Heritage Museum in Fort Pierce, Fla. – and the wide range of programs they offer to support family members of those SEALs who fell in combat, doing things only the U.S. special operations community would ever dare.

Why Navy SEALs will storm the beaches of Normandy in 2018

Our guest Sebastian Junger is not a military veteran. He makes that clear, but he sure sounds like one. Maybe it's because he's seen more conflict than many in the United States military. If there's an expert on modern warfare and the long-term effects of those who live it, that person is Sebastian Junger. He joins us to discuss his new PBS documentary airing on Memorial Day "Going To War" and explains how people transform before, during and after combat.

How going to war brings out the best and worst in people

For almost a decade Moses Maddox has built a career helping veterans with personal, academic, and financial counseling. But he didn't become the veterans champion he is today without first overcoming his own transition struggles. Here's how he used his transition experience and knowledge in navigating the VA system to lobby for veterans in DC and take his message to the national level.

It will make you angry to learn how a veteran lost $100k in benefits

Our guest, the Director of Innovation and Collaboration for the VA’s Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Dr. Wendy Tenhula joins us for a discussion on identifying and treating mental health issues.

How the US Air Force tricked CSAF McPeak into staying in the military

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