This episode of Liberty Risk goes somewhere we've never been before.

We sit down with Brian Price, a Native American Indian & former Navy SEAL turned award-winning Shakespearean actor, for a conversation that moves from reservations to war zones, from BUD/S to the supernatural, and from elite military service straight into questions about God, reality, and what exists just beyond what we can see.

Brian grew up on a Navajo reservation in Arizona, raised in a deeply spiritual, matriarchal culture shaped by medicine men, ancient traditions, and witnessing firsthand stories most people only hear whispered about. That upbringing followed him into adulthood and, eventually, into the SEAL Teams. After graduating BUD/S and deploying to Afghanistan, Brian found himself navigating not just combat, but encounters he believes crossed into the paranormal - from unexplained figures & giants in the mountains to rituals and carved symbols that he recognized from his childhood.

After leaving the teams, things got darker. Brian opens up about depression, spiritual experimentation, and a terrifying period marked by sleep paralysis, physical attacks, and what he describes as direct encounters with demonic entities. What followed was a complete reckoning. He began a decade-long search for answers, studying world religions, philosophy, and science, eventually landing on a belief system shaped by faith, experience, and a brutal process of elimination.

We talk cryptids, skinwalkers, giants, spiritual warfare, the limits of human perception, and the idea that reality itself may be far stranger than we're taught. But at its core, this episode is about identity, purpose, and what happens when someone who's lived in multiple worlds finally tries to make sense of all of them.

It's raw, unsettling at times, deeply personal, and unlike anything else we've released. Whether you agree with Brian or not, this is one of those conversations that sticks with you long after the microphones are turned off.

We split this 4 hour episode into 2 parts because the conversations in each half were SO different. We'll be realeasing Part 2 of Brian's sit down with us next Friday as Episode 45.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know Brian more at the links below!

✖️ Brian's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/therealbwprice

✖️ Brian's IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9067705

Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This episode is a deep, unfiltered sit-down with Kevin Macon, a recently retired San Diego Police Department sergeant with nearly 31 years on the job, 19 of them spent working gang units, and a lifetime of stories earned the hard way.

Kevin takes us from a Midwest childhood in Michigan to making a reluctant family move to San Diego, where football became his lane. From Patrick Henry High School to San Diego State, he shares what it was like playing center alongside legends like Marshall Faulk, lining up against the real "U" Miami teams, and walking onto the Rose Bowl field for the first time knowing your life just changed. The brotherhood of the locker room, the reality check of seeing & competing with NFL Athletes up close, and coming to terms with the knowledge he wasnt going to go all the way in football.

From there, Kevin transitions into policing San Diego, starting in his own neighborhood and eventually spending nearly two decades in gang units. He breaks down what that job actually looks like. Mutual respect with killers, 120 mph pursuits, park shootings with dozens of officers present, surgery rooms where bullets are recovered, and the constant balance between enforcement and coming home alive. It's candid, blunt, and stripped of Hollywood nonsense.

The conversation also hits the culture shift after George Floyd, the toll it took on officers and families, and what it means to work a job where you're meeting people on the worst day of their lives. Kevin shares lessons on communication, restraint, and why professionalism kept him complaint-free in some of the most volatile environments imaginable.

The crew also compares the many parellels between high stakes police work and the stress of combat deployments and relentless pressue in both professions.

Between the heavy moments are classic Liberty Risk stories. Baker to Vegas chaos, being mistaken for Warren Sapp in Cabo, undercover mishaps, Midwest tailgates that restore your faith in people, and the humor that keeps you sane when things get dark.

Now retired, Kevin opens up about identity after the badge, learning how to slow down, focusing on family, and what brotherhood really means when the uniform comes off. From football fields to gang units to retirement, this episode is about respect, purpose, and building a life you're proud to walk away from.

Raw, hilarious, and grounded in lived experience - this is Liberty Risk at its best.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Macon is currently enjoying the slower pace of retired life and doesn't have social media, or a website, although we're working on getting him to come hang out for the monthly cigar nights on our Patreon channel 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This week on Liberty Risk, we sit down with Jonathan Wayne Freeman for one of the most raw, hilarious, and unexpectedly heavy conversations we've ever recorded. What starts as jokes and side quests quickly turns into a no-shit, no-filter breakdown of a life built on big swings, spectacular failures, and a late-stage redemption nobody saw coming.

Jonathan opens up about stories he's buried for over 25 years - from washing out of Navy boot camp after a steroid-induced psychotic break, to flaming out of law enforcement and firefighting careers, to spiraling through mental health crashes that nearly ended everything. He talks honestly about ego, shame, psych wards, and the pressure of trying to be "the guy" before he knew who he actually was.

But this isn't a sob story. It's a comeback arc. Jonathan walks us through becoming a paramedic, hitting absolute rock bottom as a night janitor, and then accidentally finding his lane through comedy and social media. From running viral pages like Kook of the Day to working with brands like Bug-A-Salt and Pit Viper, he explains how being unapologetically himself finally unlocked everything he'd been chasing his whole life.

Along the way, the stories are insane - psychotic breaks, humiliating street fights, paramedic calls you can't unhear, getting "banished" from Kauai, and the most aggressively wrong understanding of oral sex we've ever heard. Somehow it's laugh-out-loud funny and deeply human at the same time.

At its core, this episode is about failure, redemption, timing, mental health, marriage, and why life sometimes doesn't make sense until way later than you planned. Jonathan's proof that trying, failing, and surviving still counts - and that your best chapter might not show up until you're 40.

This is Liberty Risk at its most honest. If you've ever felt behind, broken, or like you missed your shot, this one's for you.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know John on Instagram!

✖️ John's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jonathanwaynefreeman

Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This week on Liberty Risk, the crew sits down with Nik Hawks - former Navy SEAL, sailor, entrepreneur, and adventure connoisseur - for an absolutely WILD episode with story after story for almost 5 hours.

From bouncing between the U.S. and England as a kid, to questionable high school decisions, to chasing the idea of becoming a SEAL thanks to a larger-than-life uncle, Nik's path was anything but conventional. He breaks down the realities of BUD/S, platoon life, hilarious bar fights, practical jokes, and the kind of lessons you only learn the hard way inside the Teams.

And when the uniform came off, the adventures just became wilder. Nik walks us though his story of buying a small 22' sailboat and heading out solo from the West Coast, down through the Panama Canal, and across open ocean toward Florida, picking up hitchhiking deck hands along the way. No plan. No permenent crew. And sometimes no clothes. Just chaos, danger, and freedom in its purest form.

The conversation dives into life after the military - the lessons lerned from failed businesses, hard resets, humility, and eventually finding success and building Paleo Treats and other unique ventures alongside his wife, Lee.

Packed with wild side quests, near-disasters, legendary pranks, and moments of real reflection, this episode is classic Liberty Risk - raw, funny, and honest. If you're into SEAL stories, adventure, entrepreneurship, or just hearing how someone survives doing everything the hard way (and sometimes naked), this one's mandatory listening.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know Nik and Paleo Treats at the following links:

✖️ Nik's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nikhawks

✖️ Paleo Treats Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/paleotreats

✖️ Paleo Treats website - https://www.paleotreats.com Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This week on Liberty Risk, the crew sits down with long time friend and fellow entrepreneur, Peter Lemke for a wide-open conversation about business, relationships, risk, and learning things the hard way.

Peter walks through his path from Arizona to Southern California, launching a limo bus business that came with equal parts cash flow and complete insanity - one employee even stole a party bus and some cash, they found the bus 24 hours later with the employee and a h00ker in the back. 😂

Between the party-bus chaos, unreliable employees, legal landmines, and the moment Uber and Lyft flipped the entire industry upside down, it was one helluva ride.

The lesson is clear: trust your gut, adapt fast, and understand that managing people is usually harder than the business itself.

From there, the conversation moves into Peter's later ventures, including marketing, the ups & downs of restaurant ownership, and his current focus, Dropkick Brew. He breaks down acquiring and rebranding a coffee company during the pandemic, navigating manufacturing and distribution headaches, and what it takes to land major partnerships with brands like Tito's and retailers like Costco.

Along the way, the crew dives into bigger questions: shifting work ethic across generations, how technology and social media are reshaping business and communication, and why adversity still matters. They also get real about relationships, therapy, and the unique pressure of working with a spouse or close friends in something as stressful as a business.

It's honest, funny, and unfiltered. If you've ever thought about starting a business, scaling one, or just want to hear how things actually go when the plan blows up, this episode delivers exactly what Liberty Risk is about: real stories, hard lessons, and plenty of laughs along the way.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know Pete and DropKick Brew at the following links:

✖️ Pete's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/petelemke

✖️ DropKick Brew Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dropkickbrew

✖️ DropKick Brew website - https://dropkickbrew.com Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This week on Liberty Risk, the crew sits down for what may be the biggest and most meaningful episode we've ever recorded - a roundtable with six guests bound by military service, Texas roots, and a deep commitment to showing up when it matters most.

The episode kicks off the only way Liberty Risk knows how: inside jokes, supporter gifts, custom knives, and the kind of ritualized chaos that comes from real friendships. But it doesn't take long before the conversation turns heavier. The group shares stories of brotherhood, loss, and remembrance, including a deeply personal account of honoring a fallen teammate in a way that blends humor, grief, and respect - the kind of goodbye only people who've lived it can understand. RIP Kyle Paulson.

As each guest introduces themselves, we hear backgrounds spanning Navy SEAL teams, business, and grassroots community organizations like 300 Justice Road - a foundation that started as a backyard barbecue crew and evolved into a force for good, raising money for scholarships and supporting military families across Texas.

A major portion of the episode centers on the response to the catastrophic flash floods in Hunt, Texas. The guests walk through the chaos of the early hours, the rapid mobilization of SEALs, volunteers, and first responders, and the emotional toll of search and recovery. From cadaver dogs and sonar to coordination challenges with local authorities, the stories reveal both the difficulty and the necessity of organized, skilled response - and the uniquely Texas spirit that brought civilians, law enforcement, and veterans together when things were at their worst.

Woven throughout are stories of culture and camaraderie - legendary bars, old-school rituals, and the bonds that tie military and first responder communities together. The conversation also highlights mentorship and giving back, with the guests sharing how they train and support underfunded law enforcement agencies, passing on tactical and medical knowledge to help prepare for real-world threats.

At its core, this episode is about purpose. The group speaks candidly about life after service, the ongoing crisis of veteran and first responder suicide, and the importance of community as a lifeline. The message is clear: you don't need a uniform to serve. Everyone has something to contribute - skills, time, resources, or simply showing up.

The episode closes with a simple call to action: check on your friends, find your people, and get involved. Because service doesn't end when the job does - and the strongest communities are built by those willing to step forward when it counts.

This is Liberty Risk at its most honest - heavy, hopeful, and rooted in the belief that purpose is found in standing shoulder to shoulder when things fall apart.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know Greg, Brian, Mike, and the 300 Justice Road Mission at the following links:

✖️ Greg Froelick's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/odin_mulder_froelick

✖️ Brian Mannion Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bmanni0n

✖️ Colin Shelton Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/csato9

✖️ 300 Justice Road website - https://300justiceroad.com Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This week on Liberty Risk, we sit down with Mike Mihalski - founder of Sons of Liberty 🔫 Works, underground-casino alumnus, walking Texas legend, and the only man we know who partied so hard he changed state law. 🤘🏼🤠🤘🏼

Mike & Ryan have a long history, from meeting in an internet chat room 20+ years ago because of a mutual love of talking shit, to being ghost roommates, to being the best man at Ryan's wedding - what follows is a fast-moving, unfiltered conversation about entrepreneurship, culture, luck, faith, chaos, and the strange places life takes you when you keep saying yes to opportunity.

Mike breaks down his insane Vegas gambling runs, including the time he flew home with a million dollars CASH in a backpack. We also dive into the story of the night he got arrested in a hotel lobby with no pants and a suppressed, full auto 🔫 - an incident so ridiculous it sparked a revision to Texas state law (because Mike was in the RIGHT). The crew also discusses Mike's underground-casino days working as a bookie, and the bizarre "birthday astrology book" incident at a strip club that could only be believed in person (good thing we have witnesses!).

The conversation goes deeper too: the realities of building a company from scratch into winning one of the most prestigious military contracts in the world, the weight of responsibility, the shifting landscape of American culture, and trying to make sense of a world that sometimes feels like it's glitching - including a crazy night in Austin that left everyone questioning reality. 👻

It's candid, it's sharp, it's wildly funny, and it's packed with the kind of hard-earned wisdom you only get from someone who's lived multiple lifetimes before lunch.

If you're here for big stories, big ideas, and a brutally honest look at the American experience, this is one of our best yet.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know Mike and SOLGW at the following links:

✖️ Mike's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mikemihalski

✖️ SOLGW Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sonsoflibertygw

✖️ SOLGW website - https://sonsoflibertygw.com Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

This week on Liberty Risk, it's just the crew - no guests, no filters, and nothing off-limits. The guys sit down for a full-send, behind-the-scenes session that feels more like a late-night team room hang than a podcast. From the chaos inside the Patreon chat to the origins of the infamous "bat signal" 🍆🪽🔦 meme, the episode kicks off with pure Liberty Risk energy.

The conversation rolls into what the veteran community looks like today: the good, the bad, the hilarious, and the downright weird. The hosts swap funny military stories, wild nights in Mexico, near disasters, and the kind of screwups that you can only joke about years later. They dive into leadership, legacy, and what's changed - and hasn't - in the brotherhood since their time in uniform.

Listeners also get answers to Patreon questions about some of the best/worst liberty risk moments, work-life balance, and the meanings behind certain questionable tattoos. And because it's Liberty Risk, things inevitably go off the rails into Bigfoot sightings, UFO encounters, and unexplained military weirdness that nobody can explain but everyone remembers.

It's unfiltered, honest, and always entertaining - the kind of episode that reminds you why the community around this show feels like a family. The crew closes out with gratitude for the listeners, a call to reconnect with old friends, and one more toast to the wild ride ahead.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

Exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

Some fun stories you might like from this episode!

00:00 - The Infamous "🍆🪽 Signal" and Patreon Chat Antics 03:13 - The Evolution of the Veteran Community & Podcasting Journey 04:14 - Vet TV, Donny O'Malley, and the Changing Face of Military Humor 10:31 - The Frogman Toast & Team Guy Traditions 13:25 - Fan Encounters & The Power of Community 15:23 - Why an Episode Was Pulled: Military Career Risks 24:06 - The Wild San Felipe, Mexico Adventure 55:46 - The Most Expensive "Liberty Risk" Event & Thailand Drug Scandal 57:30 - The Captain's Mast, Mistaken Identity, and Military Justice 2:32:08 - Bigfoot in Fort Lewis: The Night Watch Encounter 2:55:34 - UFOs, The Tic-Tac Incident, and Alien Theories 3:18:00 - A Shootout with Aliens in Tunnels Under Area 51

In this episode, the Liberty Risk crew sits down with Ernest Emerson, the legendary founder of Emerson Knives, for a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation about his life, career, and the evolution of the knife industry over the years. Ernest shares how his upbringing on a Wisconsin farm and his passion for martial arts led him to create his first knives out of necessity, eventually launching a career that would help define the tactical knife genre.

Ernest discusses his transition from working as a machinist at Hughes Aircraft to becoming a full-time knife maker, and how mentorship from industry icons and feedback from elite military units - especially the Navy SEALs - shaped his approach to design and innovation. He explains the origins of the iconic CQC-7 and the patented "Wave" feature, and reflects on the explosion of tactical knives in the 1990s and beyond.

The episode delves into the close relationship between Emerson Knives and the special operations community, the challenges of maintaining American manufacturing in the face of overseas competition, and the importance of integrity and legacy in a family business. Ernest is joined by his son Lucas, who shares his perspective as a new generation designer and talks about the company's expansion into kitchen knives and new manufacturing ventures.

The conversation is unflinchingly honest about the pressures facing American knife makers, the influx of high-quality but "soulless" imports from China, and the importance of supporting domestic craftsmanship.

Packed with technical insights, industry history, and candid stories - from working with rock stars to testifying as an expert witness - this episode offers a rare look at the philosophy, values, and enduring impact of one of the most influential figures in the knife world.

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is now LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands.

Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk

Get to know Ernest & his son Lucas more at the following links:

Ernest Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/realernestemerson

Lucas Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/emerson_archetype

Emerson Knife Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/emersonknivesinc

Emerson Knife website - https://www.emersonknives.com Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by:

✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all

✖️ Industry Threadworks - https://www.industrythreadworks.com

✖️ Archive 3PL - https://archive3pl.com

✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com

✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc

In this episode of Liberty Risk, we sit down with a man who's lived multiple lives in one - Vietnam Veteran, Navy Seabee, cowboy, and one of Hollywood's original stunt legends: Jim Wilkey. If you've ever watched a truck flip end-over-end in The Dark Knight, seen Stallone crash through cars in Cobra, or watched Clint Eastwood & Charlie Sheen race through The Rookie, there's a good chance Jim Wilke was behind the wheel - or flying through the windshield.

We kick off with the whole Liberty Risk crew finally back together in the studio, and the energy is full send from the start. Jim takes us back to the beginning - growing up as a cowboy kid in Northern California, hauling hay, riding rodeo, and unknowingly training for a future he didn't even know existed. When Vietnam ramped up, he joined the Navy Seabees and found himself operating bulldozers in the jungle, building runways while taking fire, and navigating a war where half the people hated you and the other half pretended not to notice.

Jim shares raw stories from the Vietnam years - what it was like to return home from a war nobody wanted to talk about, go from hauling ammo to hauling stunt pads, and slowly carve out a name in a Hollywood world that didn't hand out second chances. He landed his first stunt jobs simply because he could ride, fall, crash, and get back up without complaining - and from there, his career became a highlight reel of chaos where he became known for daring stunts in movies like "Cobra" with Sylvester Stallone, "The Rookie," and "Transformers", especially one incredible scene where he flipped a semi-truck end over end across a Chicago street for "The Dark Knight".

He explains the stunt world's golden rule: if you did it right, nobody thought it was real - and if you did it wrong, everyone thought you died.

But the best stories aren't just about carnage - they're about the people. Jim talks about the old-school stunt crews who treated each other like family, the quiet pride of knowing your work helped define Hollywood's biggest films, and the moments that made it all worth it.

Between the chaos, we hit real conversations - aging, fatherhood, injuries, legacy, and knowing when to pass the torch. Jim talks about transitioning from full-throttle risk to teaching, mentoring, and preserving the old-school stunt craft before CGI makes it vanish completely. He and Kevin reflect on the weird emotional whiplash that comes from being fearless on set - but tearing up during Pixar movies with your kids.

This episode is pure Liberty Risk - equal parts history, humor, grit, gasoline, and real human insight. Whether you're into filmmaking, military life, story craft, or just good old-fashioned "how the hell did you survive that?" - this one's got it.

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Liberty Risk Hosts:

✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326

✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent

✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts

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