This week, the boys took a somber turn to sit and talk about the importance of understanding humanity’s dark past. Among a plethora of reasons, they reasoned that forcing yourself to look into the macabre of what we’re capable of is the encouragement our future generations will need in order to prevent those events from happening again. This discussion was inspired by Mike’s recent visit to the World Trade Center memorial, and openly shared the wide spectrum of emotions he felt as he walked through the memorium that can only be considered  a massive grave site for the thousands that died on 9/11. Both Melon and Mike are very honest about the rawness of the emotions felt when you visit a site where the most terrible crimes against humanity were committed. Raf similarly shared the parallels that he noted from his visit to the infamous S-21 prison during Cambodia’s dark history under the Khmer Rouge, where an estimated 3 million Cambodians were murdered at the hands of Pol Pot’s regime. They conclude that as uncomfortable as it was to stand in these dark monuments, the lessons gleaned are unsurmountable. More importantly, we need to continue to teach this part of our history to prevent civilization from committing them again. 

Please share your thoughts about this episode and more importantly, we hope this encourages our listeners to spend some time thinking about visiting these somber memorials with your loved ones to have a better understanding. We love reading your insights, feedback, and how we can add more value to your day. 

#PBC #PushingBackChaos # Podcast #HMG #HeroesMediaGrp #Veterans #Military #Memorial #WorldTradeCenter #9/11Memorial 

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-100 x 5 Star Reviews!!!!!! Ratings on Apple Podcasts

-50 Written Reviews on Apple Podcasts

-500 followers on FB and IG!!!!  

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We’ve all had them. Certain people or situations in our lives that have brought nothing but anxiety, stress, and the feeling of just pure unhealthiness. It’s not always easy to handle or address, is it?

This week, the team focuses on this unfortunate but popular topic. They openly and honestly discuss:

-What are the signs and symptoms of a toxic relationship/environment?

-What are some actions we can take to be sure of what’s goin on around us?

-What are some ways to communicate about it?

-How can we protect ourselves from it and maintain a healthy and secure state?

Listen in as the trio share some of their own rough personal and professional experiences that have challenged them and how they learned and realized the lessons required in order to take the actions to prevent future entanglements. We want to be able to control and choose  our own happiness. In the end, we all just want to be happy and healthy right?!

How has toxicity affected you in your life? Do you struggle with it? Do you have a plan or approach to break away from it? 

We’d love to hear your feedback!

#PBC #PushingBackChaos #Podcast

#HMG #HeroesMediaGrp #Veterans #Military #Toxic #ToxicRelationships #ToxicSituations

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-500 followers on FB and IG!

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This week, the boys felt compelled to talk about one of the most constant battles within each of us. That is, the perpetual struggle with trying to minimize, break, and move on from a continual loop of negative thoughts. Everyone will experience this in their existence. So how do we manage it? Everyone has their own nuanced way of approaching this, but in this conversation between the boys materialized some common ground. All three agree that the worst thing you can do is isolate yourself or incubate your thoughts when you can’t break the cycle. They all agree on the importance of speaking out. Preferably to a close friend and ally who can be an unbiased sounding board. Raf talks about the effectiveness of mastering the basics in the great times, where you exercise gratitude and love, because it is those exact skills that will help you not just survive, but thrive in your darkest moments. Melon gave an analogy of walking through a hall of mirrors. In simple terms, when you find yourself in those dark negative spaces, you should stop and acknowledge what it is you’ve done to arrive there. Really truly, own that responsibility, but in that moment, you can also acknowledge that you have the equal ability to move out of that state and correct the wrongs that put you there. Mike shared the effectiveness of daily dialogue with close friends who knew about his situation, but more importantly, the ability to self identify when you aren’t in the most effective state of mind, and pull yourself out of a space where people depend on  you for their own safety.. This is exceptionally important in Mike’s line of work, because of the immense inherent risk that SOF soldiers find themselves doing daily. We know that this loop of negative thoughts varies in magnitude, and we know it will affect every single one of us until our last breath. However, we hope we can embolden everyone around us to be more vocal about it when they’re experiencing it, because talking about it is the first and most effective step. 

 Please share your thoughts about this episode and more importantly, we hope this encourages our listeners to spend some time thinking about what might be effective for you to break these insidious cycles. We love reading your insights, feedback, and how we can add more value to your day. 

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There is no hiding from it. It’s already here. The globe is currently in the beginning stages of a decaying economic state due to inflation, economic/political decisions, and conflict in Europe. Everything from fuel, food, home goods, and medicine are now way overpriced for the common family to sustain over time, but how can we manage to get through?

This week, the team brings out a few points and suggestions from their own experiences on how to best prepare for an uncertain future.  Some of the key points discussed are:

-Personal Investments

-Financial savings

-Food Reserves

-Community

-Networking

-Personal Attitude/Perseverance

-Self Assessments

What are some things you are currently doing or planning to do in order to prepare for the coming recession? How have they improved/degraded your status of living and function? 

We’d love to invite you to this discussion!

#PBC #PushingBackChaos #Podcast

#HMG #Veterans #Recession #Finances #Preparation #Community #Networking 

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 -100  Ratings on Apple Podcasts

 -50 Written reviews on Apple Podcasts 

-500 followers on FB and IG!

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PBC #6- Carpe Diem

Carpe Diem. Seize the day. 

How many times have we all heard that line, or maybe even said it ourselves?

What does it mean, to seize the day? Not to just drift through the day?

Jonathon “Morgs” Morgan flew P3 Orions for the Royal Australian Air Force with Melon back in the day. Morgs was one of Melon’s co-pilots in combat operations over Iraq. He went on to command his own crew, and later streamed onto Flying Instructors Course. Morgs was selected for the Australian aerobatic display team- the Roulettes- and completed 3 years as a display pilot. An amazing career was unfolding. 

And then life dealt out some of the toughest cards to Morgs and his wife. 

Listen in to hear how Morgs “Seized the Day”, when he was confronted by an extremely challenging health diagnosis. His positivity and openness when talking about his life are an inspiration for all of us to use when our own challenging days arrive. 

Carpe diem. All of us have limited time. Make yours count. 

#PBC #PushingBackChaos #Podcast

#HMG #HeroesMediaGrp #Veterans #parkinsonsdisease #challenge #carpediem #seizetheday

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 -100  Ratings on Apple Podcasts

 -50 Written reviews on Apple Podcasts 

-500 followers on FB and IG!

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It’s an everyday occurrence. You hear and see the people who are always causing ripples in the waters of society with talks of entitlement. How they are owed more money, more gifts, more attention, or more time, simply for showing up or by their own expectations. How many of us genuinely enjoy being around these people? 

On the flip side, we also interact with those who realize what they already have is good enough for their needs, not their wants. This is gratefulness. They tend to conduct themselves with a humble approach to everything they encounter, and bring about an positive energy that can spread like a brush fire. These people bring those good vibes.

Listen in as Mike and Melon tackle these two perspectives while Raf is away probably flying some of you listening around on his big airplane speaking awkwardly on the intercom! (Probably!) 

Mike asks Melon two questions:

1.) What do you feel entitled to?

2.) What are you grateful for?

Take a minute and write down and share your own answers!

#PBC #PushingBackChaos #Podcast

#HMG #HeroesMediaGrp #Veterans #SelfAwareness #Grateful #Entitlement  

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 -100  Ratings on Apple Podcasts

 -50 Written reviews on Apple Podcasts 

-500 followers on FB and IG!

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Darkness. An area that is absent of or lacking light. It can be an physical location, a mental state, or an emotional overcast. This week, it’s someone who has experienced all three simultaneously. 

The team welcomes our special guest and former teammate of Mike, EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) tech Rico; a 20 year combat veteran of the Global War on Terror. Rico joins us to share his story of his career, but not to boast or brag about his service, but to share some valuable lessons from his military experience that ultimately prepared him for the worst day of his life as a man after retirement.

Listen in and join us as we scrape away the common misperceptions about stress, mental and emotional health, and the exemplary fortitude it takes to volunteer to enter the darkness, and then find our way put. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!

In Memory of:

APRIL 6, 2007:

EODC Greg Billeter 

EOD1 Joseph Adam McSween 

EOD2 Curtis Hall 

JULY 17, 2007

EODC Pat Wade  

EOD1 Jeff Chaney

EOD1 David Hawxhurst-WIA

NOVEMBER 5, 2007

EOD1 Kevin Bewley 

#PBC #PushingBackChaos #Podcast

#HMG #HeroesMediaGrp #Veterans #EOD #GWOT #IRAQ #Military 

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 -100  Ratings on Apple Podcasts

 -50 Written reviews on Apple Podcasts 

-500 followers on FB and IG!

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Ashley Sneed is no stranger to service. She spent time in the US Army, her husband Matt was in the US Marines- and is now a Fireman/ Paramedic. With three happy and healthy kids at home, her fourth baby Enola Grace announced her arrival after a pregnancy of only 24 weeks.

The story of the delivery and her subsequent 177 days in hospital is an amazing testament to the tenacity and strength of the entire Sneed family.

Ashley was a listener to the previous Not Your Average Operator podcast, and after hearing Melon share the story of his premature daughter Annie, reached out to him and Cherie directly- from Texas to Saudi Arabia. A connection quickly formed due to the similar nature of their trials, and now Ashley is here to share her insights and to hopefully help others.

All of us will face challenges in our lives. The exact name of the challenge will vary, but the experience while going through it can often feel very similar. We hope you are able to take away something you can use yourself or pass on to others to help in your own time of trial. You will also be able to celebrate Enola Grace and her amazing family.

We’re all in this together.

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Have you had instances where you’ve had a blow up with someone and know there is tension lingering? How about having internal conflict within yourself? Listen in as the trio of Melon, Mike, and Raf welcome back a previous guest, Simon, a former Australian soldier with extensive conflict resolution experience, as they discuss examples and offer advice on how to navigate each situation and to leave with the intentions of resolving issues professionally while moving forward.

-Go in with a clear message

-Listen to Understand/Not Respond

-Ask questions

-Approach with respect/professionalism 

-Don’t leave without a plan to resolve/move forward

How do you prefer to resolve internal/external conflicts? Let us hear you!

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Join Melon, Mike and Raf in their effort to push back against the chaos of life. Join these three close friends, who engage in very real, very raw, and transparent conversations about work, love, family, and everything in between. Their goal is simple. Help everyone listening by learning from their mistakes and victories, because we’re in this together. All three, veterans of multiple Middle East combat tours, two as pilots, one as a Special Operations soldier. In lock step, they are making their own effort to create a framework for anyone looking to push back against the chaos and optimize their own lives.

In this first episode, the team welcomes you back to the conversation and share their new goals, what has driven them to push back against the chaos, and what you can expect in the coming future from this new endeavor. Cheers to the new!

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