SOFREP Radio

We always enjoy bringing Alex Hollings on the show, and we constantly enter interesting territory. On this episode we get into some recent articles from the Marine Corps writer on Russian weapons technologies, the future of space exploration, and from there, we even get into some alien discussion. We also talk about the recent controversy of Elon Musk enjoying a marijuana laced blunt with Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience, and the repercussions for this action. This leads to some talk on the recent bill to legalize marijuana in the state of New Jersey which could positively impact veterans, find out why. We of course also make sure to discuss Alex's book out now, "The Perception Wars," go pick it up. Also, we get a new voice memo courtesy of our friend Gene Farnsworth. He gives us his take on the recent episode with Sean Parnell. Jack and I get serious as well as we discuss the epidemic of combat veteran suicides. A lot to digest on Episode 388, and we hope it hits the spot for you. Be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Many of you may know Sean Parnell from his first best-selling book, "Outlaw Platoon." That book details Sean's time in Afghanistan commanding the Army's 10th Mountain Division, and we get into some excellent stories about the brave men he served with as Sean joins us in studio for this hour. We talk about the disconnect between some of the leadership of the Army that is stationed in Bagram Air Base not seeing the level of combat as the boots on the ground experiencing the fight first hand. Sean has a new book out though, and it's actually a military thriller. It's called "Man of War," and it just hit shelves this week. We discuss the transition from fiction to nonfiction, and the inspiration behind the book's protagonist Eric Steele. "Man of War" has received high praise from the likes of Lee Child and more, we hope that you pick it up. Sean has also given back to the community with his charity American Warrior Initiative helping men and women who serve in combat with important transition tools like finding housing once they come back home. We enjoyed having him on, and only hit the surface, so hopefully there will be a return appearance in the near future.

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Join us for this very special episode of SOFREP Radio as we pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives on 9/11, as well as those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the years that have followed, fighting terror. Brandon Webb and I join New York City firefighter Tim Brown, who was present during the 9/11 attacks, as we tour the 9/11 Memorial Museum. This is a day of reflection for many of a day that impacted us all 17 years ago. I remember where I was on that day here in New York, and I’m sure that many of our listeners have stories as well. Hear the unique perspectives of a man who saw it all on that day and a man sent to war immediately after. You’ll hear about firefighters that Tim served with and what artifacts are on display. Additionally, you’ll hear reflections from family members of those who died on 9/11, which served as the inspiration for Brandon Webb’s “Among Heroes” audio book. One of those reflections you’ll hear is from a family friend of mine, the wife of Christopher Quackenbush, as she talks about how Chris would bring children out to Mets games. We hope this episode serves as a worthy dedication to these great folks. We urge you all to take a trip out and see the museum for yourselves.

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Jack Murphy is back in studio! He's been greatly missed by you guys in the audience, as well as myself. It got a little lonely without him, not gonna lie, but the Army Ranger, Green Beret, and editor in chief at Newsrep is back in the States. We get into the changes with the site, and we also get a recap of Jack's epic honeymoon and summer vacation. He visited Nepal with his wife and kid, followed by Italy, where Benni is still stuck in, you'll hear the story of why that is. He went hiking, and got to experience some new destinations that were on his bucket list for many years now. We discuss some hot topics including Colin Kaepernick being signed to Nike, as well as the New York Times op ed that some are calling treasonous, titled "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration." Our guest for this show is Jackie Gray. Jackie Gray is a former Army Medic who has more recently become the new Executive Director for Red Circle Foundation. We've discussed RCF on the show before, but it's been a while. So he fills us in on the great work that they are doing to help out members of the special operations community. Some of these guys have been severely injured in combat, and RCF is helping in a way that in some cases TRICARE can not. Be sure to donate to them, and help out these families. These guys Jackie talks about have sacrificed a lot for our country, and they are now in their time of need. Enjoy this episode guys, and with Jack back, feel free to shoot over your usual special operations related questions to [email protected].

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It's hard to believe that we're already in September of this year, but as a I reflect on 2018 thus far, we've had some incredible guests on this podcast. When it comes to spec ops guys in the Army, we've had a wide array. So on this episode, I spotlight several of those guys from previous episodes in 2018. We start off with Nate Boyer. Nate's name is back in the news heavily with the recent signing of Colin Kaepernick to Nike, so we revisit Nate's open letter to Colin, followed by an in-person meeting which led to the now infamous kneeling during the National Anthem. Next is Todd Opalski, as he reflects on serving in both Marine Force Reconnaissance as well as Army Special Forces. That's followed by Special Missions Unit operator Rob Trivino on joining the Army and his time as an Army Ranger. Then is an excerpt from Delta Force operator Pat McNamara's first appearance on the show, with a great HALO jump story. We wrap up this special with our very own George Hand, another former Delta operator, getting into his origin story with us. Let me know how you liked this episode on Twitter or Instagram @SOFREPRadio or by email at [email protected], and maybe next special will be Navy SEALs.

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Always a wide array of topics when former Marine and writer Alex Hollings joins the show, and you won't be disappointed by Episode 383. On here we discuss information operations, into how propaganda and urban legend can become cited as fact. We get into Europe, Asia, and The U.S. at length, as well as conflict in the Middle East. We hit on Russia's involvement in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, and their larger objective to create distrust among people in the U.S. with their own government. We then ask the question, in this day and age, can the average American truly one day become the President? Alex is in the process of releasing a book that dives into information operations more in-depth, it will be out September 10th, is self-published, and is titled "The Perception Wars." Alex also now has his own website with all of his work and everywhere else you can find him at AlexHollings.com.  Be sure to check it out, and if you've been enjoying our shows, leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. It take less than a minute, helps our ranking, and keeps us going strong.

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Luke Ryan is back on SOFREP Radio, and earlier this month he released a new science fiction book titled, "The First Marauder." It will be the first in a trilogy from the former Army Ranger. If you're a fan of shows like "The Walking Dead," or books and movies like "World War Z," it fits in with that same end of the world genre, but with Luke's personal take drawing from his own real life experiences that you'll hear him discuss on here. Luke has a love for creating new fictional universes and characters within that universe, and he hopes that you give "The First Marauder" a read. On this episode we discuss much more though, including our reflections on the death of Senator John McCain. We get an update on the war in Afghanistan from Luke. Also, Luke goes in-depth with what is now happening in Myanmar/Burma, and the most recent condemnations from the U.N. I read an email sent to [email protected], and also give you a quick update on the future home of SOFREP Radio. Don't miss this one!

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Kurt Troter served as a Marine, and later went on to volunteer fighting with the Peshmerga in Kurdistan. He's a favorite of the show, and today I get him on to discuss two of his most recent articles. "The Crumbling Skeleton of the Islamic State rattles on for now" gets into the dwindling cash flow of ISIS after losing oil fields they controlled, and losing significant numbers particularly in Afghanistan and Libya. There are however still 20-30 thousand members in Iraq and Syria, along with reserves estimated in the low hundreds of millions in cash, so the fight is not over. "Turkish State run media leaks classified information on US military bases in Syria" discusses continued strained relations between the U.S. and Turkey, and Turkey's attempts to sabotage U.S. forces. As usual with Kurt Troter, we do get into some other fun topics as well. We also read a great and complimentary email sent to [email protected], keep the questions and comments there coming.

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Three-Hundred and Eighty episodes deep? It's hard to believe myself! As always, I greatly appreciate you guys, the listeners, loyally checking out what we're up to week after week. Well, this is a good one, as promised, both Jim West and Ernie Emerson join me for an epic discussion. Both of these gentlemen, Ernest Emerson (the founder and CEO of Emerson Knives) and Army Green Beret and favorite of the show, Jim West, have an extensive background in martial arts dating back to the 1960's. They're also one year apart in age, so as you'll hear, there's a lot of overlap in their backgrounds. We dig into their introductions to fighting, through publications like Black Belt Magazine, and studying the greats like Bruce Lee and Joe Lewis. From there we also discuss knife fighting. Both guys are very candid and call out some of the bullshit in the industry. You don't want to miss this one. Emerson is currently doing his own podcast which we you hope you check out, simply titled The Ernest Emerson Podcast. Emerson Knives always has some excellent product, some of which has been featured in our premium tier Crate Club, and you can check them out at EmersonKnives.com. Jim's personal site is AmericanExtensionFighting.com. Enjoy, and we ask that you follow us to keep up with the latest through our feeds on Instagram and Twitter @SOFREPRadio. Ian is on Twitter @IanScotto. Also, be sure to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

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Every job in the military has it's negatives, but even with the high risk involved, many civilians look back on their lives wishing they'd served their country in some capacity. They often glamorize titles like Sniper or Medic, but I don't think anyone would envy the title of Mortuary Affairs Marine. However, that is the job that was given to L. Christian Bussler, and many of the horrors serving in that position followed him after his military career, leading him to drink, and desiring a permanent end to his life. Needing a therapeutic outlet, at the advice of an older combat veteran, Chris started writing, eventually leading to his self-published memoir last year, "No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor." The book documents Chris being raised in a military household, pursuing a career in the Marines, and the unexpected turn of events when the country went to war during his service. A lot of tragedy endures as you could imagine, but as you hear him speak about in this interview, through the honor he had for the job, he finds a way to pay tribute to fellow service members that has continued to live on. A portion of the proceeds for the book and audio book go to benefit great charities like EOD Warrior Foundation, Semper Fi Fund, and WWIA.

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