In this episode of The HOTWASH podcast by Born Primitive Tactical, hosted by Bruno Fallon, guest Dr. Shawn Baker—a former Air Force orthopedic trauma surgeon who deployed to Afghanistan, where he managed relentless mass-casualty events and gore-filled days—shares his remarkable journey from professional rugby player and nuclear missile officer to becoming a leading advocate for the carnivore diet. Baker recounts how his athletic background (including Highland Games championships, Concept2 rowing records, and late-blooming feats like sprinting and power events at nearly 60) intersected with disillusionment in conventional medicine's perverse incentives, leading him to experiment with zero-carb/carnivore eating around age 49. He describes dramatic personal benefits—resolution of chronic joint pain, improved performance (e.g., smashing rowing records), reduced inflammation, and better mental clarity—while discussing thousands of anecdotal cases of remission in autoimmune conditions, gut issues, mental health struggles, and more. The conversation critiques the broken healthcare system (including VA inefficiencies and Big Pharma's role), debunks myths around vegetables/fiber (often neutral or irritating for some), champions salt/electrolytes for hydration and performance (especially on low-carb), and stresses that intense training, mindset, sleep, and purpose trump age-related excuses for maintaining functional strength and longevity. Fallon and Baker emphasize performance over appearance, the original human diet's roots in meat, and empowering individuals (especially military/first responders) to own their health rather than outsourcing it to flawed systems or fad drugs like GLP-1s.

Follow Dr. Shawn Baker on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/shawnbaker1967/?hl=en

Check out Dr. Shawn Baker on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5apkKkeZQXRSDbqSalG8CQ 

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

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In this deeply personal and wide-ranging episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon sits down with retired Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb, a legendary special operations veteran with over 21 years in the National Mission Force. The conversation flows from Kyle's combat experiences and the founding of Viking Tactics (including the iconic VTAC sling that became an industry standard) to his passion for teaching, long-range shooting, and creative pursuits like knife-making and poetry. Kyle opens up about his faith journey—sparked by reading the Bible cover-to-cover—leading to his upcoming book blending biblical warrior stories with modern leadership lessons and battlefield reflections, aimed at "reaching the unreachable" among veterans and first responders. He shares raw insights on resilience, brotherhood, checking on buddies to combat the silent epidemic of veteran suicides, the importance of mission-driven purpose in retirement, humility, and loving your neighbor regardless of differences. The episode is a powerful reminder of the depth behind elite operators—faith, struggle, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to helping others heal and thrive.

Visit Viking Tactics at: https://www.vikingtactics.com/

Follow Kyle on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/vikingtactics/

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

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In this special second edition episode of the HOTWASH podcast by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon and an elite lineup—including 16-time world champion Dan Horner, tactical athletes Rachel and Kirt Finnell, firefighter-paramedic Julie Dudley, Chris "Dutch" Moyer, and Sons of Liberty Gun Works CEO Mike Mihalski—debrief an intense multi-day training event at the Sawmill. The discussion focuses on the critical, often-overlooked mental side of high-performance shooting and competition: managing stress, controlling heart rate under pressure, turning anxiety into focused anticipation, trusting your gear, embracing failure in training, and balancing life demands with relentless pursuit of excellence. Blending deep insights on human performance (like Dan’s “balloon analogy” for skill prioritization and sacrifice), breakthroughs on the range (Julie confidently hitting 600-yard steel on a new rifle), praise for the revolutionary Sons of Liberty Gun Works, and excitement for upcoming events like the Patriot Games, the episode captures raw camaraderie, mindset philosophy, and the rare gathering of exceptional operators, athletes, and industry leaders pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

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In this special "all-star" episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon gathers an extraordinary group of legendary figures from U.S. special operations and combatives history — including Royce Gracie, Pat McNamara (T-Mac), Norm Hooten, retired General Scott Miller, and Chris ‘Dutch’ Moyer — for an informal, whiskey-fueled roundtable conversation. The discussion kicks off with nostalgic recollections of how Royce Gracie and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu revolutionized military combatives training in the 1990s, dramatically shifting the mindset from pure stand-up striking to ground fighting after early demonstrations quickly humbled even the biggest, most skeptical operators. The group reflects on the massive cultural and tactical changes they helped pioneer across special operations units (including the integration of outside experts like shooters, climbers, and CrossFit-style conditioning), the relentless post-9/11 operational tempo that became addictive yet ultimately unsustainable, the enduring importance of authentic brotherhood and never forgetting your roots regardless of rank or fame, and the ongoing challenges of veteran mental health, suicide prevention, and keeping the next generation physically and mentally tough in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. The conversation celebrates hard-earned relationships forged through shared hardship while looking forward to future collaborations and continued efforts to improve human performance and support the community.

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/

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In this episode of The HOTWASH podcast, host Bruno Fallon sits down with Born Primitive CEO and co-founder Bear Hanlon for a wide-ranging conversation on mission, integrity, and what it actually means to build something worth defending. Kicking off the first podcast of 2026, the two dive deep into Born Primitive’s Veterans Day debt-relief initiative, which has already erased more than $34 million in distressed medical debt for thousands of veterans with a goal to scale that impact even further.

Bear shares the emotional reality behind the numbers, from life-changing phone calls with veterans and Gold Star families to the measurable downstream effects of debt relief on credit, housing stability, and mental health. The episode also pulls back the curtain on Born Primitive’s uncompromising approach to product development and business leadership. From renting a Black Hawk helicopter to fast-rope test boots in real-world conditions, to refusing private equity money that would dilute the brand’s ethos, Baer explains why trust and reputation are the company’s only true currency. 

Follow Bear on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/bearhandlon/?hl=en

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

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In this episode of The HOTWASH podcast, host Bruno Fallonl, sits down with his long-time friend, retired Major General Mark O'Neil, for a candid conversation focused not on war stories but on the timeless principles of leadership that shaped both their careers. Over three decades of shared service, they explore how to observe mentors like Gen. Stan McChrystal and Gen. Scott Miller taught them the power of collaboration, empowering subordinates, constant learning, and building genuine relationships across agencies and ranks. O'Neill shares his personal mantra of "lead, learn, share, adapt, and grow," emphasizes the value of team sports in developing discipline and accountability, and reflects on his most rewarding command, where he brought SOF-inspired innovations like advanced marksmanship training to a conventional Army division in Alaska. The discussion seamlessly bridges military lessons to civilian and business success, highlighting how creating trusting, family-like teams, maintaining networks through genuine check-ins, and staying calm under pressure translates directly to building a high-performance brand like Born Primitive.

Learn more about Mark at: https://www.ausa.org/people/major-general-retired-mark-oneil

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical

PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD

In this engaging episode of the HOTWASH Podcast by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon sits down with registered dietitian and former professional MMA fighter Tyler Minton to dive deep into nutrition, mindset, and human performance. Minton shares his remarkable journey from an overweight kid battling eating disorders to becoming a sought-after performance nutritionist who worked with UFC champions like Max Holloway, Khabib Nurmagomedov, and Daniel Cormier, emphasizing how relentless self-experimentation and “failing forward” shaped his expertise. The conversation explores foundational principles like prioritizing hydration, sleep, and whole-food nutrition over fad diets, the critical balance between health, performance, and aesthetics, and the psychological barriers that sabotage progress. They also discuss Minton’s rewarding role at Virginia High Performance helping elite operators optimize recovery and longevity, while delivering tough love on personal accountability, the dangers of normalizing poor habits, and why consistency in basic habits trumps chasing biohacks or extreme trends for sustainable results.

Follow Tyler on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylermintonnutrition/?hl=en

Learn more about Ethos Nutrition at: https://ethosnutritioncoaching.com/

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

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PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD

In this powerful episode of The HOTWASH, host Bruno Fallon sits down with retired Army Major General Pete Gallagher, a 35-year signal officer who spent most of his career as the largely unsung backbone of Joint Special Operations Command communications. From walking into the unit the day after Black Hawk Down and immediately becoming Randy Shughart’s casualty assistance officer, to commanding JSOC’s elite Joint Communications Unit on 9/11, wiring the first raids into Afghanistan from the USS Kitty Hawk, surviving a catastrophic undersea cable cut that knocked out 95% of CENTCOM’s bandwidth in 2008, and later leading the Army’s network modernization for the near-peer fight, Gallagher pulls back the curtain on the invisible enablers who kept the task force connected through every surge night in Iraq and Afghanistan. The conversation is equal parts war stories, leadership lessons, and a sobering look at today’s drone-swarm and electronic-warfare threats, all delivered with the quiet humility of a two-star who still believes the real heroes were the ones kicking doors while he made sure their radios never went dark.

To learn more about Pete visit: https://www.ausa.org/people/mg-peter-gallagher

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/

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In this unscripted, high-energy episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon sits down with his good friend and Born Primitive Outdoor lead Aron Snyder for a no-agenda, “just dudes talking” conversation that ends up covering everything that makes these two tick. The episode kicks off with raw hunting stories (Snyder’s brutal 10-day elk beatdown, losing a close friend to suicide while in the field, and the triumphant moment guiding an out-of-shape client “Bill” to a 350-class monster bull that literally materialized out of nowhere). They dive deep into the real reasons hunters miss (poor fitness, no trigger time, bad wind calls, and not knowing your rifle inside and out), why reps and dry-fire beat talent every time, and how the same stress-shooting lessons from the Tactical Games translate directly to clutch moments on a mountain ridge. The second half shifts to Born Primitive’s explosive growth: the game-changing Headwind fleece that survived blizzards at 12,000 ft, the upcoming zero-drop mountain hunting boot Snyder has been begging the industry for, a top-secret backpack project at Western Hunt that Snyder promises will “make people remember our name,” and Bruno’s two-year obsession with the Patriot One Mid Assault Boot that just survived an 85-foot fast-rope test from an MH-60 with zero damage. Throughout it all, the conversation is laced with military stories, blunt talk on fitness (fat-shaming works if it gets you off the couch), why “Made in USA” isn’t always better, and an unapologetic commitment to building gear for operators, hunters, and anyone who refuses to quit. It’s less an interview and more two hard-charging brothers catching up, dropping truth bombs, and letting the world know Born Primitive is just getting started.

Follow Aron on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/aron_snyder/?hl=en

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical

PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD

In this gripping episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon and former Navy SEAL turned physician Dr. Kirk Parsley deliver a raw, veteran-to-veteran deep dive into “Operator Syndrome” — the brutal cascade of hormonal collapse, cognitive fog, rage, fat gain, and chronic pain that hits elite warriors after decades of unrelenting mileage and zero recovery. Parsley recounts how, in 2009 as the SEAL Teams’ doc, he discovered jacked 30-year-olds with bloodwork resembling sick 55-year-olds, traced it directly to the community’s toxic sleep culture and Ambien/alcohol cocktails that obliterated deep sleep and REM, and fixed most of it simply by getting guys off pills and onto targeted natural sleep supplements — tripling testosterone, crashing inflammation, and restoring performance overnight. The conversation expands into blast-induced brain injuries (every unsuppressed round delivering hundreds of Gs), heavy-metal toxicity, military suppression of the truth for recruiting optics, and the life-changing power of ibogaine and other plant medicines that rapidly boost neuroplasticity and silence the hyperactive amygdala in ways traditional psychiatry can’t touch. Packed with hard-earned lessons on strategic naps, peptide healing stacks, hormone optimization, hyperbaric therapy, and the non-negotiable priority of eight hours of real sleep, it’s a must-listen wake-up call for every operator, cop, firefighter, or high-performer who still believes “four hours is enough” and wonders why their body and mind are breaking at 35.

Follow Dr. Kirk on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/kirkparsley/?hl=en

To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/

Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical

PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD