Jeff Morris, former U.S. Army Infantry Officer and author of LEGION RISING, joined The Protectors to talk about his book, transition, and a ton of other topics.  

The Book:  LEGION RISING. Not everyone has pulled shards of another man's skull from the palm of their hand. Not everyone has stood over the bodies of friends whose lives were lost in an instant. Not everyone has struggled to face their own reflection for years on end. But anyone who has experienced trauma or adversity will resonate with Legion Rising, the unflinchingly honest account of an army officer's journey through combat in the Iraq War and rising beyond the scars that trauma leaves behind. 

Experience an honest, unedited, and occasionally humorous glimpse of the rigors of military training through Jeff’s eyes. Follow Jeff through up-close, fast-paced accounts of the thrills and dangers of combat as a Platoon Leader in Iraq. Feel the weight of the gruesome and tragic loss of eight men whose lives were lost in the line of duty. Journey with Jeff through his battle to face the scars and shadows that followed him long after his time serving in the military was over.

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Everyday Protector Andrew

Another great chat with an everyday protector, those on the line right now, working on that thin line. Andrew joined me to talk about police life and importance of training. Andrew also talks about using his creative outlet of designing and making custom knives to destress. @hard_head_veterans @standwatchknives

Hard Head Veterans offers a $15 discount, use code: protector

This series is a partnership with Hard Head Veterans. Why did I team up with HHV? Well, as my friend would say, your body is holding up a soft-boiled egg, not a lot of protection from falls or bullets. Got a helmet available? On the job? Use it.
From the HHV Site: Tactical Helmets Are What We Do! Here's the deal, Hard Head Veterans is a veteran owned and operated small business selling tactical ballistic helmets like MICH helmets to the men and women who need them the most. We are veterans of the United States’ most current conflicts, and many of us continue to serve our country today through reserve or contracting roles. Every single member of our team is connected to the military or law enforcement, making us uniquely qualified to better understand and serve the needs of our customers

Excerpt “By December 2001, ten CIA teams—including Team Alpha and totaling a few dozen CIA officers—had secured victory across Afghanistan. Fighting alongside them was Special Forces troops operating symbiotically with US airpower. Among those troops was a unit from Britain’s Special Boat Service (SBS), operating in the tradition of their country’s Special Operations Executive (SOE), which inspired the OSS. Jettisoning a directive that restricted their ability to fight, the SBS headed toward the sound of gunfire.

The complexity of Afghanistan was apparent to Team Alpha. False surrenders, switching sides, warlord machinations, prisoner abuse, suicide attacks, and ethnic ferment were facts of life. This was a country—if it was a country at all—that could not be controlled. After the surviving members of Team Alpha left Afghanistan, the US military took over and American forces became occupiers rather than insurgents. Conventional troops poured into the country, and fortified bases were established.”

In this interview, my good friends Brian Andrews & Jeff Wilson stopped by to talk about their new book DARK INTERCEPT, how they take a break from writing, what weapons to use in a zombie apocalypse and a bunch more.  ALSO…..BIG NEWS!  Dark Intercept optioned for TV!  

About the Book:  When dark forces rise, are faith and firepower enough? On the eve of his medical retirement, Navy SEAL Jedidiah Johnson receives a frantic call from his estranged childhood best friend David Yarnell. David’s daughter has been kidnapped off the streets of Nashville in broad daylight. The police have no suspects and no leads. The only clue: the body of a dead priest left behind at the scene. With the clock ticking, David is growing desperate, as is his wife, Rachel . . . Jed’s first love.

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 A really fun interview with @realmikecarey @maxmartinila and @cmargetis talking about the MANSON BROTHERS MIDNIGHT ZOMBIE MASSACRE! I love talking Zombies!!! Make sure to subscribe to The Protectors podcast (search The Protectors on your favorite platform) and YouTube (The Protector Show)! Get prepared for the Zombie movie of the year this Friday September 10th!! It’s cool they had a ton of Vets working in front of and behind the scenes.

I recently talked to Toby Harnden, FIRST CASUALTY: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE CIA MISSION TO AVENGE 9/11.  Toby’s in-depth account quickly became a must-read for me.  We must revisit history to know what the future may hold, and this book does that; it tells you what those first weeks in combat were like with an enemy we may see again.  

Excerpt “By December 2001, ten CIA teams—including Team Alpha and totalling a few dozen CIA officers—had secured victory across Afghanistan. Fighting alongside them were Special Forces troops operating symbiotically with US air power. Among those troops was a unit from Britain’s Special Boat Service (SBS), operating in the tradition of their country’s Special Operations Executive (SOE), which inspired the OSS. Jettisoning a directive that restricted their ability to fight, the SBS headed toward the sound of gunfire.

The complexity of Afghanistan was apparent to Team Alpha. False surrenders, switching sides, warlord machinations, prisoner abuse, suicide attacks, and ethnic ferment were facts of life. This was a country—if it was a country at all—that could not be controlled. After the surviving members of Team Alpha left Afghanistan, the US military took over and American forces became occupiers rather than insurgents. Conventional troops poured into the country, and fortified bases were established.”

#afghanistan #CIA #greenberets #tobyharnden #theprotectors #littlebrownbookspublishing

Retired LTC. Scott Mann joined the show to talk about the current state of Afghanistan and his play ‘Last Out: An Elegy of a Green Beret’.  We recorded this episode on the 24th, I didn’t realize Scott was planning while we were talking.  

About:  Scott Mann spent 23 years in the United States Army, 18 of that as a Green Beret, where he specialized in unconventional, high-impact missions all over the world including Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan.

#operationpineappleexpress #veteranafghanistan #afghanistan #newpodcast #elegyofagreenberet #greenberet #specialforcesveteran #pineappleexpress

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Todd Fox joins the show to talk about being a protector in today's age. Look for our interview on YouTube (search The Protector Show) and all major podcast platforms. @tourtraining

Todd is a veteran U.S. Marine, former LEO, and security professional.

Brad Taylor joined a live discussion to talk about his books and the situation in Afghanistan.  

About Brad:  Brad Taylor was born on Okinawa, Japan, but grew up on 40-acres in rural Texas.  Graduating from the University of Texas, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army Infantry.  Brad served for more than 21 years, retiring as a Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel.  During that time he held numerous Infantry and Special Forces positions, including eight years in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment – Delta where he commanded multiple troops and a squadron.  He has conducted operations in support of US national interests in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other classified locations.

His final assignment was as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.  He holds a Master’s of Science in Defense Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School, with a concentration in Irregular Warfare.  In 2011, Brad published his debut novel, One Rough Man, which was an immediate success and launched the Pike Logan series. Now with more than 14 installments and nearly 3 million copies sold, the series has consistently hit the New York Times bestseller list. When not writing, he serves as a security consultant on asymmetric threats for various agencies. 

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Brad Thomas joined The Protectors to talk about music and music and more music.  Brad is part of SILENCE & LIGHT.  Describing the band’s music….from Foo Fighters to Alice and Chains to 80’s hard rock to a unique sound that doesn’t fit in those categories.  SILENCE & LIGHT is unique….why?  Because no other band has the background of theirs.   Check out the full video on YouTube (search The Protector Show) 

About the band:  Formed in May of 2017 in New York City, Silence & Light draws from their musical pasts and their experiences as U.S. Special Operations veterans and set out to create music that would raise awareness about the myriad issues facing veterans of the Global War on Terror and civil first responders, and to create a mechanism to support organizations that support those individuals in times of need.  We are a modern hard rock band whose sole purpose is to inspire the people of the world who have endured the thrills of great success and high achievement and the lows of life's hardships and struggles to channel their energy into creating something positive and meaningful.  

In January 2019, Silence & Light recorded their debut EP at Stagg Street Studios in Van Nuys, California under the direction of Grammy Award-winning Producer, Josh Gudwin, and Studio Engineer Bil Lane.  Silence & Light is committed to contributing profits from its music sales to numerous Charitable Organizations designed to help support the members and families of the Special Operations community, as well as first responders.  In keeping with our mission, proceeds from music sales for our first album will be contributed to Warriors Heart and the Marine Raider Foundation.

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