Nick Freitas, a former Green Beret, dedicated a years of service to the US Army and one year in the Washington National Guard in 19th Group following a remarkable tenure on active duty. After leaving the Army, he established his own business and attained a position in the Virginia House of Delegates, where he currently serves. In our conversation with Nick, we discuss his military experience, b

eing a husband, having daughters, and his suggestions for a great reading list.

You can connect with Nick at @nickjfreitas on Instagram.

Rob Shaul is the Founder and Head Coach of Mountain Tactical Institute. With a strong emphasis on sport-specific program design, Rob works closely with professional mountain guides, alpine climbers, freeskiers, kayakers, backcountry hunters, and a diverse range of athletes. Rob’s expertise extends to training military, law enforcement, and firefighter personnel from various countries. He has conducted comprehensive strength and conditioning programming for elite forces such as Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, Air Force Combat Controllers, Air Force PJs, Army and Air Force EOD, federal and state law enforcement SWAT teams, as well as urban and wildland firefighters. His contributions include the development of highly effective pre-deployment programs that have benefited numerous military individuals and units worldwide.

Dennis Buckingham is a biologist for depart of Public Works on JBLM  to provide visitors with safe, high-quality hunting and outdoor recreation opportunities by managing the installation's ecosystems and biodiversity through conservation, protection, and restoration while prioritizing and supporting the military mission responsibly. 

Justin Spurriel with Backcountry Hunting and Anglers Armed Forces Initiative introduces us to him and facilitates a conversation about hunting and fishing on JBLM.

Contact Justin Spruiell at [email protected]

Contact Dennis Buckingham at [email protected]

This week we sit down with SSG Tyler Buttersworth, also known as @buttersworthdasyrup on Instagram. SSG Buttersworth is a rising star in the US Army's recruiting world, having achieved his recruiting goals well ahead of schedule. What's more, he's managed to generate over 200 leads for other states through his Instagram account alone.

In this episode, we'll dive deep into SSG Buttersworth's story, discovering the secrets behind his success and the lessons he's learned along the way. We'll explore the innovative practices he's implemented to modernize recruiting for the army, and how his approach can be replicated by others.

Join us for an insightful conversation with SSG Buttersworth, as we explore the cutting-edge of military recruiting and discover how Instagram is becoming a powerful tool in the search for new recruits.

SFC Ethan Long is a highly experienced and dedicated soldier who has served in the United States Army since January 2009. He began his military journey as a 19K armor crewman, demonstrating his early commitment to serving on the front lines and operating heavy armored vehicles. In 2012, SFC Long decided to reclassify his military occupational specialty (MOS) to become a 14E, or Patriot Fire Control Enhanced Operator/Maintainer. As a 14E, he took on various crucial positions, including serving as a tactical control assistant, battery trainer, and senior engagement controller. These roles required him to exhibit exceptional technical expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to effectively communicate and coordinate with his fellow soldiers landing him an instructor role in the Army’s Senior Leader Course. His Instagram handle is extremely informative and entertaining for anyone looking to learn more about the strategic environment and air defense’s role in it.

You can reach SFC Long on Instagram @habitual_line_crosser

Coach Brian Grout started his high school football career as a player in Puyallup. He fell in love hard with Puyallup football and proclaimed he would one day return to be the head football coach. Those claims were largely dismissed as dreams of an uniformed teenager until he came on staff as a assistant coach. In 2021, he replaced long time head football coach Gary Jeffers. Today, he talks to us about his journey and the lessons he learned along the way.

Balancing the military with any career is difficult, but it takes a special person to be both a commanding officer and a high school coach. LTC Patrick Johnson serves as a commander on Camp Murray while also coaching full time at Stadium High School in Tacoma, WA. Our conversation explores his coaching journey and gleans the value of relationships both on the gridiron and in uniform.

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Good leaders are good coaches. Therefore, if we are going to be and train excellent leaders we need to gather best practices from coaches. In this episode and the next, we will be interviewing local coaches to glean leadership lessons from the gridiron.

Coach Justin Callander has been a high school football coach for well over a decade. In that time he has seen a variety of athletes grow from being awkward tweens to highly successful adults. He shares the leadership lessons learned from his time on the football field and in the hallways of Kent-Meridian high school.

MAJ Jess Dawson is an Academy Professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Her research interests focus on nationalism, white supremacy and extremism, religion and what binds people together, guns and the role of American civil religion, and the digital disruption of technology on aspects of society. As the Information Operations Division Chief for the Army Cyber Institute. Our conversation cover information operations, the weaponization of social media, and how what can be done about it. 

It is now official. The U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers have established themselves as the foremost snipers globally. In the 2023 International Sniper Competition, four sniper teams from the National Guard proved to be the strongest contenders, achieving top 10 positions. Notably, team 7 secured the first-place position. The International Sniper Competition centers on combat, evaluating teams' capacity to communicate effectively and make decisions while facing stress and exhaustion. The competition comprises various day and night challenges that test the physical and mental abilities of the participants. In this episode, we engage in a conversation with the victorious individuals, SFC Erik Vargas, SSG Ben Cotten, and SSG Allen Smith. We delve into their experiences in the competition and their roles as snipers while serving in the National Guard.