The Stan R. Mitchell Show

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

Timestamp: 2:07. Could Ukraine get fighter jets from somewhere other than the United States?

Timestamp: 6:15. Has Russia suffered more combat deaths in a year of war with Ukraine than it’s suffered in all the years since World War II? Yes, it actually has. Here’s an approximate historical look at casualties in previous wars.

Timestamp: 11:11. In war, cities are important — even the ones with no military value. So says two analysts who have studied the Ukrainian War intently. And the fighting the past year certainly validates their views. I discuss.

Timestamp: 18:07. Update on China. Is it arming Russia with lethal munitions yet?

Timestamp: 20:21. Forget Hunter Biden or Jan. 6. China is now in Congress’s crosshairs.

Timestamp: 24:50. Speaking of strong warnings for China, check out this one from the Deputy Secretary of Defense. But while all these threats are being tossed out, why are U.S. businesses announcing all these expansions in China? What is going on here?

Timestamp: 29:10. In tech news, it certainly seems robot dogs are here for good.

Timestamp: 35:37. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

The work I do each week is primarily a podcast. You can listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

What follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

Russia/Ukraine news:

From the story:

Amid renewed appeals to Western countries for fighter jets, Slovakia is considering giving Ukraine 10 of its 11 Soviet-made MiG-29 planes — with the 11th reserved for a Slovakian museum, according to Defense Minister Nad.

It grounded its MiGs in the summer due to a lack of spare parts and maintenance experts after Russian technicians returned home. But Ukraine’s air force, which flies MiG 29s, would be happy to have them.

“We will never use the MiGs anymore,” Nad said. “They have no real value for us. If we give them to Ukraine, they can help save their lives.”

The information above is from CSIS. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges.

TWELVE MONTHS OF WAR IN UKRAINE HAVE REVEALED FOUR FUNDAMENTAL LESSONS ON URBAN WARFARE

In war, cities are important—even the ones with no military value.

Yet not all cities are strategically or operationally significant; many, in fact, do not even offer much tactical value from a strictly military perspective. Cities such as Severodonetsk, which Russia seized in June, and Bakhmut, where the fighting continues today, represent little military value on their own. Controlling them does not offer either side a marked military advantage. Yet the fighting for both was—and in the case of Bakhmut, remains—extremely intense.

Why are the militaries of each nation fighting so hard for seemingly insignificant terrain? It is because they are symbolically important, and their control consequently has political value. Ukraine does not want a city of seventy thousand (Bakhmut) or one hundred thousand (Severodonetsk) to fall into Russian hands. Likewise, Russia wants to seize these cities to demonstrate progress in a war that has not gone well. Seizing thousands of rural square miles in the Zaporizhzhia region simply does not have the same political effect. Because war is inherently political, these seemingly insignificant pieces of terrain become tactically and operationally important and yet another reason why fighting in urban areas cannot be avoided.

China news:

Last week, I covered that China might start arming Russia with lethal weapons. Here’s the latest on that.

But now Congress is getting more involved with the threat from China.

Bipartisan lawmakers warn of China threat at select committee's first hearing

Bipartisan lawmakers warned of the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party on Tuesday during the first hearing of the House select committee on China, a rare demonstration of unity across the aisle in a Congress increasingly divided along partisan lines.

The panel’s chairman, Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, described the stakes in sweeping and dire terms at the outset of the hearing, saying, “This is an existential struggle over what life will look like in the 21st century – and the most fundamental freedoms are at stake.”

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, the panel’s top Democrat, argued that working across the aisle is critical for the US to counter the threat. “We must practice bipartisanship,” he said. “We must recognize that the CCP wants us to be fractious, partisan and prejudiced,” a reference to the Chinese Communist Party.

The Washington Post is impressed. Here’s part of an editorial that praises the Committee’s work so far:

It is all too rare these days to see House members working across the aisle with a shared — and serious — sense of purpose. So we should applaud even tentative signs that it’s still possible.

Tech news:

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

Timestamp: 2:21. U.S. troops wounded in raid against ISIS in Syria.

Timestamp: 6:20. How much did it cost to shoot down those three balloon objects last week?

Timestamp: 12:00. We’ve got you covered on several Ukraine news items that you may not have heard about.

Timestamp: 30:38. Did the United States greenlight an attack by Israel on Iran’s nuclear facilities? It sure seems like they did.

Timestamp: 41:18. Four quick bits of China news that you probably didn’t hear about.

Timestamp: 46:55. In tech news, we discuss this topic: Is there such a thing as a fast-moving robotic dog with a deadly assault weapon on its back? Why, yes. There is such a thing.

Timestamp: 49:14. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Timestamp: 1:03.43. And if you want to learn more about me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written, jump to here on the podcast.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

U.S. Military news

I may be in the minority, but I keep seeing these stories pop up, and I’m sorry, but I don’t care. No one in a defense situation asks what the cost of a munition is. They were ordered to down the object. They downed it. I think there are far more important stories out there.

Ukraine and Russia news:

Statement from President Joe Biden on travel to Kyiv, Ukraine

As the world prepares to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, I am in Kyiv today to meet with President Zelenskyy and reaffirm our unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

When Putin launched his invasion nearly one year ago, he thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided. He thought he could outlast us. But he was dead wrong.

Today, in Kyiv, I am meeting with President Zelenskyy and his team for an extended discussion on our support for Ukraine. I will announce another delivery of critical equipment, including artillery ammunition, anti-armor systems, and air surveillance radars to help protect the Ukrainian people from aerial bombardments.

Part of a Washington Post opinion piece:

If the fighting somehow ended today, would anyone have a doubt about who won and who lost? Whatever tactical territorial gains Putin might hold when this phase of intense war stops, no one will have any doubt about the fact that Putin’s war was a grave strategic blunder. He succeeded in achieving precisely the opposite of what he intended. Ukrainians’ sense of identity and confidence that they can build a viable modern nation has never been stronger. NATO has never been more unified and its European members far more willing to invest in their own military capabilities than in a generation or more. By re-creating a vivid Russian threat, Putin has condemned his country to a new Cold War against a united transatlantic adversary whose combined economy is more than 20 times its size.

Israel and Iran are increasingly in the news

Secretary of State response to questions about the above comments:

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  John, the second part of your question first with regard to notifying Russia of the President’s travels.  Yes, we did in order, of course, to deconflict and to avoid any potential for accidents or danger.  Beyond that I can’t comment.

With regard to Ambassador Nides, I haven’t seen the full comments that my friend Tom made.  I’m sure they were notable, as they usually are.  From what I’ve heard, because I just got a brief description before, he reiterated what we have consistently said.  We’re committed to Israel’s security.  We are committed together to the proposition that Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon.  That’s not exactly news.  The President’s been very clear that every option is on the table to do that.  And we’re also working to deepen our cooperation and coordination with Israel, as well as with other countries to deal with the multiplicity of challenges that Iran poses, including advances in its nuclear program.

At the same time, we’ve also been clear that the Iran nuclear deal, the so-called JCPOA, is not now on the table.  We spent many months to seeing if we could revive it and return to mutual compliance.  There was a proposal put forward by the European Union some months ago that was endorsed by everyone – China, Russia, as well as the United States – and Iran would not go forward with that.

In the meantime, of course, we’ve seen the provision by Iran of drones to Russia to enable its aggression in Ukraine.  We’ve seen the renewed repression throughout the streets of Iran against its own citizens simply for trying to speak their minds.  And we see Iran also engaging, for example, in plots to assassinate those who oppose the regime in third countries, including in the United States.

We continue to believe that, with regard to the nuclear program, the most effective, sustainable way to deal with the challenges it poses is through diplomacy.  But in the – in this moment, those efforts are on the back burner because Iran is simply not engaged in a meaningful way.  But the door is always open to diplomacy going forward, but a lot depends on what Iran says and does, and whether or not it engages.

QUESTION:  Does Israel have a green light to attack Iran?

SECRETARY BLINKEN:  Countries will make sovereign decisions for their own security.  And of course, that’s no different when it comes to Israel or any country.  We can’t make those decisions for them.

China news:

President Marcos says Philippines 'will not lose an inch' of territory

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Saturday that the country "will not lose an inch" of territory, his remarks coming on the heels of continuing maritime tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea. 

The Southeast Asian nation this week protested what it called as Beijing's "aggressive activities" that have stoked a long-running territorial dispute over the South China Sea. 

"The country has seen heightened geopolitical tensions that do not conform to our ideals of peace and threaten the security and stability of the country, of the region and of the world," Marcos said in a speech at a military alumni homecoming event.

Tech news:

(Hat tip to the above story goes to Travis Hord.)

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

Timestamp: 2:28. A bit of a intro/preamble to all the objects being shot down in the United States.

Timestamp: 5:08. Why the U.S. is shooting these objects down now?

Timestamp: 6:21. Could it be UFOs? What’s my take on that?

Timestamp: 8:53. Will the Biden Administration be honest about this with the public?

Timestamp: 11:49. Internet provider Starlink, which is closely associated with Elon Musk, admits blocking Ukrainian troops from using satellite technology in some instances. What is happening there?

Timestamp: 16:24. Ukraine has begun training its troops on German Leopard tanks in Poland. Hear my take on that and what it could mean for the war.

Timestamp: 21:32. A new report has come out that lays out the specifics of Russia's vast program to take Ukraine's children from their families or legal guardians, relocate them across borders, and "re-educate" them to be pro-Russia. I’ll share just a couple of snippets from that.

Timestamp: 23:36. In other Ukraine news, a Washington Post story details the barbarity and inhumanity of Russian tactics in the southern part of th country in a recently recaptured city. The title of the story, “Ukraine liberated Kherson city. Now, Russia is destroying it.,” mostly captures what’s happening. But I remind listeners of Russia said prior to exiting the city about wanting to spare it, and show yet again that you cannot take the Russians at their word.

Timestamp: 26:46. I predicted that Ukrainians might modify their defenses against loitering munitions several months ago, after an accidental camouflage net and some tree branches saved the lives of several Ukrainians. Turns out, I was right about that, so I’ll give you a quick update on defenses against loitering munitions/kamikaze drones.

Timestamp: 31:07. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley, has declared that Russia has "lost" the war in Ukraine. I cover this statement and attempt to explain.

Timestamp: 33:30. Moving away from Russia to the growing tension with China, I cover what Japan said on Tuesday, when it stated that it “strongly” suspects three Chinese spy balloons entered its airspace between 2019 and 2021. It also provided an ominous warning to its long-term foe, who it fought with in the 1940s.

Timestamp: 35:40. Staying on the subject of China, I shared that the United States has renewed its commitment in a sharply-worded warning that it'll defend the Philippines after China uses a military-grade laser to briefly blind sailors in the South China Sea.

Timestamp: 40:07. On this same topic, the US Military gained access to 4 more Philippine bases in a pre-emptive move to better counter China.

Timestamp: 41:33. At the same time that base announcement was happening, the US also announced a new base on the island of Guam, which could eventually house 5,000 troops to counter China.

Timestamp: 43:24. Finally, I briefly bring up during the most-recent tension between China and the U.S., when we shot down a Chinese balloon last week, the US-China hotline went unanswered. ‘It just rang.’

Timestamp: 44:54. Moving to the Middle East, I’ll provide a quick update on the uprising in Iran. The short take? It appears to be mostly over.

Timestamp: 47:03. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Timestamp: 57:23. And if you want to learn more about me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written, jump to here on the podcast.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

Timestamp: 2:28. A bit of a intro/preamble to all the objects being shot down in the United States.

Timestamp: 5:08. Why the U.S. is shooting these objects down now?

US defends decision to shoot down 3 unidentified objects

From the story:

The White House defended the shootdowns of three unidentified objects in as many days even as it acknowledged that officials had no indication the objects were intended for surveillance in the same manner as the high-altitude Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace earlier this month.

The three objects, including one shot down Sunday over Lake Huron, were unmanned and traveling at such a low altitude as to pose a risk to civilian commercial air traffic, said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. And though the Biden administration does not yet have evidence that they were equipped for spying purposes, officials have not ruled that out either, he said.

Timestamp: 6:21. Could it be UFOs? What’s my take on that?

Timestamp: 8:53. Will the Biden Administration be honest about this with the public?

Ukraine news:

Timestamp: 11:49. Internet provider Starlink, which is closely associated with Elon Musk, admits blocking Ukrainian troops from using satellite technology in some instances. What is happening there?

SpaceX admits blocking Ukrainian troops from using satellite technology

From the story:

The president of SpaceX revealed the company has taken active steps to prevent Ukrainian forces from using the critical Starlink satellite technology with Ukrainian drones that are a key component of their fight against Russia.

“There are things that we can do to limit their ability to do that,” Gwynne Shotwell told reporters on Wednesday, referencing reports on Starlink and drone use. “There are things that we can do, and have done.”

Starlink was never meant to be used militarily in the way that it has, Shotwell argued, saying the company didn’t foresee how profoundly – and creatively – Ukrainian forces would rely on the technology.

Timestamp: 16:24. Ukraine has begun training its troops on German Leopard tanks in Poland. Hear my take on that and what it could mean for the war.

Timestamp: 21:32. A new report has come out that lays out the specifics of Russia's vast program to take Ukraine's children from their families or legal guardians, relocate them across borders, and "re-educate" them to be pro-Russia. I’ll share just a couple of snippets from that.

From the link above:

This latest report, prepared by program partner Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, is available in its entirety on the Conflict Observatory’s website .  It identifies 43 facilities to which the Russian government has relocated Ukraine’s children—for some, thousands of miles away from their homes.  The report provides evidence of the Russian government’s systematic efforts to sever communication between the taken children and their relatives at home in Ukraine, prevent the children’s return to Ukraine, and “re-educate” them to become pro-Russia.  It also describes the taking of children from Ukraine and placing them for adoption by families in Russia.

Timestamp: 23:36. In other Ukraine news, a Washington Post story details the barbarity and inhumanity of Russian tactics in the southern part of th country in a recently recaptured city. The title of the story, “Ukraine liberated Kherson city. Now, Russia is destroying it.,” mostly captures what’s happening. But I remind listeners of Russia said prior to exiting the city about wanting to spare it, and show yet again that you cannot take the Russians at their word.

From the story:

Residents who survived nine months of Russian occupation say that now that their city is back under Ukrainian control, they face a painful reality: If Russia can no longer have the city, it seems hellbent on destroying it.

Timestamp: 26:46. I predicted that Ukrainians might modify their defenses against loitering munitions several months ago, after an accidental camouflage net and some tree branches saved the lives of several Ukrainians. Turns out, I was right about that, so I’ll give you a quick update on defenses against loitering munitions/kamikaze drones.

Timestamp: 31:07. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Mark Milley, has declared that Russia has "lost" the war in Ukraine. I cover this statement and attempt to explain.

Video of the comments:

China news:

Timestamp: 33:30. Moving away from Russia to the growing tension with China, I cover what Japan said on Tuesday, when it stated that it “strongly” suspects three Chinese spy balloons entered its airspace between 2019 and 2021. It also provided an ominous warning to its long-term foe, who it fought with in the 1940s.

Timestamp: 35:40. Staying on the subject of China, I shared that the United States has renewed its commitment in a sharply-worded warning that it'll defend the Philippines after China uses a military-grade laser to briefly blind sailors in the South China Sea.

Timestamp: 40:07. On this same topic, the US Military gained access to 4 more Philippine bases in a pre-emptive move to better counter China.

US Military Gets Access to 4 More Philippine Bases

The United States and the Philippines announced a deal Thursday to give US troops access to another four bases in the Southeast Asian nation, as the longtime allies seek to counter China's military rise.

The agreement to expand cooperation in "strategic areas of the country" was made during a visit by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

It comes as the countries seek to repair ties that were fractured in recent years. Previous Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte favoured China over his country's former colonial master, but the new administration of Ferdinand Marcos has been keen to reverse that.

Timestamp: 41:33. At the same time that base announcement was happening, the US also announced a new base on the island of Guam, which could eventually house 5,000 troops to counter China.

Timestamp: 43:24. Finally, I briefly bring up during the most-recent tension between China and the U.S., when we shot down a Chinese balloon last week, the US-China hotline went unanswered. ‘It just rang.’

Iran news:

Timestamp: 44:54. Moving to the Middle East, I’ll provide a quick update on the uprising in Iran. The short take? It appears to be mostly over.

Motivation and Wisdom:

Timestamp: 47:03. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

Timestamp: 57:23. And if you want to learn more about me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written, jump to here on the podcast.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Timestamp 18:48. The earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and the much larger thing that should remind all Americans of.

Timestamp 25:11. China flew a balloon over the United States. You may have heard about it. But here are quite a few things you probably didn’t know about that situation.

Timestamp 49:03. Three quick news items regarding Ukraine and the Russian war, that you probably didn’t hear about. One of these involves a deeper, political angle that I think is starting to emerge and what that might mean for the 2024 Presidential elections here in America. This isn’t something I’ve seen anywhere else, and I’m wondering if you might agree — or disagree — with my analysis of this.

Timestamp 54:02. There have been two ongoing U.S. military operations that you’ve probably forgotten about. I’ll share links to them in the notes below.

Timestamp: 57:35. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Timestamp: 1:14:58. About me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

I have completed Nick Woods 5!

Writing has often been called the loneliest profession in the world, and it's absolutely true.

Your victories are birthed in private, and they're often agonizing, painful, and not as easy as they make it out in the movies.

But three years after starting Nick Woods 5 -- and seven years since Nick Woods 4 (Nigerian Terror) dropped — I have FINALLY completed this beast.

I'll still have to deal with edits, the cover, and a dozen other small tasks, but that's all easy gravy.

I have finally slain this beast after so many starts and stops and restarts and massive amounts of deletions.

Nick Woods rides again.

Shield, Safeguard, and Shelter (better known as S3) goes from being decommissioned to evolving into something smaller, with just Nick Woods, Red, and Allen Green.

#NickWoods #S3

And here is the tweet I reference in the podcast that so inspired me to keep pushing on this project.

Now go inspire and help uplift others, as well.

Hope fading as deaths in Turkey, Syria quake pass 11,000

China releases a balloon over America and all hysteria breaks out here

(Notes on the points I make in the podcast.)

Thread I quote from.

Video I quote from:

Ukraine/Russia news

Norway looks to donate $7.3 billion in aid to Ukraine

Biden Calls Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine a ‘Test for the Ages’

“Putin’s invasion has been a test for the ages, a test for America, a test for the world,” Biden said Tuesday night in his State of the Union address to Congress. “Such a defense matters to us because it keeps the peace and prevents open season” for “would-be aggressors to threaten our security and prosperity.”

With Ukraine’s ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, watching from the gallery, Biden said the US was united in its support for Ukraine almost a year after Russia’s invasion began, even as some Republican lawmakers have called for scaling back assistance or applying stricter oversight that could slow the distribution of weapons and aid. 

Zelenskyy tells UK ‘freedom will win,’ pushes for warplanes

The visit comes as Sunak announced that Britain will train Ukrainian pilots on “NATO-standard fighter jets.” Ukraine has urged its allies to send jets, though the U.K. says it’s not practical to provide the Ukrainian military with British warplanes.

Operations happening that aren’t making the news

Statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Somalia Operation

US troops conducted 313 missions and killed 686 ISIS fighters in 2022

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

Timestamp: 5:52. Some good news for America, that I wanted to share.

Timestamp: 9:45. I was recently interviewed on the That’s Criminal Podcast, by fomer FBI Agent and Author John Stamp. You can find that interview here: https://t.co/9TTDmWTacr.

Timestamp: 11:30. We’ll start off with Ukraine won’t get F-16s from America, Biden says. But some folks in the Pentagon are skeptical about this and see a path forward. I’ll talk about this and how it relates to the so-called “Deep State,” and hopefully dispel a myth or two about this.

Timestamp: 21:12. Israel launched a drone strike against an Iranian facility. The damage seems to be pretty severe, and I’ll explain one big reason for why that’s significant.

Timestamp: 30:46. Afghanistan’s wounds spill over into Pakistan.

Timestamp: 53:43. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Timestamp: 1:11.24. About me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

Some good news for America:

Some personal news I wanted to share!

Had a GREAT interview with John Stamp Author Page. We covered so much, including...

Want to hear about my time in the Marines? The background for what kicked off the Nick Woods story/series? And what it feels like to be on top -- and at the bottom -- as an author? 

In addition to all of that, I name the absolute book you must read if you want to be an author, while also explaining my writing process.

And then I also talk about my mystery/detective book Danny Acuff (series starts with book 1 Take Down), as well as my podcast The View from the Front and what I’m trying to achieve with that.

That and so much more is in this incredible interview done by John Stamp, who served as a former Special Agent with the FBI and NCIS, and who’s written seven novels himself!

Link to interview: That’s Criminal Podcast

Ukraine/Russia news:

Israel/Iran news:

Israel appears to have been behind drone strike on Iran factory, U.S. official says

Afghanistan/Pakistan news:

Timestamp was 27:30 on the episode from two months ago.

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

Timestamp: 21:10. Ukraine is finally getting tanks, both Abrams from America and Leopards from Germany. How many are they likely getting in total. What effect will it have? And why some have irked me with their reaction to the news.

Timestamp 29:10. A reminder about why now is not the time for Ukraine to begin peace talks, which again has popped up in the news.

Timestamp 34:22. Why I think Ukraine is getting pushed back some in the East, in the Donbas region.

Timestamp 40:58. I talk about China, and how their aggressive actions are turning even the massive (mostly peaceful) country of India against them.

Timestamp 49:08. An update on the revolution happening in Iran, and how it’s not stopping, and what that means for the country.

Timestamp 57:03. We’ll also cover two items in tech news and how that affects modern warfare, and both of those items involve drones, so I think you’ll find that super interesting. 

Timestamp 1:05. Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Timestamp 1:12. About me, my hope for the country (and for those listening), and about the 11 books I’ve written.

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above, or from whatever podcast you listen to it from.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

U.S. to send Ukraine more advanced Abrams tanks — but no secret armor

Story link: Negotiations? Putin’s word in peace talks would be worthless

China news:

Story link: India Sees China as Greatest Threat.

China’s rise in recent years has provoked a change in India’s strategic threat calculations—a shift now reflected in public sentiment. This week, a Morning Consult poll revealed that Indians see China as India’s “greatest military threat.” Forty-three percent of respondents named China, while only 13 percent cited Pakistan, India’s long-standing rival. Strikingly, 22 percent of respondents said the United States was India’s greatest threat.

The survey, based on interviews with 1,000 Indian adults last October, reflects a shift in Indian perspectives—including among Indian officials—on the country’s long-term strategic challenges. Since its independence, India has fought three full-scale conflicts and one limited war with Pakistan, and bilateral relations remain tense. But growing threats from China, coupled with recent Indian foreign-policy moves, show that New Delhi’s focus has shifted toward Beijing.

Iran news:

(Story link: The Women of Iran Are Not Backing Down.)

From the story:

Protests are not a new phenomenon in Iran. They’ve flared up over the years — over election fraud, economic woes, civil liberties. But this time is different — an unprecedented revolution led by women, with support from men, encompassing a wide variety of grievances, all laid out in the heart-wrenching Persian lyrics of Shervin Hajipour’s song “Baraye,” or “Because of.” It’s become the anthem of the revolution, striking such a nerve around the world that backlash after Hajipour’s arrest led to his release.

This is a spontaneous civil rights movement made up of people at their wit’s end — unable to afford basic life necessities while forced to adhere to the oppressive rules of a religious autocracy that promised to take care of its people. What’s more dangerous than a mob with nothing to lose? See: The French Revolution.

Tech news:

Story link: Is This New Microwave Weapon the Answer to Iranian Drones?

Russia’s frequent drone attacks on Ukraine mirror a challenge that is growing for the U.S. military in almost every operational environment: How do you defeat drone swarms without wasting expensive surface-to-air missiles? The U.S. Army is working with a California company to develop microwave weapons that can fry airborne electronics 

On Monday, counter-drone company Epirus announced that they had won a $66 million prototyping contract from the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office for its experimental Leonidas counterdrone microwave weapon. The Army will “transition Leonidas into a future program of record after successful demonstration of the prototypes,” according to the company’s statement. 

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

* Plenty of news about the Ukraine/Russia conflict, we’ll debunk the top five myths about the Russian invasion, we’ll cover a new defense treaty that Japan signed with Britain (as well as some of the behind-the-door reasons that Japan is stepping out of its passive state), and then we’ll cover two bits of cool tech news: lasers on ships and an unmanned fleet of 100 U.S. Navy ships in the Persian Gulf region.

* Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom, as we all do.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

Ukraine/Russia news:

UK defence minister sets out further military aid package to Ukraine

Moscow to mobilize 500,000 new conscripts, Kyiv military intelligence says

Ukrainian intelligence officials are warning that the Kremlin plans a new mobilization wave for up to 500,000 men to fight in Ukraine starting in mid-January.

The new conscription drive, which would be larger than last autumn’s Russian draft of 300,000, would include a push in big cities, including some strategic industrial centers in Russia, Andriy Cherniak, an official with the Main Military Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, told POLITICO on Saturday.  

…

“This time the Kremlin will mobilize residents of big cities, including the strategic industries centers all over Russia,” Cherniak said. “This will have a very negative impact on the already suffering Russian economy.”

Russia plans to mobilize 500,000 soldiers in days. If they don't deliver victory, then 'Putin will collapse,' says Ukrainian spy chief.

Russia’s new commander reflects Putin’s plan to push for victory in Ukraine

The leadership changes, whatever their true purpose, highlight that Putin never expected to be in such a disastrous situation. He is now nearly a year into an invasion that some Russian commentators predicted would end successfully within days, with victorious Russian troops parading through Kyiv.

…

“Putin loves to cut the legs out from under whoever is tallest at the moment, and I think this is a part of that,” McKew said in an interview. “It is a signal that these internal power struggles that everybody has been microanalyzing and that we focus on so much are under control.”

Whatever the internal machinations, one thing remains clear: The war is not going to plan. McKew said the reshuffling reflected preparation for new offensives. “I think it signals an escalation, of commitment to advancing and sustaining the war, which no one’s really been that certain of from the Russian side, because they were planning on winning so quickly,” McKew said.

Top Five Russian Myths Debunked

China/Taiwan news:

A menacing Russia and China pull Japan out of its past

Why is Japan taking this step toward remilitarization? One galvanizing moment for Japanese leaders, U.S. officials say, was when China and Russia flew six heavy bombers near Japan in a joint exercise on May 24, as Tokyo was hosting a meeting of the “Quad” partnership of Australia, India, Japan and the United States.

Japan expressed “serious concerns” about the flights. But China and Russia did it again in late November, sending two Chinese heavy bombers and two Russian planes over the Sea of Japan. This time Tokyo expressed “severe concerns,” again with no apparent response.

Another wake-up call came in August, when China fired five missiles into Japan’s “exclusive economic zone” during a spasm of military exercises after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visited Taiwan. “We have protested strongly through diplomatic channels,” said Nobuo Kishi, Japan’s former defense minister who now serves as a special adviser to the prime minister. The lesson was that “nothing in the Taiwan Strait stays in the Taiwan Strait,” Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Tokyo, told me in an interview.

Britain and Japan sign major defence agreement in London

Earlier this month, US, Australian, British and Japanese paratroopers conducted joint parachute training from Japanese aircraft.

Additionally, the Vigilant Isles (pictured above) joint UK-Japanese exercise, which began in 2018 and other than US forces, was the first time foreign troops had conducted military exercises on Japanese soil, was held for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic in December, with soldiers from the British Army’s Royal Artillery and their Japanese counterparts practising island defence capabilities and improving their interoperability.

Tech news:

From the story (Story link: Here comes the Navy’s laser fleet):

Developed under a 2018 contract with Lockheed, the HELIOS consists of a 60-kilowatt laser and optical dazzler package designed to knock out unmanned aerial vehicles, “burn the boats,” and disrupt both airborne and shipborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensors, according to the Congressional Research Service.

As swarms of drone aircraft, watercraft, and anti-ship missiles pose growing threats to surface vessels, laser weapons systems have proven an ideal low-cost, near-unlimited ammo countermeasure to deter potential attacks. 

Story link: U.S.-Led Drone Fleet Starting To Come Together in Middle East

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

* Plenty of Ukraine and Russia news. Lots of big news to discuss in this regards.

* Some news regarding military recruiting news in the U.S., which had dropped dangerously low.

* Moving to China, we’ll cover several big things that have happened there, including a war game simulation on an invasion of Taiwan, what our military has decided to do with a bunch of Marines in Okinawa, and some other news.

* We’ll also update you on the latest in Iran, and the now months’ long uprising that has been happening there.

* Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or make a donation at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

Ukraine/Russia:

Clearly Putin not only made a huge mistake invading Ukraine, but he has compounded it of late with a giant miscalculation in attacking energy infrastructure. This has accelerated Western resolve and support.

Ukraine to get upgraded T-72 tanks from Czech Republic

U.S. Military news:

Applications to Air Force Academy Bounce Back After Plummeting During Pandemic

* Applications to join the Air Force Academy's class of 2027 skyrocketed last year, following a year when the school saw a dive in applications from young men and women during the coronavirus pandemic.

* More than 10,000 students had applied to be part of the class of 2027 as of the Dec. 31 deadline. That's a 21% increase from the more than 8,300 applicants who wanted to join the class of 2026 the year before, according to Air Force Academy spokesman Dean Miller. The school said last year's low application numbers were due, in part, to the pandemic limiting how many in-person events it could hold for high school students.

China/Taiwan:

Full report here: The First Battle of the Next War. Wargaming a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan

U.S., Japan set to announce shake-up of Marine Corps units to deter China

From the story:

* This week, the two allies will announce the repurposing of a Marine Corps regiment based in Okinawa to be able by 2025 to rapidly disperse to fight in austere, remote islands, according to several U.S. officials. The Marine Corps plans to equip the regiment with advanced capabilities, such as anti-ship missiles that could be fired at Chinese ships in the event of a Taiwan conflict.

* This is one of the most significant advances in U.S. force posture in the region in at least a decade, said the officials. “Japan is substantially improving its capacity, but also providing more capacity for the United States,” said the administration official. “This reflects a Japan that is much less ambivalent, a Japan that is prepared to play a more substantial role in its own defense.”

* In the past, the administration official said, Japan would have resorted to “a kind of checkbook diplomacy, and basically asked the United States to take care of” security in the region. “What they’re doing now is something quite different and quite substantial, which is essentially to say, ‘Count us in.’ And that’s a big deal.”

Iran:

Uprising continues, from The Economist

* Iran hanged two men accused of killing a member of the Basij, a volunteer militia that is part of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to state-affiliated media. Iran has now executed four demonstrators involved in the months-long protests sparked by the killing of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman, in police custody. As many as 41 others have also been sentenced to death.

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do three things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

* And I always make sure at the end of the episode to share plenty of motivation and wisdom, because I want to do my small part to help encourage you and lift you up. Life is certainly hard, and I think it’s fair to say all of us need all the motivation and encouragement that we can possibly get.

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

* Ukraine will be getting a new weapon system from the United States, as our country plans to send over Bradley Fighting Vehicles to help drive out the Russians. That’s the topline news, but we’ll spend a few minutes going into the details of the Bradley, what it can do, and what makes it such a potential game-changer for Ukraine.

* Hundreds of Russians died in what is probably one of the most successful deep strikes of Ukraine to date. We’ll cover how that happened, why that happened, and even how the Russians were warned about it and ignored those warnings.

* We’re going to share the latest message that Russia is putting out, as it tries to spin the facts on the war, and then remind people what the truth is.

* We’re going to talk briefly about Radio Free Europe, and the role it plays around the world, but especially for 11 million Russians who are tuning in and getting the truth about the war.

* We’ll wrap up our coverage of Ukraine by visiting the Kherson torture rooms that were recently discovered, and what the Russians were doing to Ukrainians in that city before it was liberated.

* From there, we’ll move to the friction between China and Taiwan and explain a generous offer that has been made by Taiwan, as China deals with the growing death toll from COVID, which we warned about several weeks ago.

* We’ll end the news section by discussing the LongShot project to develop an air-launched unmanned air vehicle that can employ multiple air-to-air weapons, and how I think this could revolutionize warfare in the air.

* Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or make a donation at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

Ukraine:

Biden weighs sending Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Ukraine

From the article:

The Bradley is a medium armored combat vehicle that can serve as a troop carrier. It has tracks rather than wheels, but the vehicle is lighter and more agile than a tank. It can carry about 10 personnel, or be configured instead to carry additional ammunition or communications equipment.

Incredible thread about the Bradley below:

Dozens of Russian soldiers killed in massive Donetsk missile strike

Without claiming responsibility for the attack, Kyiv’s military command said that at least 400 soldiers were killed in the strike in Makiivka, a city in eastern Ukraine under Russian occupation, and that at least 300 soldiers were injured. Russia’s Defense Ministry put the death toll at 63.

…

Moscow authorities, pro-Kremlin war bloggers and Telegram channels acknowledged the attack but provided inconclusive and contradictory death tolls.

Economist article on the strike:

The early-morning strike, courtesy of at least four himars high-precision missiles, killed scores of (mostly newly mobilised) soldiers. Russia has said that more than 90 died; Ukraine says the figure is at least 400. Igor “Strelkov” Girkin, the eccentric former intelligence officer largely responsible for the outbreak of war in the Donbas region in 2014, said he had warned Russian generals about the likelihood of himars strikes on barracks. “They [the generals] are untrainable in principle,” he barked.

Radio Free Europe source clip:

Radio Free Europe FAQs: https://pressroom.rferl.org/frequently-asked-questions

Taiwan/China news:

From the CNN article:

* China’s U-turn on its Covid policy caught citizens and the medical system off guard, with some pharmacy shelves swept empty of cold and fever medicines and hospitals scrambling to cope with an unprecedented jump in infections.

Tech news:

From the story:

The objective is to develop a novel UAV that can significantly extend engagement ranges, increase mission effectiveness, and reduce the risk to manned aircraft.

Current air superiority concepts rely on advanced manned fighter aircraft to provide a penetrating counter air capability to effectively deliver weapons. It is envisioned that LongShot will increase the survivability of manned platforms by allowing them to be at standoff ranges far away from enemy threats, while an air-launched LongShot UAV efficiently closes the gap to take more effective missile shots.

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe

Hey guys,

Welcome to the View from the Front podcast. If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.

For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.

Every week, I primarily do two things:

* Work to highlight what our military troops are doing around the world, while also trying to better educate Americans about looming hotspots. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)

* Attempt to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)

In this episode, we’ll be discussing several topics, that I think will really interest you, and that I almost guarantee you haven’t seen in the news! This includes:

* What a prominent retired General says Ukraine needs, and whether he thinks Belarus will invade Ukraine alongside Russian forces.

* News that Russia is now ready to resume sending natural gas to Europe.

* The Pentagon is saying Russia could run out of reliable rockets and artillery shells early next year.

* How Russian troops are fighting (and being slaughtered) on the eastern front in the Donbas region.

* The possibility that American troops might train Ukrainian troops for the first time on American soil, and what type of weapons system they might be trained on.

* An accidental, and ingenious, manner might have been discovered in Ukraine to stop slow-moving, but deadly loitering munitions.

* Taiwan has decided to extend mandatory military service because of the Chinese threat; we’ll cover for how long and the details on that.

* South Korea has released a new defense strategy. We’ll briefly discuss how they tread a fine line with the threat from China, and how America reacted to their new strategy.

* And in tech news, we’ll cover the announcement that the Navy is looking to purchase a drone that can fly for a week without refueling.

* Finally, we’ll cover plenty of motivation and wisdom.

Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And if you love what I’m doing here, please sign up for email notifications. It’s FREE. Unless you choose to subscribe and support what I’m doing. It’s $5 per month should you choose that option, and you can cancel at any time.

Also, people are always asking me on social media how to best support my dreams, including getting out future books sooner. Believe me, the best way to support me is by signing up for a paid subscription here. Or, you can sign up at Patreon or make a donation at Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).

Why paid subscriptions help...

Enough of the sales pitch, I hope you enjoy today’s edition. Again, you should listen to it from the player above.

And what follows are some of the news reports/source notes that I quote from in the podcast, as well as the motivation and wisdom links I read.

Selected source notes for the podcast.

Ukraine/Russia news:

Russia ready to resume gas supply to Europe via Yamal-Europe gas pipeline

Russia Could Run Out Of Reliable Rockets, Artillery Shells Early Next Year, Pentagon Says

'We Fight With Our Brains. They Fight With Numbers': Ukrainian Paratroopers On The Battle For The Donbas City of Kreminna

Taiwan extends mandatory military service to combat Chinese threat

South Korea Barely Mentions China in New Indo-Pacific Strategy

The Navy is eyeing a drone that can fly for a week without refueling

Motivation and Wisdom:

You know, just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And we all know that opportunities don't happen, you create them.

So, I want to make sure I do my best to feed you mentally. As you’ve probably heard, people often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” That was said by the great Zig Ziglar, and I’ve found it to be true for sure.

Without further delay, let’s just begin.

And, I always like to end with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.

If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.

The View from the Front is a reader-supported publication. The best way to support this work and make it sustainable is with a paid subscription. But at the same time, free ones are appreciated, too!

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.

So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.

Please don’t name-call the other side. They are mothers and fathers and folks not much different than you.🇺🇸🇺🇸

Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.

Also, if you have a dream kicking around in the back of your mind? Go after it. If you have that friend or family member that you know you should reach out to? Reach out to them.

Finally, and this especially goes to all my awesome military folks listening out there, if you need help, reach out to someone. Please. Call that friend or family member. Do it for us all. We’ve already lost too many of the greatest folks that this country has produced to suicide. So I’m asking you to be brave once more, and show some vulnerability. Take a deep breath, breathe, and call a friend or family member or someone who can help.

I appreciate each and every one of you. Every tweet, every share, every email, etc. I can’t even tell you how much those mean to me, and I love each and every one of you.

Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.

Thanks again, everyone! You guys are the best. As always, don’t forget to check out my books. You can find all 11 of them on Amazon.

And with that, I’m out.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. I’ve written a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational/biography book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan.

P.P.S. And here’s a short bio about me and what I’m trying to do with the newsletter.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit stanrmitchell.substack.com/subscribe