Tom and guest co-host, Ret. Lt. Col. and Author of the Terry Davis books, Clay Novak sit down with Army combat veteran Matthew Perry to discuss military service, leadership, decision-making under pressure, and the difficult transition from military life back into the civilian world.

Matthew shares his journey from the financial sector into the Army, his experience entering the Special Forces pipeline, his decision to step away from that path, and his deployment to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division during the drawdown of the war. The conversation quickly moves beyond military stories and into something deeper: why some veterans thrive after leaving the service while others struggle, how leadership shapes future leaders, the importance of communication, and the lessons learned from both good and bad examples.

Along the way, Tom, Clay, and Matthew explore everything from Ranger School aspirations and combat deployments to body language, interviewing techniques, mentorship, accountability, and the value of owning your mistakes. This episode is ultimately about adaptation. Whether in combat, business, law enforcement, or everyday life, success often comes down to recognizing reality, adjusting when the plan changes, and remembering one hard truth: The enemy gets a vote. Episode dedication: Army SPC Matt Maupin, whose sacrifice and legacy inspired a generation of young Americans to serve.

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Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

In Part 2 of this two-part conversation, Chuck, Tom and author Clay Novak sit down with former Washington State police officer and current San Diego School District internal investigator Carlos Rodriguez for a difficult but important discussion about juvenile sex trafficking, exploitation, and the realities investigators face behind the scenes. 

We talk about Carlos' experiences as a street cop and some of the parrallels with Clay's experinces in the military.

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Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

In Part I of this two-part conversation, Marco and Chuck sit down with former Washington State police officer and current San Diego School District internal investigator Carlos Rodriguez for a difficult but important discussion about juvenile sex trafficking, exploitation, and the realities investigators face behind the scenes. Drawing from years of investigative work, Carlos explains how predators identify vulnerable youth, how manipulation and grooming often happen in plain sight, and why many people misunderstand what these cases actually look like in the real world. The conversation explores the emotional weight carried by investigators, the warning signs families and schools miss, and the uncomfortable truth that exploitation rarely looks the way people expect it to. Carlos also discusses his book, The Ugly Underneath, and the personal and professional toll that comes with working cases involving exploited children and traumatic investigations. This episode is not built around sensationalism. It’s an honest conversation about protection, awareness, human behavior, and the hidden realities that exist underneath otherwise normal-looking environments.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

Dont miss part one of Adam and Dan. Two hard-charging Gang Officers who found themselves in a bad spot... more than once.




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Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

Marco and Chuck sit down with former FBI bomb technician and author Barry Black for a conversation about operating in environments where there is no margin for error. Barry pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to approach explosive threats for a living, where every decision carries weight and hesitation can cost more than action. The discussion goes beyond the mechanics of bomb disposal and into the mindset required to stay calm, think clearly, and act decisively when everything is designed to go wrong. They also dive into Barry’s transition from bomb tech to author, how real-world experience shapes storytelling, and what people consistently misunderstand about risk, preparation, and control in high-stakes situations. This episode isn’t just about explosives—it’s about judgment under pressure, disciplined thinking, and what it takes to make the right call when there are no second chances.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

In Episode 324, Tom is joined by guest co-host Clay Novak and Garrett, a deputy sheriff from Major County, for a conversation about what law enforcement looks like when distance is part of the threat matrix.With roughly 1,000 square miles to cover, a population density of just over eight people per square mile, and only an elected sheriff plus six deputies protecting the county around the clock, Garrett breaks down the realities of rural policing where backup may be far away, decisions get made alone, and self-reliance isn’t a slogan—it’s survival.The conversation covers the challenges, unexpected perks, and unique mindset required to work big country with small manpower, and what urban agencies often misunderstand about law enforcement where the map is wide, the roads are long, and help may be a long way out. This is a grounded look at responsibility, autonomy, and policing at the edge of the grid.




Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

Episode 323 brings in a man who’s lived in the places most people only hear about after the fact. Special Forces veteran and author Wretched Descent, Rob Leach, sits down with Chuck and the crew to talk about what deployment actually looks like when the noise fades and reality sets in.

From stories on the ground to the mindset required to operate in unstable environments, Rob breaks down the gap between perception and truth—what people think these missions are versus what they really cost. The conversation moves from his time overseas to the deeper purpose behind his writing—and into the work he’s doing now with the Civil Military Innovation Institute, something we ended up calling “Everyman’s DARPA.” It’s the idea that innovation, problem-solving, and mission-focused thinking shouldn’t be locked behind government walls or elite institutions—it should be accessible, adaptable, and driven by people who’ve actually operated under pressure.

No theatrics. No Hollywood filter. Just a straight look at what happens when you go where others won’t—and what you carry back with you.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

What really happened when 4 cops tried to help the CHP arrest a man named Rodney King?

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

A 25-year career in law enforcement means stacking calls most people never see—shootings, wrecks, partners going down, and moments that don’t leave when the shift ends. Like a lot of cops, he kept moving… until one call finally brought everything to the surface—years of buried trauma, depression, and the kind of thoughts nobody says out loud. Chuck steps in as more than a host on this one—breaking down what it actually looks like to face it, own it, and come back from it. This isn’t just about survival. It’s about what it takes to carry the weight—and not let it take you out.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

Tony Storey is a former Marine who went on to serve with the Columbus Sheriff’s Office in Ohio—until his career took a turn that raises hard questions about how agencies handle PTSD and their own people. In this episode, Tony shares his experience navigating the aftermath of service, being pushed out of his department, and what it looks like when the system meant to support you doesn’t. Then the story takes a turn. The same Sheriff who removed him was later indicted. Tony moved forward—continuing his career as an investigator with the Ohio Department of Public Safety—proving that one agency’s decision doesn’t define the whole story. This is a conversation about resilience, accountability, and what happens when personal cost collides with institutional failure. No easy answers. Just the reality.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.

Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. 

Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Twitch Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.