Clay Martin returns to the virtual bar to discuss the evolution of fighting styles in the UFC, whether the policies coming from our institutions are believed by those putting them out, thoughts behind renaming military bases and the dangers of looking back at history through the lens of today in general, Andrew Tate, Donald Trump, and what he sees playing out in the US General Election in 2024. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's fuel: Angel's Envy Barrel Pick from Lawler's in Napa, CA.

Joel Gaines stopped by the virtual bar. He is a former Army Intelligence Expert with a Russia area of focus, author of Chaos Terrain, and helps run War Lizard Tactical. Joel shares his experience coming up during the Cold War era inside the US Army Intelligence community, as well as the shift to Desert Storm and his involvement. Joel gives some unique insight into the Russia-Ukraine war, the issues plaguing Russia's military, and what the inevitable outcome might look like. We also get into the psyche of Saddam Hussein and theorize why he took the actions he did following the Iran-Iraq War. We also get into his personal inspiration for War Lizard Tactical as well as the concept behind Chaos Terrain. You can follow Joel on Twitter @joelgaines and visit www.warlizardtactical.com. Tonight's fuel behind the discussion: Benchmark Bonded courtesy of Buffalo Trace. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon!

Alan Morte stopped by the virtual bar to discuss Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) and why it has such amazing potential for both good and bad actors. We get further into its national security implications, what the US government should be doing with the technology, why Americans should care and be concerned, as well as an expansive conversation on our risk-averse culture and its impact on American society. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's selection: Knob Creek 18 Year.

Braxton McCoy came back to the virtual bar, this time to discuss brands and their involvement in cultural and political issues, our political class and potential military involvement overseas, the UFC, and a ton of baseball talk. Mostly from me. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. This episode fueled by Baker's 7 Single Barrel. 

Curtis - @notwtfomgbbq from Twitter stopped by the virtual bar to talk what he means by a 2nd Amendment absolutist, navigating government regulations and interference in the oil and gas industry, and shares an incredibly frustrating story about the COVID pandemic and its impact on his business. Hearing stories from one of the more isolated areas of the United States shows just how differently people across this vast country live and the far reaching arm of government enforcement. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's discussion fueled by Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Todd is a good friend of mine and one of the funniest guys who I knew would be great in this space. This conversation mirrored so many of ours together without the cameras present. Todd shares his path into the Napa wine world and tells the story of the Bolivian wine he now imports. We also discuss eating in Michelin starred restaurants and review some of his favorites. Check out Llama Wines at www.llamawines.com. Fueling tonight's discussion: Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon

"Johnny Tyler" of @GFYGardenCenter stopped by the virtual bar. This is one of my favorite accounts to follow on the bird app. Over the last 75 weeks he's become sober and lost over 140 pounds. A former Army Intel guy, we were in Iraq around the same time in 2003 and watched the evolution of the insurgency and the growth of AQI (Al Qaeda in Iraq). He talks about his time there attempting to inform leadership on the hazards of dissolving the Iraqi Army as well as some of the food gems of the Middle East. He is also an avid Vegan disrespecter and post Libertarian. We get into his utter contempt for the vegan cult and the issues he has now with the Libertarian movement after rescinding his support for them. There is also a healthy amount of food and cooking chatter. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon. Tonight's discussion fueled by: Makers Mark 46 French Oaked.

Claude Krause stopped by the virtual bar slinging his classic Twitter (@ClaudesBBQ) style of takes and insight. He offered up two memorable quotes that really speak to his evolution as a person and his own self-awareness to get his life turned around. "Tell me your problems and I'll tell you why they're your fault" and "I remember all of my life, I just don't remember the order." Claude has one of the most interesting accounts on the bird app grounded in authenticity and amazing food and hot sauce! We got into a great discussion regarding the concept of hard work and how far it can take you, the proliferation of student loan debt, cultural decline and its origin in America, his great American hitch-hiking tale, Farmageddon, as well as personal stories from his time living inside some of America's most seedy sub-cultures. There are some great life lessons shared and I look forward to having Claude back to get into even more about this fascinating man. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! Tonight's discussion fueled by Flying Ace Blended Bourbon.

Born in a small town in Kansas, Kay continues a legacy of veterans in America from rural areas who seek the opportunity to serve and lift themselves out of poverty or situations with very few options. Her service began at a time when the military was facing a wave of social media criticism from leadership issues to new physical fitness tests. A lot of this originated with the Junior Enlisted Soldiers like Kay. A veteran of two Middle East deployments, she served nearly 8 years in the Army at ARCENT and 3rd Special Forces Group. She stopped by the virtual bar to discuss the lingering issues regarding the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the lack of willingness to dedicate time and effort to self-improvement both physically and mentally, as well as her transition into civilian life. Grab a glass! There Will Be Bourbon! This episode fueled by Hotel Tango Reserve Bourbon. 

Morgan Hancock stopped by the virtual bar. She is an Army veteran, commercial real estate agent, entrepreneur, bourbonista, and passionate advocate of the arts. Morgan created Bourbon with Heart as an opportunity to fundraise, bring awareness, and to give 20 local artists from Kentucky the chance to have a used bourbon barrel as their canvas. Morgan joined me to talk more about how she came up with the idea, some of her own Army history, as well as shared her personal story about early life adversity and not letting that define who you become or stand in the way of achieving your dreams. There is a current call for local Kentucky artists for her upcoming event. You can find more information at www.bourbonwithheart.org as well as vote for your favorite bourbon barrel artwork at www.bourbonwithheart.org/vote.