Marine veteran Ralph Sarabia takes you inside the chaos of Iraq...convoys hit by IEDs, RPGs ripping overhead, close-quarters ambushes, and the split-second choices that decide who makes it home. 

In todays Urban Valor Podcast episode, he opens up about survivor’s guilt, hypervigilance, and rebuilding life after deployment with faith, family, and boxing. This is a raw, unfiltered account of Marine combat and the fight to heal.

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Video chapters: 
00:00 First firefight: RPGs, incoming, “pull the trigger, find peace”
03:32 Father absent, taking care of mom, finding a role model in a Ranger
11:41 Caught stealing as a kid—lesson that stuck
14:46 Enlisting after 9/11; boot camp identity strip, asthma scare
29:24 Unit culture, hazing, and the 48-hour call to war
38:26 Desert staging & push toward Baghdad
41:09 “I don’t want to die” — reality of contact and wounded Marines
53:48 Homecoming numbness; living like a “watchman on the wall”
1:03:13 Ramadi: daily ambushes, IEDs, morale tactics under fire
1:12:53 60 Minutes coverage; nonstop losses & memorials
1:18:49 Close calls, survivor’s guilt after Clifton’s death
1:35:13 High-profile security work, USC, brain health treatment
1:51:05 Boxing, faith, entrepreneurship—turning pain into purpose
1:56:50 Closing thoughts to vets

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories

Marine Corps Veteran Roger Michael Hall pulls no punches in this episode of Urban Valor. From 2017–2022, Roger served as an infantry mortarman (0341) — but this isn’t the recruiting poster version of the Corps. This is the truth about months living on a Navy ship, crammed into tight berthing spaces, working long hours, and finding ways to stay sane in a floating steel city.

Roger shares it all: wild overseas port calls, boot camp fights, grueling Mountain Warfare training, and the mental grind of deployment life at sea with hundreds of Marines shoulder-to-shoulder. He opens up about the moments that made him question why he joined — and the experiences that shaped who he is today.

If you’ve ever wondered what Marine Corps life aboard a Navy ship is really like, this is the story no one tells!

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Video chapters: 
00:00 Boot camp fights & ship life
01:34 Childhood & family background
04:01 Why Roger joined the Marines
08:11 Brutal boot camp training stories
22:01 Mountain warfare training & fatigue
35:09 Life aboard ship & dark humor
50:34 Wild deployment & barracks stories
1:11:09 Border Patrol mission under Trump
1:19:06 COVID-era deployment in Japan
1:22:04 Civilian life struggles & therapy
1:24:46 Advice for veterans after service

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories

From a young immigrant kid running barefoot in Mexico to serving as a U.S. Air Force veteran in Iraq — this is the incredible untold story of Hector Cabrera.

In this Urban Valor episode, Hector opens up about growing up with a single mother, losing his father, facing cultural identity struggles, and ultimately finding his calling in the U.S. military. His journey takes us through childhood adversity, immigrant resilience, boot camp discipline, and combat deployments in Iraq — where survival was never guaranteed.

This is more than just a veteran story. It’s about family, grit, sacrifice, and finding purpose after trauma. Hector shares raw, unfiltered moments — from his first days in America learning English with a Roberto Clemente book, to working the register at his uncle’s taco shop when armed robbers walked in, to the night mortars rained down on his base in Kirkuk, Iraq.

For veterans, immigrants, or anyone searching for meaning through hardship — Hector’s story is proof that how you do anything is how you do everything.

YouTube Chapters:
00:00 – Life-changing moment in the field
01:28 – Hector’s childhood in Mexico
03:08 – Growing up as an immigrant in America
06:25 – Losing his father & family struggles
07:17 – Learning English and adapting
10:20 – Hard lessons from his mother
11:18 – Working at Roberto’s Taco Shop (and being robbed at 14)
13:08 – First exposure to the military
16:30 – September 11th and the call to serve
19:04 – Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force
22:01 – Boot camp experiences
24:42 – Culture shock & military discipline
29:04 – Defending missions downrange
31:03 – Deployments in Iraq & FOB life
36:35 – Mortar attacks and survival routines
38:10 – Reflections on resilience and mindset

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #immigrantstruggles #immigrants

Army Chaplain Nimrod Alcala opens up about the hidden war that no one talks about—what it’s like carrying the emotional trauma of soldiers... until it breaks you.

In this Urban Valor episode, Nimrod reveals the unbearable emotional toll of his service—not on the battlefield, but behind closed doors. As a U.S. Army Chaplain, he became the safe place for soldiers fighting silent battles—suicidal thoughts, trauma, PTSD, and moral injury. But what happens when the helper needs help?

From getting fired at Walmart to facing false embezzlement charges, Nimrod’s journey to the Army was anything but typical. But a deeper calling led him to chaplaincy, where he became the last line of emotional defense for soldiers on the brink.

This is a story of loss, burnout, purpose, and redemption.

If you’ve ever wondered what truly happens inside the mind of a military chaplain—or what it's like to lead a memorial service for someone you couldn’t save—this is the video you need to watch.

🙏 Like, comment, and share with someone who needs to hear this.

Video Chapters: 
00:00 – The Hidden Pain of a Chaplain
01:05 – Fired, Lost & Recruited: Nimrod’s Unexpected Start
06:30 – Saying Goodbye to Family for Basic Training
10:00 – How Faith Sparked a New Calling
13:00 – Returning Home a Different Man
16:30 – A False Arrest That Nearly Ruined Everything
20:00 – Becoming a Chaplain: The Road Less Traveled
23:00 – First Counseling: A Triggering SHARP Confession
28:00 – When Burnout Breaks You
32:00 – Inside a Military Suicide Memorial
37:00 – The Murder That Shattered a Unit
39:00 – Losing a Friend You Could Have Helped
45:00 – The Cost of Trying to Save Everyone
50:00 – Therapy, Stigma, and the Fight to Keep Going
57:00 – Rebuilding Marriage and Fatherhood
1:02:00 – Finding Mentorship in Korea
1:10:00 – Hospital Chaplaincy & Civilian Trauma
1:13:00 – Final Words to Veterans and Soldiers in Pain

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #elchapo #federalcorruption

PTSD. Whistleblowing. Betrayal by your own agency.

Robert Ledogar lived it.

A 32-year career — Navy vet turned U.S. Marshal — shattered when he chose integrity over silence. From chasing fugitives in New York to working the El Chapo and MS-13 cases, Lugar served at the highest levels… until the U.S. Marshals turned on him for protecting a fellow Deputy.

In episode of the Urban Valor podcast, Robert breaks his silence on:
- Corruption inside the U.S. Marshal Service
- The cost of loyalty in federal law enforcement
- PTSD after 3 decades in uniform
- What really happened during his whistleblower battle
- How storytelling helped him begin to heal

We go deep — from his wild CID cases in the Navy to the emotional weight of being cast aside by the agency he bled for. This isn’t polished. It’s real. And it’s one of the most powerful episodes we’ve ever released.

If you care about true crime, government accountability, or raw stories of resilience and justice, don’t skip this one.

👇 Hit the comments — this one deserves to be heard.

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🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters: 
0:00 Intro – Life-or-death raid and near-fatal shooting
10:00 Inside military investigations during Desert Storm
25:00 Becoming a U.S. Marshal
34:00 Major fugitive arrests & working high-profile task forces
55:00 Involvement in Brooklyn shootout with Oswald Lewis
1:13:00 Exposing harassment and misconduct in the task force
1:30:00 Internal Affairs retaliation and false allegations
1:45:00 Final showdown – how Bobby was fired 70 days before retirement
1:59:00 Mental toll, PTSD, and the fight for justice

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #elchapo #federalcorruption

This week on Urban Valor, we sat down with Marine veteran Ernesto Menjivar. A man who watched his brother lose both legs to an IED right in front of him. Ernesto was 19 years old when he first hit the ground in Afghanistan, assigned to one of the most IED-infested regions in Helmand Province. The firefights came fast. The first one he was ever in, RPGs were flying over his head, and the next minute they were sweeping for pressure plates in the dirt, praying one of them wouldn’t go off.

But then it did.

His brother, Langston White, stepped on an IED while on patrol, and Ernesto was just feet away. The way he describes that moment — the sound, the dust, the blood, the moment they locked eyes — it’ll sit with you. Langston survived but lost both legs. And that was just one chapter of what became a brutal deployment. Ernesto talks about the emotional toll of trying to stay mission-ready after something like that, the Marines he lost during Operation Deuces Wild, and how that experience changed him forever.

Now years removed from combat, he opens up about the PTSD, the dreams, the random moments where he sees civilians missing limbs and flashes back to war. But he also shares what’s helped him — therapy, music, painting, his faith — and how he’s still working through it. This isn’t a sanitized version of war. It’s the real cost. The kind of story that shows what combat veterans carry with them long after the fighting stops.

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Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro: War Outside - War Inside
01:07 Recruitment & Bootcamp
08:31 Deployment & Military Life
40:11 Beyond the Battlefield
49:23 Share Your Story

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories

Green Beret Terry Wilson faced daily ambushes, IEDs, RPG attacks, and brutal firefights while deployed in Afghanistan’s deadly Helmand Province. But even after surviving the horrors of war, nothing could prepare him for the tragedy that struck back home—the heartbreaking loss of his son.

This week on Urban Valor, we sit down with retired U.S. Army Green Beret Terry Wilson for one of the most emotional episodes yet. From clearing Sangin in chaotic "Wild West" gunfights to surviving recoilless rifle strikes and relentless combat, Terry shares what it truly means to be in a “troops in contact” situation—and how seconds can mean life or death.

But beyond the battlefield, Terry opens up about grief, resilience, and the pain of losing a child while carrying the mental scars of war. This story is not just about combat—it’s about surviving when the war ends, the uniform comes off, and the real battles begin.

👉 If you've ever felt broken, lost, or hopeless… Tom’s journey will show you that it’s possible to rebuild. Stronger. Louder. Unstoppable.

🪖 Watch to hear Richard’s brutally honest account of Army life, combat in Iraq, and the battles he still faces today.

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🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro: The Two Wars Every Soldier Fights
01:30 - First Deployment: The Wild West in Helmand
03:50 - Initial Troops in Contact: Real Combat Begins
06:10 - Combat Survival Skills & Training Kicks In
09:00 - Emotional Toll of IEDs and Recoilless Rifles
14:20 - First Losses: The Cost of War Hits Home
20:00 - Life Before the Army: Rough Upbringing
24:40 - Why He Joined the Military
28:30 - Journey to Become a Green Beret
33:00 - The Hardest Deployment
36:30 - Losing His Team Sergeant: Mitch Young
43:00 - Becoming a Team Leader & Leadership Lessons
47:30 - Tragedy Strikes: Losing His Son
52:00 - Rock Bottom & Rebuilding Through Faith
56:00 - Coaching Veterans Through Life After Combat
58:00 - Final Words & Where to Find Him

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories #greenberet

He survived hell—and now he inspires millions.

Tom “Quitproof” Jones, a former U.S. Marine and world-class endurance athlete, endured one of the most traumatic childhoods imaginable: being beaten, terrorized, and even woken with a gun to his forehead. 

In this episode of Urban Valor, Tom opens up about how his abusive father hunted his mom—with Tom as a forced witness—and how that trauma shaped him into the resilient man he is today.

From PTSD and addiction to running 121 marathons in 121 days and paddleboarding 1,250 miles to raise awareness for veterans and abused kids. Tom proves that the human spirit is unbreakable.

This isn’t just another military story. This is about transformation. About becoming “Quitproof.” About finding meaning in pain and lighting a path for others.

👉 If you've ever felt broken, lost, or hopeless… Tom’s journey will show you that it’s possible to rebuild. Stronger. Louder. Unstoppable.

🪖 Watch to hear Richard’s brutally honest account of Army life, combat in Iraq, and the battles he still faces today.

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🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters: 
00:00 - Intro: Tom “Quitproof” Jones’ story
01:48 - The horrors of his childhood revealed
04:30 - When your father is the threat
07:55 - How the Marine Corps gave him structure
11:42 - Hitting rock bottom post-service
14:15 - The birth of “Quitproof” mindset
17:30 - 121 marathons in 121 days
21:00 - Paddleboarding 1,250 miles for awareness
24:45 - Advice for people who feel broken
27:10 - What he’d tell his younger self
30:00 - Final thoughts

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

Meet Richard Aviles, a U.S. Army Veteran and former Military Policeman whose story is as raw as it is remarkable. In this Urban Valor episode, Richard recounts growing up in Puerto Rico, navigating culture shock in the U.S., and enlisting in the Army to escape homelessness and pursue purpose.

Within months, he found himself deployed to Iraq, running combat missions, clearing houses, and collecting biometrics in high-risk environments. But the weight of war wasn’t left overseas. Richard opens up about his experiences with domestic violence calls, soldier suicides, and the haunting cases he faced while working the road stateside.

This is a story about survival, service, trauma—and healing. It’s about chasing validation, confronting your past, and learning to live with the scars you carry. Whether you’re a veteran, military family member, or civilian seeking to understand the true cost of war, this one will hit home.

🪖 Watch to hear Richard’s brutally honest account of Army life, combat in Iraq, and the battles he still faces today.

👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.

🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters: 
00:00 - Opening: Responding to a Crisis
00:21 - Introduction to Richard Aviles
01:18 - Growing Up in Puerto Rico
02:08 - Strict Parenting & Early Lessons
03:03 - Community Respect & Culture Shock
06:28 - Homelessness and Enlistment
09:26 - Basic Training Realities
13:03 - Arriving at Fort Leonard Wood
18:11 - Picking His Job: Military Police
23:32 - Volunteering for Iraq Deployment
25:43 - Missions, IEDs, and Reality Sets In
28:17 - Getting Reassigned After Article 15
30:54 - Raids & Detention Operations
35:28 - Challenges Working with Iraqi Police
38:00 - Transitioning Back Stateside
39:15 - Working the Road as an MP
40:28 - Responding to Suicides & K2 Abuse
47:49 - Crazy Cases & Barracks Life
50:07 - Deciding to Leave the Army
53:52 - Struggles with Civilian Reintegration
57:49 - Life Now: Family, Podcast & Purpose
59:25 - Final Message to Veterans

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

A Marine's worst nightmare came true in a split second.

In this episode of Urban Valor, Marine veteran Kyle Hansen recounts the devastating moment his AAV (Amphibious Assault Vehicle) ran over a natural gas line, sparking a massive explosion that left him severely burned and changed his life forever.

Kyle served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2014–2018, starting in Marine Security Forces guarding nuclear assets at Naval Submarine Base Bangor. He later transitioned to 1st Marine Division’s 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, training for overseas deployment. But during his final exercise, the explosion tore through the vehicle, injuring several Marines and a Navy corpsman.

In this interview, Kyle shares the mental and physical aftermath of combat trauma, what it means to lead under fire, and how brotherhood shaped him. He also opens up about recovery, Wounded Warrior Battalion, and reclaiming purpose after being medically retired.

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🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters: 
00:00 – The Day of the Explosion  
02:12 – Inspiration Behind Joining the Marines  
04:03 – Boot Camp & Culture Shock  
13:30 – Infantry Training Battalion & Leadership  
19:18 – Security Forces & Advanced Combat Training  
28:45 – Assigned to Bangor, WA  
36:15 – Brutal Patrols & Brotherhood Lessons  
43:45 – Transitioning to the Fleet  
54:24 – The AAV Explosion Incident  
56:22 – Recovery & Wounded Warrior Battalion  
1:01:54 – Medical Retirement & Mental Health Struggles  
1:07:47 – Finding Purpose After Service  
1:11:08 – Final Words on Leadership & Giving Back  
1:13:22 – How to Support Recycle for Veterans  

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories