Pryce Seymour opens up about growing up in chaos, being conceived in jail, surviving a violent and unstable childhood, and finding purpose in the United States Marine Corps. From prison visits as a kid… to boot camp prank wars… to brutal infantry training… to nearly dying in a high‑speed rollover accident… this story doesn’t let up.

Pryce was later selected to be followed by Netflix for a Marine Corps documentary — but what you didn’t see on screen is even crazier. The drinking, the injuries, the culture shock, the fights, the deployments, and the mental toll of living life at full throttle.

This Urban Valor episode goes deep into Marine infantry life, the reality of training and deployment, the brotherhood, and the mindset that forms when you’re pushed past what most people ever experience.

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Chapters: 
00:00 – “The Marines Were Easier Than My Childhood”
01:27 – Conceived in Jail: Pryce’s Birth Story
03:53 – Violence, Addiction, and Abandonment at Home
07:20 – Learning Life Lessons Inside Prison Walls
10:57 – Being a Kid While Raising Kids
14:37 – Kicked Out and Finding Real Brotherhood
16:50 – Why He Chose the Marines
19:26 – Boot Camp Prank Wars and Brutality
28:07 – Infantry Life and SOI Targeting
32:56 – Breaking Points on 20K Hikes
37:07 – “Fight Night” in the Barracks
41:14 – Fleet Life, Baseball Bats, and Brotherhood
46:01 – The Worst Field Ops and ITX Training
55:52 – Netflix Starts Filming
58:07 – High-Speed Crash & Being Ejected
01:04:33 – Filming While Injured
01:09:15 – Deployment & What Netflix Didn’t Show
01:14:28 – What’s Next After the Marines
01:18:22 – Killing, Accountability, and Owning the Mission

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

In today's Urban Valor Podcast, Raphael Valentino Williams Jr. shares his journey from Afghanistan to policing the streets to battling PTSD, trauma, and identity loss after service. This is the reality many veterans and law enforcement officers face when the uniform comes off, but the mission mindset never does.

Raphael opens up about military service, security forces training, and the mental shift required to survive in combat — and how that same conditioning nearly destroyed him back home. From critical incident police shootings, to family court battles, to standing at the edge of suicide, this story exposes the unseen cost of service and why life after the military can be harder than deployment itself.

This conversation discusses PTSD in veterans, police mental health, and what happens when trauma goes untreated. If you’ve ever struggled with transitioning out of the military, questioned your identity after service, or felt lost after dedicating your life to something bigger than yourself — this story will hit home.

There is life after the uniform.

But no one tells you how hard it is to find it.

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Chapters: 
00:00 – Not Eating, Fear, and Brotherhood in Basic Training
01:15 – Growing Up Military & Identity Struggles
04:37 – Racism, Displacement, and Losing Stability
10:26 – Dropping Out & Joining the Military
16:22 – Air Force Basic Training Reality Check
23:33 – Becoming Security Forces
31:46 – From Military to Police Work
32:23 – Deploying to Afghanistan
37:07 – First Days in Kandahar
42:35 – First Convoys Outside the Wire
48:31 – Getting Shot At & Moral Injury
56:12 – Coming Home to Another War
1:00:12 – Trauma on the Streets as a Cop
1:04:35 – The Shooting That Changed Everything
1:15:05 – Aftermath, Drinking, and Spiraling
1:18:33 – VA Treatment & PTSD Recovery
1:21:03 – Losing the Badge & Identity
1:26:12 – Choosing to Live
1:32:13 – Finding Purpose After the Uniform
1:33:49 – Message to Veterans & First Responders

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

This week on Urban Valor, we sit down with Herb Thompson — the only U.S. Army Soldier to ever earn both the Green Beret and Drill Sergeant of the Year honors.

Herb shares war stories from his time in Afghanistan, what it takes to survive Special Forces selection, and how the very Army that built him later tried to tear his career apart from within.

For 21 years, Herb led from the front...on the battlefield and in the barracks. But it wasn’t combat that almost broke him. It was the fight to defend his name when false accusations and internal politics put everything on the line.

This is the story of a Green Beret who gave everything… and then had to fight harder than ever to protect what he built.

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

Chapters: 
00:00 – Ticks, War, and Dark Humor in Special Forces
00:38 – Afghanistan Ambush: “I Didn’t Think I Was Coming Home”
01:41 – Growing Up Poor & Joining the Army
05:53 – Discovering the Green Beret Dream
08:31 – Basic Training Chaos & Reality Check
12:20 – First Duty Station: Hawaii
18:54 – 9/11 and the Turning Point
23:57 – Becoming a Drill Sergeant
34:07 – Winning Army Drill Sergeant of the Year
36:31 – Special Forces Selection (SFAS)
45:06 – Green Beret Training Stories
48:17 – First Combat Missions with Afghan Commandos
53:19 – Gunfights, Ambushes, and Leadership Under Fire
59:07 – Losing Teammates & Brotherhood
1:02:50 – Facing Death, Nightmares, and Fear
1:06:07 – Transitioning Out of the Military
1:11:48 – PTSD, Anger, and Hitting Rock Bottom
1:15:54 – Purpose After War & Liberty Speaks

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

The war didn’t end overseas. It followed them home.

Justin Governale joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 17, driven by the aftermath of 9/11 and a chaotic upbringing in Laredo, Texas. What he found wasn’t just military structure—it was trauma, hazing, chaos, and survival. This raw episode pulls no punches as Justin exposes what it was like to deploy to Iraq in 2005 and 2007 with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines—one of the units hardest hit in Fallujah, losing 33 men.

From becoming a Scout Sniper, surviving an IED, and earning a Purple Heart, to battling the mental scars that followed, Justin shares the brutal honesty most veterans never say out loud.

In this episode or Urban Valor, you’ll hear:
- How childhood trauma primed him for chaos
- The insanity of Marine boot camp under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
- Why pretending to be gay was a strategy to escape service
- The twisted coping mechanisms Marines used post-combat
- How war turned a battalion into walking time bombs
- His journey through combat, loss, and eventually—comedy

If you want real Marine stories, raw Iraq War truths, or insight into the long-term cost of combat—you found it.

🔥 This isn’t the Hollywood version of war. It’s the truth.
🔔 Subscribe for more unfiltered veteran stories.
📩 Know a veteran with a story? Reach out via our website.

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

Chapters: 
00:00 – Intro: Meet Justin Governale
01:10 – Growing Up in Laredo: Chaos, Violence & Zero Structure
04:40 – Getting Caught Stealing & a Police Escort to School
06:25 – Losing His Best Friend in a Tragic Accident
08:00 – Post-9/11 Enlistment: “I Needed Purpose”
10:30 – Why He Chose the Marines Over SF
13:15 – Boot Camp Under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
17:00 – Pranked by Drill Instructors + Hazing Culture
20:00 – First Deployment to Iraq in 2005
22:45 – Joining a Unit Still Shattered by 33 Killed in Fallujah
26:30 – How Trauma Became Normal: Gallows Humor & Chaos
29:15 – Pranks, Fights, and Mental Breakdowns in the Barracks
32:10 – Becoming a Scout Sniper
35:00 – 2007 Deployment as Sniper: Missions & Trauma
38:30 – Surviving an IED Attack + Earning the Purple Heart
42:00 – Coping with Loss, Rage, and Survivor’s Guilt
45:45 – Coming Home and the Emotional Fallout
49:00 – The Truth About How Units Carry Trauma
52:30 – Transitioning to Civilian Life & Performing Standup
56:00 – How Comedy Helped Him Process Pain
1:02:00 – Advice to Struggling Veterans
1:06:00 – Behind the Scenes: Going Viral on Instagram
1:10:00 – Raising His Son After Trauma
1:14:00 – Redeployment
1:41:46 – On Stage, Healing, and Perspective
1:43:24 – Final Sign-Off: “Simplify. Me Too, Man.”

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

Marine Seth Allen never saw it coming. Straight out of boot camp, he was dropped into 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines — a unit already under investigation for violence, drugs, and misconduct. What was supposed to be a proud chapter of service quickly spiraled into chaos.

In this interview with Urban Valor, Seth pulls back the curtain on the gritty reality of life in the Marine Corps. From near-death firefights in Iraq to the dysfunction and violence he experienced even among his fellow Marines, this isn't the polished, glorified version of military service.

⚠️ This is the story the recruiters never tell you.

Seth shares how his troubled youth led him to the military, the brutal boot camp experiences that shaped him, and the terrifying realization that his unit was broken before he ever arrived. From intense combat stories to internal fights and the emotional weight of surviving while others didn't — this is a brutally honest testimony of what some Marines face behind closed doors.

This is a story worth hearing. If you want the truth about what it’s like to serve in a unit where violence, drugs, and loss were the norm... click play now.

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✅ 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.


#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

Meet Billey Dooley — Army veteran, former foster kid, survivor of toxic leadership, fire missions labeled “danger close,” and a system that failed those who needed it most.

In this episode of Urban Valor, Billey opens up about nearly being killed by incoming fire, surviving chaos both at war and at home, and the pain of losing a soldier to suicide just hours after a life-altering conversation. From a chaotic childhood in Riverside to jumping out of planes and calling fire missions in Afghanistan, Billey’s story is as gritty as it gets.

But this episode isn’t about just survival. It’s about truth. Leadership. And the weight we carry when we make it out, but others don’t.

We get into:
- A near-death moment during a morning run.
- His experience with abusive training environments.
- Fire missions that almost killed friendly forces.
- How leadership missteps led to a tragic suicide.

And what he believes MUST change in military culture.

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

His friend took his spot. The convoy was hit. Only one came home.

In this Urban Valor episode, Marine Veteran Travis Pinn shares a devastating Iraq War story that changed his life forever. As an 0311 Infantry Rifleman with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, Travis endured some of the war’s most brutal moments—multiple IED attacks, deadly ambushes, and the psychological trauma that followed him home.

But the moment that haunts him most? The day a fellow Marine took his place in a convoy... and didn’t make it back.

From surviving deadly routes in Iraq to battling PTSD and rebuilding after the war, Travis lays bare the truth of what it means to carry survivor’s guilt and live with invisible wounds.

This episode is more than just a war story—it’s an honest look at what thousands of veterans face once the shooting stops.

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#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines  #warstories

He quit during Hell Week. Most don’t come back. Jovon Quarles did — and became a Navy SEAL Honor Graduate.

Born into chaos in Washington D.C., Jovon grew up with a mom addicted to crack, no father, and violence all around. He became a dad before he graduated high school. Then he joined the Navy — not because he wanted to, but because he had no choice.

He found the SEAL Teams by accident. But what followed wasn’t luck — it was pain, failure, and redemption.

In this Urban Valor interview, Jovon walks us through:
- Quitting his first Hell Week and what it did to his soul
- Fighting to go back and earn the Trident
- The mindset it takes to finish BUD/S
- Real SEAL Team deployments in combat zones
- Why he says pain is the path
- And how he turned his lowest moment into a mission

This isn’t just a Navy SEAL story. This is what it looks like to lose everything… and choose to fight anyway.

 If you’re struggling, stuck, or feel like it’s too late — this one’s for you.

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

Video chapters: 
00:00 – Hell Week: the rumor and initiation  
01:14 – Jovon Quarles: early life & family background  
02:45 – Growing up in DC → move to North Carolina  
08:40 – Adolescence, school & teenage fatherhood  
10:59 – Football ambition & first drive to join the Navy  
13:26 – Family doubts, recruiter pitch, decision to enlist  
18:47 – Navy Boot Camp: first impressions  
20:36 – Meeting recruits from across the country  
30:12 – Qualification test: swim, run, push‑ups — getting in  
31:52 – Start of BUD/S: physical & mental grind begins  
36:14 – The challenge of Hell Week prep & pressure intensifies  
38:28 – Drown‑proofing: confronting fear underwater  
40:19 – Mental toughness talk: “pain is the path” mindset  
48:58 – Hell Week begins: day one with boats, cold water & chaos  
53:36 – Quitting and ringing the bell — admitting defeat  
56:52 – Decision to return — commitment to finish what he started  
58:14 – Leadership role in second attempt at BUD/S  
1:05:09 – Hospitalization & physical collapse — risk of quitting again  
1:08:04 – Recovery, walk‑week and finishing BUD/S  
1:10:10 – Graduation: Honor Graduate speech & recognition  
1:12:13 – Moving onto SQT: real SEAL training begins  
1:13:25 – Personal loss: grandmother passes — resolve tested  
1:18:25 – Making history: first Black SEAL to graduate BUD/S & SQT as Honor Man  
1:19:59 – First SEAL assignment: submarine‑based SEAL delivery team  
1:20:22 – Deployments: Special missions & combat in Iraq  
1:31:39 – Transition to instructor & recruiting duty — giving back  
1:33:26 – Life after SEALs: depression, recovery & new path  
1:39:27 – Why Not Me?: book vision & final message  

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #navyseal  #warstories

This episode took the air out of the room.

Jessica sits down with Urban Valor and walks us through the life most people never see behind the uniform. From a childhood surrounded by chaos and addiction… to stepping into a Marine Corps environment that felt more like danger than brotherhood… to losing herself inside a bottle just trying to cope with the weight of everything she’d carried since childhood.

She gets real about the DUI that nearly ended her career, the harassment she endured, the blackmail that pushed her to the edge, and the moment she realized the system that was supposed to protect her was ready to burn her instead.

And then — she takes us into the deep end.

Her ibogaine journey.
The pain.
The hallucinations.
The emotional rebirth.
The moment she met the child version of herself and finally understood why she drank, why she ran, and why she hurt.

This might be one of the most important conversations we’ve had with a veteran. Not because it’s dramatic — but because it’s honest.

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

Video chapters: 
00:00 – Entering the Marine Corps & First Warning Signs
02:00 – Childhood Trauma: Abuse, Neglect & Survival
06:30 – Alcohol in the Marine Corps & Isolation Overseas
11:00 – The DUI That Changed Everything
15:45 – Harassment, Blackmail & a Broken System
22:50 – Getting Demoted & Hitting Rock Bottom Again
28:40 – Traveling to Colombia & Rediscovering Life
34:00 – MSG Dreams Crushed & Another Setback
38:30 – Testing Positive & Preparing for Discharge
44:50 – Living in a Bus & Rebuilding Purpose
49:00 – Starting Liberisk & Helping Veterans Heal
53:00 – Entering Psychedelic Treatment (Ibogaine)
55:15 – The Ibogaine Trip: Pain, Darkness & Revelation
1:05:00 – Emotional Breakthrough & Rebirth
1:12:00 – What She Learned & How It Changed Everything
1:18:00 – The Bigger Message for Veterans & Humanity

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines  #warstories

This is the stuff they don’t put in documentaries.

Seth Ryan’s first combat mission as an Army Ranger wasn’t just historic — it was horrifying. We’re talking chemical suits, pitch-black raids, gunships in the sky, and digging up decomposed soldiers with their bare hands. This is the real story behind the rescue of POW Jessica Lynch — told by the guy who lived it.

And trust me... you’ve never heard it like this like you will on today's Urban Valor Episode!

In this episode, Seth walks us through:
- Growing up surrounded by drugs, prison-bound relatives, and trauma most kids never see.
- The fire that burned down his home — and the weird, defining aftermath.
- Getting mentally obliterated in Marine Corps boot camp... and reshaped into something tougher.
- Switching to the Army Rangers and becoming a punching bag for hazing because of it.
- Living in barracks filled with black mold, spitting blood from pneumonia — and not backing down.
- Watching new guys break bones falling off rappel towers, or worse.
- His first mission ever — a rescue op no one expected to survive.
- Digging into a soccer field by hand to recover the rotting remains of American soldiers.

The unspoken toll that moments like that leave behind… and why Rangers carry it alone.

If you’re here for real special operations history, raw emotional storytelling, and a side of war that doesn’t make it into the headlines… you’re exactly where you need to be.

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✅ 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 – Growing Up in Chaos
04:20 – Watching His Home Burn Down
07:45 – Becoming a Marine
13:05 – Marine Corps Boot Camp: Mental Breaking Point
20:10 – 9/11 Changes Everything
26:55 – Switching to the Army Rangers
33:20 – Hazing, Black Mold, and Ranger Regiment Reality
40:00 – Training Accidents and Broken Bodies
48:00 – Jessica Lynch Rescue Mission Begins
55:30 – Breaking Through the Hospital Wall
58:00 – Rangers Dig for the Fallen
01:03:45 – The Emotional Weight of Recovery
01:10:00 – Reflections on Combat and Sacrifice

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories