Veteran State Of Mind Network

John Feal is a native New Yorker and US Army veteran who worked as a demolition supervisor at Ground Zero until a disabling injury five days into the cleanup. He lobbied Congress to pass the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which he fought to defend and expand in 2015 and 2019 with the help of dozens of his fellow 9/11 responders, post-9/11 illness survivors, and comedian Jon Stewart. He has since gone on to pass 19 pieces of legislation and is working on number 20. 

John is a Pat Tilman Foundation honoree, a recipient of the New York State Liberty Award and the New York State Medal of Honor for Civilians, the founder and chairman of the 9/11 Responders Remembered Park, and a kidney donor.

Connect with John and get the book: https://www.iwillfollowyouanywhere.com/

Support the show

Andy White joined the British Army in 1993 and served three tours in Iraq with the 1st Battalion, The Light Infantry.

Seeking a new challenge, Andy then transferred to the Australian Defence Force. After successfully completing selection for the Special Air Service Regiment, and following the reinforcement cycle in 2009, Andy was posted to 1 SAS Squadron, where he spent the majority of his Australian military career. During his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2010 Andy was awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service. He returned to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2013 as a K9 handler and patrol second-in-command, before deploying to Kabul in late 2013 and into 2014 alongside an Australian 'other government agency' on his fourth and final Afghanistan deployment.

From 2014 onwards, Andy instructed prospective SAS operators on selection and the reinforcement cycle, specialising in close quarter battle and tactical training. He also led intelligence operations across Asia, Southeast Asia, the South West Pacific and throughout the Middle East.

In 2021, Andrew deployed to Kurdistan in northern Iraq as a Task Element Commander, working alongside British and American Special Operations Forces conducting counter-ISIS operations.

After twenty-nine years of military service and more than fifteen operational tours of duty, Andrew retired from the Australian Defence Force in 2022 as a Freefall Troop Sergeant.

As well as writing, Andy consultants in the training and counter-terrorism fields. He lives in Western Australia with his wife Tracy and is the father of six children.

Andy's socials: @onceapilgrim

Andy's book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outside-Wire-Andy-White/dp/1761473875

Listen to Andy's book on spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/65Ga5zUCwTQjv8PKBD2rEt

Support the show

Brandon Burton is a retired Captain who served for 20 years with the Nebraska Army National Guard, including two combat deployments to Afghanistan in 2008 and 2013. An engineer officer, instructor and former commander of the 623rd Engineer Company, Brandon’s military career took him from leading soldiers overseas to training the next generation of Guard officers. He retired from uniformed service in 2022 and is the author of Authority Without Control: A Memoir on Conflict, Restraint, and Leadership.

Get Brandon's book here: https://us.amazon.com/Authority-Without-Control-Restraint-Leadership/dp/B0HB1H9HK3

Support the show

Bill Robertson is a historian, teacher, and author. His first book -The Undefeated - examines the experiences of Allied POWs in Europe during WW2 - including Bill's own great grandfather.

Get Bill's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Undefeated-Untold-Allied-Prisoners-1939-45/dp/1917120575

Bill's Substack: https://substack.com/@billrobertson401648

Bill's Insta: @whw_highland_ic

Support the show

Danny Murphy is a former United States Marine. Born and raised in Massachusetts, Danny enlisted from 2009-2013 as a mortarman and was assigned to the 81mm mortar platoon in 1st Battalion, 8th Marines. 

Danny deployed twice to Helmand Province - Musa Qala in 2010-2011 and later to Kajaki in 2012.  He is the author of  “The Hills by the Wadi”, a memoir detailing an enlistment during the GWOT.  

Instagram: @helmand_gunfighters_union

Photos from Danny's deployments are available at his website: www.thehillsbythewadi.com

You can order Danny's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Hills-Wadi-Danny-Murphy-ebook/dp/B0GWYTG19F

Support the show

John Nichol served in the Royal Air Force for fifteen years. On active duty during the first Gulf War in 1991, his Tornado bomber was shot down during a mission over Iraq. Captured, tortured and held as a prisoner of war, John was paraded on television, provoking worldwide condemnation and leaving one of the most enduring images of the conflict.

John is the bestselling co-author of Tornado Down and author of many highly acclaimed epics, including Spitfire, Lancaster and Tornado, all of which were Sunday Times bestsellers. He has made a number of TV documentaries with Second World War veterans, written for national newspapers and magazines, and is a widely quoted commentator on military affairs.

His latest book - Blitz: When World War Two Came Home - is out now. 

https://www.amazon.com/Blitz-When-World-Came-Home-ebook/dp/B0FN8FL7K2

Support the show

At the age of 22, Chance Eaton was the youngest serving captain in the British Army, later serving with UK Special Forces.

Today, Chance brings together military service, creativity, leadership and personal development through his work as The Warrior Artist.

Chance is the founder of HEARTH™️, a movement bringing people together around the fire through conversation, creativity and shared experience. He also founded Brannock & Co., a high trust capability group delivering strategic advisory, protective services and complex project support.

In this episode, Chance joins Geraint Jones to discuss his military career, leading soldiers at a young age, his experiences on UK Special Forces selection, and how those lessons now shape his work as an entrepreneur, artist and founder.

HEARTH™️: www.hearth.now

Brannock & Co.: www.brannockandco.com

Instagram: @chance.eaton.official

Support the show

Brad Knight is a former British Army Royal Engineer and Afghanistan veteran who served as a High-Threat Searcher. He is the author of Brimstone: A Searcher’s War – Hunting the Taliban’s Silent Killers, an acclaimed memoir detailing the relentless tension and danger faced by bomb disposal and route search teams in Helmand.

Brad's links:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@brimstone_42

Insta: https://www.instagram.com/brimstone_bradk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GReZCiAEe/

Book: https://amzn.eu/d/0ag2egqz

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast please email us at [email protected], or follow us on social media: @veteranstateofmind

Gez's new books: 

Voices of Victory (World War 2 oral history): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voices-Victory-Powerful-eye-witness-accounts/dp/1035070049/

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Hi guys. Tomorrow there is a very special event going on in Handforth (right by Manchester Airport). I'll be swinging by myself so hope to see you there. Details below. Much love, Gez

---

The NAAFI Break C.I.C., in collaboration with the Handforth Town Council, is hosting a major local Armed Forces Day celebration on Saturday, 20th June 2026, from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Handforth Community and Youth Centre (Old Road, Handforth, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 3AZ).

The free, family-friendly community event includes:

• Kids Zone: A massive inflatable play area and all-day games.
• Live Entertainment: Singers, stand-up comedy, DJs, and a licensed bar.
• Street Food & Stalls: Artisan market crafts and a wide variety of food vendors.
• Military Presence: Serving personnel and Cadet units.
• VIP Area: A dedicated space specifically for currently serving military members
• A Bar - nuff said!!

Connect with the Naafi Break: 

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-NAAFI-BREAK-CIC-100086378936599/

Instagram: @thenaafibreakcic

Support the show

Lawrence 'Loz' Kayser served in Iraq on Op Telic 4, 6, and 8. He then went on to serve three tours in Afghanistan, taking part in such operations as Sond Chara in support of 42 Commando. On his sixth and final tour Loz was awarded a Military Cross. Incredibly, he was later medically discharged from the army for 'combat addiction.'

We talk about Loz's time at war, and after - particularly how Living History has not only given him a focus after leaving the army, but a way to Remember the generations of warriors that went before us.

Connect with Loz on Instagram: @loz_historical

If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, please email us at [email protected], or follow us on social media: @veteranstateofmind

Gez's new books: 

Voices of Victory (World War 2 oral history): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voices-Victory-Powerful-eye-witness-accounts/dp/1035070049/

Support the show