For this week’s episode, we’ve decided to air an interview, in its entirety, with a former Navy SEAL. This was recorded for our other podcast, Burn the Boats, so you’ll notice the format is quite different. The spirit of this interview, however, is what you have come to expect from Warriors in their Own Words – an unfiltered, unsanitized perspective on war.

I wanted to share this interview with this audience, because it is so timely, and so important. You’ll see why.

Dan Barkhoff is a former Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments, and an expert in urban warfare. In this interview, he discusses what the Russian invasion force is likely to face.

For more interviews like this, and to learn more about this invasion as it unfolds, listen to our other podcast, Burn the Boats.

If you want to help, two of the most efficient organizations doing front-line work are Spirit of America and Team Rubicon.

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Sgt. Josh Remillard served in the Army as a mortarman. He deployed twice to Iraq, in 2007 and 2010. During his first tour, he earned a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

Remillard describes how he defied orders to protect civilian lives, as well as the horror of experiencing war up close.

To learn more about Josh, listen to his interview on Burn the Boats.

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Lt. Col. Bogan joined the Air Force reserves because he saw it as an opportunity to rise above tough circumstances growing up in Chicago. He became a flight medic, and thanks to the military, was the first person in the history of his family to graduate college.

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Following medical school, Dr. Donnelly Wilkes was commissioned in the U.S. Navy, completed residency training in family medicine at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, and served seven years on active duty. Wilkes served two combat tours in Iraq in 2004 and 2008 and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor for his actions in the battle of Fallujah in April of 2004. He finished his Naval career as the Senior Medical Officer at Port Hueneme Naval Clinic, where he was responsible for the medical oversight of active duty members, their families, and local Veterans. 

On the first day of his first tour, a firefight injured a Marine. Unfortunately, Wilkes and his team were unable to save him. Deeply saddened by this loss and their inability to treat him, they circled around the fallen soldier and prayed for him. A photographer captured the moment. The photo went on to become a Pulitzer Prize winning piece and a Life Magazine cover.

To learn more about Dr. Wilkes’ deployments, read his book, Code Red Fallujah. 

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Dave Lewis is a US Army veteran. After six years in the infantry, he went to flight school to become an Apache Helicopter pilot, and flew tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Warning: This episode contains some inappropriate language.

Lt. Col. Fred Wellman served in the Army for 22 years as an aviator and public affairs officer. Fred was a Blackhawk helicopter pilot, and completed four tours during Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. He also was a spokesman for General David Petaeus, and General Martin Dempsey in Iraq.

To learn more about Fred’s work after his service, listen to his interview on Burn the Boats

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Warning: This episode contains harsh language and discussions about rape.

Col. Charles Bussey was an African American fighter pilot and a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen in WWII. You can listen to him speak about this experience here. 

He later fought in the Korean conflict during the Jim Crow era, where he and other African American soldiers were given the worst leadership and equipment due to their race. 

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Sir Ludovic Kennedy served as an officer on the HMS Tartar, a battleship in the Royal Navy. The Tartar was one of the ships that chased and sank the Bismarck, the most powerful German battleship in WWII. Kennedy later wrote a book about this experience, titled The Chase and Sinking of the “Bismarck”.

After his service, Kennedy had a successful career in Journalism and broadcasting, which earned him his knighthood.

Learn more about Kennedy and his life after the war here.

Warriors in Their Own Words is proudly brought to you by American Eagle, a web design, development, and digital marketing agency with a passionate belief in the power of technology to positively transform business practices. American Eagle has been reliably creating digital experiences that drive growth since 1978.

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This week, we’re taking a break to spend time with our families for Thanksgiving. From everyone here at Warriors In Their Own Words, we'd like to extend gratitude to you, our listeners. Thank you for making all of this possible, and for helping us honor those who served. 

If you’d like to help us make the show even better, please email us at [email protected]. We appreciate your feedback.

Warriors In Their Own Words will return to its regular schedule on December 9th with an interview with Sir Ludovic Kennedy. Kennedy served as an officer on the HMS Tartar, a battleship in the Royal Navy. The Tartar was one of the ships that chased and sank the Bismark, Germany’s most powerful battleship in WWII. Kennedy later wrote a book about this experience, titled The Chase and Sinking of the “Bismarck”.

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Captain Joseph K. Taussig Jr. was stationed in Pearl Harbor on board the USS Nevada in 1941. During the Japanese attack, he took his post as starboard anti-aircraft battery officer. Even after being severely wounded, Taussig refused to abandon his post, until his crew forcibly carried him to safety. 

Taussig later received the Navy Cross for his bravery.

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