Mike Drop

In Part 3 of the Mike Drop Podcast with former DEA agent Wes Tabor, the stakes get higher as Wes recounts his perilous assignment in Venezuela, a narco-terrorist haven under Hugo Chavez’s regime. From dodging Cuban and Venezuelan intelligence to operating solo in a hostile environment, Wes shares heart-pounding stories of undercover operations, evading assassination attempts, and targeting high-va...

In Part 2 of the gripping Mike Drop Podcast featuring Wes Tabor, a former DEA agent, listeners are taken deeper into the intense world of drug enforcement and high-stakes operations. Wes shares riveting stories from his recovery after a life-altering accident, his relentless pursuit of justice against the odds, and his experiences tackling major cases involving the Sinaloa Cartel and Hezbollah. Fr...

Get ready for an unflinching dive into the world of drug enforcement on this episode of the Mike Ritland Podcast, featuring Wes Tabor—a 35-year law enforcement veteran who spent over two decades with the DEA, operating across the United States, Central America, and South America. With stints embedded alongside the CIA and authorship credits for his eye-opening book Infiltrate America (plus the upc...

In Episode 254, Part 3 of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his conversation with former Green Beret Mark Gianconia, delving into the complex motivations behind the Iraq War and Mark’s post-combat transition. The episode opens with a discussion on the murky intelligence surrounding weapons of mass destruction and the decision to invade Iraq, exploring whether it was a justified re...

In this gripping second part of Episode 254 of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland sits down with former Green Beret Mark Gianconia to explore his extraordinary career in special operations. Unlike many post-9/11 operators, Mark’s journey began in Kosovo, working alongside Russian forces in a vastly different operational landscape. Returning just before the 9/11 attacks, Mark shares his visce...

Dive into this epic conversation on the Mike Drop Podcast with Green Beret legend Mark Giaconia. A 20-year Army veteran who traded infantry boots for Special Forces grit, Mark opens up about his raw reaction to 9/11—burning with jealousy as Fifth Group charged into Afghanistan, only to carve his own pinnacle in Iraq's brutal ops. But before the GWOT glory, he takes us back to the forgotten chaos o...

In the gripping final installment of the Mike Drop Podcast with Chuck Hayes, a 40-year Navy SEAL veteran, we dive into the profound intersections of military discipline, spiritual awakening, and post-service purpose. Chuck reflects on the non-democratic nature of military life, the weight of command, and the responsibility to lead with trust and empathy. He shares a transformative near-death exper...

Welcome back to Part 2 of the Mike Drop Podcast featuring Chuck Hayes, a 40-year Navy SEAL veteran whose career spanned from enlisted ranks to captain. In this episode, Chuck dives deep into the pivotal moments that shaped his post-9/11 journey, including the tragic loss of a teammate during training, the profound impact of September 11th on his career, revamping SEAL training for the Afghanistan...

Buckle up for an unfiltered, heart-pounding episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, hosted by the fearless Mike Ritland, as he sits down with Navy SEAL icon Chuck Hayes. From a fateful bus ride to Orlando in September 1982, where Hayes first glimpsed the world of elite warriors, to the soul-shattering chaos of Bloody Sunday, this episode rips open the raw reality of a SEAL’s life. Hayes vividly recounts...

In the gripping second part of this episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, guest John Nores dives deeper into the escalating issues at the U.S. borders, focusing on the alarming rise of Chinese nationals crossing illegally and their potential ties to organized crime and terrorism. The discussion uncovers the calculated destruction of identification documents by these operatives, making it nearly imposs...

In this episode, we confront a chilling reality: unvetted individuals crossing the U.S. border, instructed to destroy their documentation, leaving us clueless about who they are. Is this a calculated move? You bet it is. From fentanyl and meth labs to human and child sex trafficking, the collusion between Chinese organized crime and Mexican cartels is fueling a crisis that’s spiraling out of contr...

In the powerful and emotional conclusion of Episode 251 of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland sits down with former Navy SEAL John Collins for a raw and unfiltered exploration of his time in the SEAL Teams’ K9 program. This episode dives deep into John’s experiences with two unforgettable military working dogs, Tyson and Duke, whose alpha personalities and unrelenting drive left lasting scar...

In this gripping second part of Episode 251 of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his conversation with John Collins, a former Navy SEAL with a storied journey through BUD/S training and beyond. This episode dives into a raw and intense recounting of a heated altercation during an ocean swim in BUD/S, where John faced off with a challenging swim buddy, leading to a physical confron...

Surviving 2.5 Hell Weeks and 6 BUD/S Attempts | Ep. 251 In this episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, John Collins delivers an unfiltered, brutally honest account of what it really takes to become a Navy SEAL—and what happens when the dream nearly dies. This isn’t your typical war story. It’s about failing hard, facing humiliation, and coming back swinging. Raised by a hard-charging state trooper in s...

In Episode 250, Part 3 of the Mike Drop Podcast, Joe Malone opens up about the darkest chapter of his life, where personal and professional turmoil collided. Battling traumatic brain injury (TBI), overprescription of 26 medications, and severe substance abuse, Joe faced isolation, depression, and near-suicidal despair after being ostracized by his Marine command. He recounts a chilling night conte...

In Episode 250, Part 2 of the Mike Drop Podcast, Joe Malone dives into gripping accounts from his 2016 deployment in Iraq, where he faced intense combat situations against ISIS. From witnessing Katyusha rocket attacks and mustard gas threats to observing a fierce gunfight near Mosul Dam, Joe shares the chaos and adrenaline of the battlefield. He recounts a particularly harrowing day involving heav...

In this powerful episode of The Mike Drop Podcast, former Marine Raider Joe Malone sits down with Mike Ritland to share his raw and unfiltered journey—from growing up in a mafia-connected suburb to battling early drug use and heroin withdrawal, all the way to surviving brutal deployments with MARSOC in Afghanistan and Syria. Joe opens up about facing ISIS on the battlefield, surviving a deadly KC-...

In Part 2 of The Mike Drop podcast with Mike Ritland, David Packouz dive deeper into the wild world of government contracting and the real story behind War Dogs. David peels back the curtain on the Hollywood exaggerations, sharing what really happened with the infamous $300 million Afghan contract, his partnership with Efraim Diveroli, and the shady dealings that led to their downfall. From Albani...

In Part 3 of Episode 249 of the Mike Drop podcast, David Packouz lays bare the unraveling of the War Dogs saga. From shady dealings with Albanian connections to Efraim Diveroli’s ruthless betrayal, David reveals the high-stakes fallout of their $300 million Afghan contract. Hear how a scorned subcontractor’s tip to the FBI and the New York Times sparked a federal raid, a media scandal, and 71 coun...

This week we sit down with David Packouz—former arms dealer, the real story behind War Dogs. He breaks down how he landed huge U.S. defense contracts in his twenties, what the movie nailed, what it didn’t, and the parts Hollywood skipped. It’s blunt talk about ambition, shortcuts, and fallout. Specifics, not fluff. After this, you won’t see the film—or that industry—the same way. #sponsored Farewa...

Welcome to Part 3 of our compelling series with Chris Clem on The Mike Drop podcast. In this episode #248 pt. 3, Chris dives into the intensified efforts of ICE and other federal agencies to target criminals, national security threats, and illegal immigrants, addressing media misconceptions and the complexities of enforcement policies. He shares his candid perspective on balancing compassion with...

Welcome to Part 2 of our gripping conversation with Chris Clem on the Mike Drop Podcast, EP 248. In this episode, we dive deeper into the complexities of border security, exploring the challenges faced by the U.S. Border Patrol in managing illegal crossings, combating potential terrorist threats, and addressing the influx of migrants, including a significant number of Chinese nationals. Chris, a f...

In this explosive episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, former Chief Patrol Agent Chris Clem pulls no punches as he dissects the sweeping "One Big Beautiful Bill", a $170 billion border security package signed by President Trump on July 4, 2025. From Trump’s campaign rally cries and hats to finalizing the funding of $46 billion for the wall, $6 billion for border technology, $4 billion for CBP agents,...

Welcome to Part 3 of the Mike Drop podcast, where we dive deep into the gritty world of law enforcement with former FBI agent and Marine veteran Mark Sewell. In this explosive episode, Mark pulls back the curtain on his high-stakes career, from busting Mexican street gangs in small-town Georgia to exposing fraudulent heroes in stolen valor cases that shook the nation. With candid insights, he tack...

In Episode 247, Part 2, Mike continues his gripping conversation with former FBI agent Mark Sewell, diving deeper into the high-stakes world of federal law enforcement. From hazardous SWAT missions to infiltrating outlaw motorcycle gangs and battling organized crime, Sewell shares raw, unfiltered stories from his 20-year crusade against America’s toughest criminals. Expect candid insights, intense...