4 Years a Slave

What was it like living inside one of the most infamous palaces in the world? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , former Blackwater contractor Morgan Lerette shares the surreal experience of living and working inside one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces during the Iraq War. What was once the residence of one of the Middle East's most notorious dictators became home to American milita...

What was it really like working for Blackwater during the height of the Global War on Terror? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , I sit down with former Army officer and military contractor Morgan Lerette to discuss his experiences working for Blackwater in Iraq. Moving from military service into the private security world, Morgan provides a firsthand look at the realities of contracting durin...

Some stories sound too wild to be true—until you hear them from the people who lived them. In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , former Australian Army Special Forces Commando Tim Thomas shares the incredible story of surviving a shark attack, along with another unbelievable tale involving a close friend who survived a crocodile bite. From split-second decisions to sheer resilience, these storie...

What was it like serving in Afghanistan as an Australian Special Forces Commando? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , I sit down with former Australian Army Special Forces Commando Tim Thomas to discuss his experiences during the war in Afghanistan. From combat operations and deployments to the realities of life in a war zone, Tim provides a firsthand perspective on what it was like serving al...

Are your best days behind you—or are you just living like they are? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , fellow Marine Mortarman Robert Bowman and I discuss the dangers of living in the past and becoming trapped by your glory days. Whether it's military service, athletics, career success, or a particular chapter of life, too many people spend years reliving old victories instead of building...

Life is shorter than we think—and too valuable to waste on hate. In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , I sit down with fellow Marine Mortarman and friend Robert Bowman to discuss one of the most important lessons we've learned through life, military service, and experience: carrying resentment and hatred only robs you of time you'll never get back. We talk about perspective, forgiveness,...

What does it take to become an Air Force Pararescueman? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , former Air Force PJ Aaron Love (@AaronLovesAmerica) shares his experience serving in one of the military's most demanding and respected career fields. From the grueling selection and training pipeline to real-world rescue missions, Aaron explains what makes Pararescue unique within the special opera...

Every military community has its legends—and Pararescue is no exception. In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , I sit down with former Air Force Pararescueman and political commentator Aaron Love (@AaronLovesAmerica) to discuss one of the most unique traditions in the special operations community: Charlie, the famous Fijian head mascot of the Pararescue world. Aaron breaks down the history, myths...

What are the greatest war stories that Hollywood still hasn't told? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , Silver Star recipient and filmmaker Ethan Nagel joins the conversation to discuss the military stories that deserve the big-screen treatment. From the legendary story of the Frozen Chosin and the Marines who fought their way out of encirclement during the Korean War, to the possibility o...

How does one of the nation's highest awards for valor get lost in the system? In this clip from  Four Years a Slave , Silver Star recipient Ethan Nagel shares the unbelievable story of how the Department of the Navy lost the paperwork for his award. What should have been a straightforward recognition of battlefield heroism turned into a bureaucratic ordeal that highlights the challenges many s...

What separates a good military officer from a great one? In this episode of  Four Years a Slave , we discuss the qualities that define exceptional leadership in the military. Beyond tactics and technical proficiency, we explore the importance of professionalism, character, judgment, and the ability to think beyond the battlefield. From understanding history and geopolitics to serving as a statesma...

In this episode of  Four Years a Slave , I sit down with my friend and fellow Marine veteran, TJ Lisovich, to talk about his experience living and working in Saudi Arabia. We discuss the financial benefits, unique lifestyle, cultural differences, travel opportunities, and the realities of working overseas in one of the world's most fascinating countries. From tax advantages and career growth t...

The history of Marine Corps Commandants is far stranger than most Marines realize. In this episode of  Four Years a Slave , we dive into the wild, controversial, and larger-than-life leaders who shaped the Corps. From Lt. Col. Anthony Gale—the only Commandant ever court-martialed and fired—to Archibald Henderson, the legendary "Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps" who led the Corps for nea...

Nolan Shuey recounts one of the most legendary barracks stories from his Marine Corps days. During a wild barracks party, he sprinted across the street wearing nothing but tighty-whities and an eagle mask, creating a moment that quickly became infamous among the Marines around him. In this hilarious segment from  Four Years a Slave , Nolan explains how the stunt happened, why everyone remembers it...

What was it really like working for Blackwater during the height of the Iraq War? In Episode 67, I sit down with former Army intelligence officer and Blackwater contractor Morgan Lerette to hear firsthand stories from one of the most controversial and dangerous periods of the war. Morgan shares what it was like living in Saddam Hussein's former palace, operating in some of the most hostile env...

Former Australian Special Forces Commando Tim Thomas joins the podcast for one of the wildest international episodes yet. From surviving brutal environments in Australia to discussing elite military culture, human nature, stress management, and the psychology of fear, this episode goes everywhere. Tim shares stories from his time in the Australian Army Special Forces, including the insane lore beh...

Four former 81s Marines from Weapons Company reunite on the podcast and immediately spiral into the exact kind of chaos you’d expect from mortarmen left unsupervised. Four Years a Slave Podcast  host Cody Sewell sits down with returning guest Robert Bowman before the episode unexpectedly turns into a full 81s Platoon reunion after Damian Reynolds and Michael Lusty jump into the call. The guys dive...

Deployment boredom leads to some truly cursed decisions… and this might be one of the worst. 🤢 Former corpsman Doc Bobby West tells the absolutely disgusting story of how a dip spit bottle started getting passed around the ship, how everyone kept adding to it, and how a $300 dare turned into one of the nastiest moments of deployment life. What started as a stupid joke between Marines and sailors...

Former Navy corpsman Doc Bobby West breaks down his conversion to Eastern Orthodox Christianity and why more young men, veterans, and online communities seem drawn toward the ancient faith. We talk about the rise of the “Orthodox bro” movement, the deep traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy, how its culture differs from modern Western Christianity, and the unique mindset surrounding politics, war, disci...

Are we accidentally speedrunning every sci-fi timeline ever made? 👀 From  Halo  to  Call of Duty ,  Planet of the Apes , and even real-world moon missions, Cody Bensley and the boys break down the weird parallels between fictional timelines and what’s actually happening in the world right now. Wars in the Middle East, tensions with China, space missions circling the moon, disease outbreaks, AI ad...

When the mountain wins… it wins hard. 😂 Former Marine machine gunner Cody Bensley tells the story of a brutal cold-weather training accident during mountain warfare training in Bridgeport. One bad fall, a Kevlar edge to the face, and suddenly the snow turned into a horror movie scene. Bloody face, chaos in the mountains, and another reminder that military training can go from funny to violent in...

What happens when one of America’s elite rescue forces sits down and tells the stories they probably  shouldn’t  be telling? On this episode of  Four Years a Slave , former Air Force Pararescueman and political commentator  Aaron Loves America  joins the show to break down the insane culture behind the legendary PJs. From brutal rescue training and the brotherhood inside Pararescue, to the absolut...

Former Marine Scout Sniper Ethan Nagel joins the  4 Years a Slave  podcast for one of the wildest conversations yet. Ethan earned the Silver Star for his actions in combat, but the Department of the Navy LOST his paperwork — delaying the award for an entire year. According to Ethan, even Dakota Meyer believed the actions deserved the Medal of Honor. We dive deep into what really happens behind the...

He deployed with me… now he’s working in Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 — and what he says about it will surprise you. In this episode of 4 Years a Slave, I sit down with TJ (Thomas Lisovich), a former Marine LAR mechanic (Light Armored Reconnaissance) who’s taken his skills overseas and is now working in Saudi Arabia. From what life is REALLY like out there to why it’s not what most Americans think, TJ breaks i...

What happens when a Marine historian goes FULL CHAOS in the barracks… wearing nothing but tighty-whities and an eagle mask? In this episode of  Four Years a Slave , we sit down with  Nolan Shuey  from  ArtifactsOfGlobalConflicts  — a Marine, history collector, and one of the most unique personalities you’ll ever hear from. We dive into: The  legendary barracks fight streaking incident  🦅 (yes… it...