Global Recon

GRP 143-Mosul: A film by a CIA counter-terrorism officer Joining me for this week’s podcast is former CIA counterterrorism officer Dan Gabriel. He served at the Agency for a decade until the killing of Osama Bin Laden when he decided it was time to pursue another passion of his: Film making. The film “Mosul” is entirely in Arabic. Written and directed by Gabriel, it shows the journey of a journali...

GRP 142-The Operator Foundation: The story of Ron Mahrs A Counter-Terrorism Operator Joining me for this episode is Ron Mahrs. He served in the Navy for 27 years with over 20 as a SEAL and 15 as an operator at the counter-terrorism organization. Ron founded the Gethin Group and The Operator Foundation both providing unique services to veterans with Gethin, and gold star families with the Foundatio...

GRP 141-Easy Day: A conversation with Navy SEAL Jason Higgins On for this week’s podcast is former Navy SEAL and owner of Easy Day Hemp Jason Higgins. Jason served as a SEAL for nine years before rotating into a government security job. It wasn’t until his transitioning out of combat where he started to experience difficulty. During this process, he hit personal lows and realized he needed to make...

Joining me for this week’s podcast is Hussain Abdul-Hussain. Hussain is the bureau chief for the Kuwaiti Daily and has been a journalist covering the middle east for over 20 years. His childhood was spent between Iraq and Lebanon. I first took notice of Hussain when he countered the narrative of the mainstream media in the immediate aftermath of the Soleimani killing by translating the Arabic news...

Joining me for this week's podcast is Andrew Coussens. Andrew is an author and has written two books. His first is "A failed State," and his second is "Relapse." Andrew served in the U.S. government security services for 21 years. He began his career working with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, where he worked his way up to an Aerial Interdiction Unit Leader. He later spent time working with the a...

GRP 138-For this week's podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Fred Burton. Mr. Burton is one of the world's foremost authorities on security and terrorism. He oversees Stratfor's analysis of global security developments. Before joining Stratfor, Mr. Burton served as a counterterrorism agent with the U.S. State Department from 1985 to 1999. Mr. Burton was deputy chief of counterterrorism...

GRP 137-Deeds not Words: A discussion with a Canadian Tier 1 Sniper Joining me for this week's podcast is Jeff Depatie. Jeff served in the Canadian Army before going to selection for their Tier 1 Special Forces unit JTF2. Serving for over a decade as an Assaulter, and Sniper Jeff saw combat across the globe. During the emergence of ISIS, the JTF2 were some of the first western forces on the ground...

Joining me for this week’s podcast is Nims Dai. Nims grew up in Nepal before joining the famed Gurkha's. The Gurkha Brigades recently celebrated 200 years of service in the British Army. Upon returning from a combat deployment to Afghanistan Nims, decided to go on selection for British Special Forces. Upon passing selection he would continue to serve as an operator in the SBS for another 10 years....

GRP 135-Wherever you go, go with all your heart: A Special Missions Operator at war - We have a very special guest on for this week’s podcast. Joining me on today's episode is retired, Sergeant Major Jamey Caldwell. SGM Caldwell began his career as an Army Ranger before he went to selection to join the Army’s Special Missions Unit. On September 11th, 2001 he was forward deployed overseas. Within t...

My guest for this week’s podcast is retired Navy SEAL, Andy Stumpf. Andy is the host of the Cleared Hot Podcast. He’s also a sponsored Base Jumper and Skydiver. We walked through his career in the Navy including his time as an Operator at SEAL Team Six. While conducting combat operations in Iraq Andy was shot at close range by a terrorist with an AK-47. Several Americans were badly wounded during...

Joining me for this week’s podcast is former British Royal Marine Commando James Glancy. James served for a number of years in the Royal Marine Commandos where he deployed into different areas around the world including Afghanistan. After a few combat deployments he went onto serve with one of Britain's elite units. During his operational service in he was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross....

On with me for this week’s podcast is recently retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Mike Rutledge. Rutledge has had a unique career path having served for 30 years in the United States military. He entered the Navy as a Search and Rescue crewmen deploying around the world in that capacity. He later became a Navy SEAL where he served for 8 years. He’s always had a passion for flying. After serving in th...

This week’s podcast was recorded in July 2017 with Kurdish fighter Joanna Palani. Joanna is currently in prison in Denmark due to their laws against Danish citizens traveling to Syria to fight. Joanna’s family is from the western region of Iran. She was born in a U.N refugee camp in the desert of Ramadi, Iraq. 
 Growing up there were sections of the road her brother and his peers traversed en rout...

On for this episode is author and former U.S Navy SEAL Remi Adelake. Remi has a unique story growing up in Nigeria. Shortly after his father passed away his mother moved him and his brother back to the Bronx. Growing up poor and in a violent section of NYC he learned the ways of the streets at an early age. It wasn’t until years later where he was working undercover as a SEAL that he realized some...

I have a very special guest on for this week’s podcast. Retired French SAS operator Raymond. Raymond was born in Africa and moved to France during his teenage years. He eventually joined the Army and became a member of the French Foreign Legion. It was on a deployment with the Foreign Legion where he met members of the French SAS, France’s premier counter terrorism unit. We discussed his early lif...

GRP 128-The 20 Year Journey of a Navy SEAL Sniper: Jack Carr On for this week’s podcast is former Navy SEAL Officer turned author Jack Carr. He led special operations teams as a Team Leader, Platoon Commander, Troop Commander and Task Unit Commander. Over his 20 years in Naval Special Warfare he transitioned from an enlisted SEAL sniper specializing in communications and intelligence, to a junior...

We have a very special guest for this episode. Former Director of Overseas Operations for the Central Intelligence Agency, Jack Devine. Mr. Devine served with the agency for over 30 years, working some of the most impactful operations during that time. We discussed his interactions with KGB Spy Aldrich Ames, from the beginning of his career until they met again when Jack was the station chief in R...

GRP 126- For this weeks podcast I have a very special guest on career CIA Security Officer and author of "GUARDIAN - Life in the Crosshairs of the CIA's War on Terror" Thomas Pecora. “GUARDIAN” is a historical memoir chronicling Mr. Pecora’s 24 years in the CIA in protective operations, counter-terrorism and security, working in some of the worst terrorist hotbeds in the world. We discussed severa...

Back on the podcast is Dave Nielsen. Dave served in Special Missions as a Breacher, Dog Handler, and sniper. His first experience in war was in 1989 during a combat jump into Panama as a young Ranger. Dave finished up his career over two decades later having deployed multiple times. We discussed in detail the operation which was covered in the HBO documentary “War Dog” where Dave’s K9 partner “Pep...

GRP 124- “We accomplish what others cannot accomplish and go where others cannot go.   On for this week’s podcast is my co host Tim Kolczak and U.S. intelligence specialist JT Patten. Patten, became involved in the intelligence and counter terrorism shortly after 9/11. Possessing a skill set uniquely suited to working specific elements of intelligence operations we were able to discuss some of wha...

On for the podcast in our latest episode are retired Special Missions Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Tiegs, and the founder of the Guardian Group Jeff Keith. LT Tiegs became aware of the crime of child sex trafficking while disrupting terrorist networks overseas.    After a brief stint in Law Enforcement and the Air Force Special Operation’s, Jeff Keith continued to serve but as a Pastor. Jeff, in his tr...

GRP 122- We’ll do the Voodoo so that you can do what you do: Australian Special Forces Medics at war On for this week’s podcast are two Voodoo Medics who served in the Australian Special Forces for a number of years. Corporal Tom Newkirk, 2nd Commando Regiment and the Special Operations Engineer Regiment. Sergeant Brad Watts Medic Distinguished Service Medal, SASR (Special Air Service Regiment) wh...

On for this week’s podcast is Australian Journalist Kristin Shorten, and Australian Special Forces Medic veteran Jody Tieche. Shorten produced and published a documentary in conjunction with the Daily Telegraph called Voodoo Medics. This documentary chronicles the experiences of Australian Special Forces medics in Afghanistan in a very vivid and real way. We discussed Tactical Casualty Combat Care...

GRP 120-Warriors Heart: Two Brothers Serving in Special Missions in The War on Terror For this weeks podcast I have on Tom and Scot Spooner. Both served in the infantry than became Special Forces Engineers. After 9/11 Tom who joined the Army before Scot went to selection and made it into the Army’s Special Missions Unit as an operator. For the next decade he deployed without a break into combat as...

GRP 119-I have a great guest on with me for this episode. Ephraim Mattos, is a former U.S. Navy SEAL turned humanitarian aid worker. Mattos has an upcoming book releasing in October co authored by Scott McEwen (the author of American Sniper) called “City of Death: Humanitarian Warriors in the battle for Mosul”. Ephraim spent months in Iraq with the Free Burma Rangers providing medical care to Iraq...