Mentors for Military Podcast

It's easy to allow others to dictate your direction and where you should go in life. For some, it happens at an early age and the person may not know how to break the cycle. But, find your courage and go after your dreams. Alex Weir served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps before recently separating. While serving as a specialized radio operator, she applied for assignment or attachment to MARSO...

Stephen Burns was a Royal Marine and member of the UK Special Forces for 15 years and was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for his bravery in action in Afghanistan. He shares with us how we can put the world back into our hands. This podcast is being brought to you by UnCanna. Visit UnCanna.com and use the code Mentors4mil. Read our disclaimer at http://www.mentorsformilitary.com/disclaimer Join ou...

A-type personalities are driven. They push themselves to the limit, are driven to come out on top, and expect no less from everyone around them. The businessdirectory.com site describes them this way: "A-type personalities have a temperament characterized by excessive ambition, aggression, competitiveness, drive, impatience, need for control, focus on quantity over quality and unrealistic sense of...

"You can't teach experience." -- Nikki Domenique (Nikki) Selby is a retired U.S. Navy Nurse Corps Officer with over 23 years of service. She spent the first 10 years of service as a Hospital Corpsman to include 8 years as a Search and Rescue Corpsman, where she was the only female serving in that community during a majority of that time. Domenique went on to become a commissioned officer through t...

"Opinions are debated; beliefs are stated." -- Scot Spooner Robert Gowin, Erich Martin, and Tom Satterly welcomed Scot Spooner to the podcast this week. We first talk about Scot's military career where he was a breacher for 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta, and then we get into a deeper discussion on what it means to be free -- truly free. After 17 years of service, Scot left the mi...

Many of us go through life aspiring to lead others, yet the key to success is knowing how and when to follow. Robert Gowin, Paul Martinez, Erich Martin, and Alejandra (AJ) Avila discuss this topic and offer tips to help you become a better leader. Robert is a retired US Army Armor and Recruiter/Retention MSG turned Fortune 50 executive; Erich Martin is a recently retired US Army Special Forces MSG...

Shawn Ryan is a former US Navy SEAL who served with SEAL Teams 2 and 8 deploying to multiple conflict zones and fighting in both OIF (Iraq) and OEF (Afghanistan). After leaving the US Navy and Navy Special Warfare Community, Shawn continued to serve his country as a CIA Contractor involved in US intelligence clandestine operations. Robert is a retired US Army Armor and Recruiter/Retention MSG turn...

Regarding the last chapter of his book Making a Nightstalker: "Helping someone else who was in your same position, is worth it." --David Burnett David Burnett is a former U.S. Army chinook crew chief who served with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) with multiple deployments. We originally talked with David about how he became a Nightstalker in Episode 129. In this episode, Dav...

“Your mind is exponentially stronger than your body and if there is something you want to do; your mind will enable your body to find a way” -- Patty Collins, Colonel, U.S. Army (Ret.) Many of us would probably never think of amputating a portion of our leg in order to remain on active duty and continue being an athlete, but that is exactly the decision Patty made when faced with a decision follow...

Have you ever wondered what happens when you get a Green Beret, a Delta Force operator, a Ranger, and a Navy SEAL in a room to talk about their training pipeline and background? You'll want to tune in to find out. Robert is a retired US Army Armor and Recruiter/Retention MSG turned Fortune 50 executive; Mike Pritts is a retired Special Forces CSM with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne); Tom Satt...

Jeff Tiegs spent 28 years in the U.S. Army starting out as a Ranger in 1st Bn, 75th Ranger Regiment and 2nd Bn, 75th Ranger Regiment before attending selection and becoming a Special Forces officer with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He then attended selection and became an operator of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D), commonly referred to as Delta Force, Com...

Mike Wisecup is a retired U.S. Navy Commander and SEAL with multiple combat deployments. He served as the aide to camp to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey. He was on the ground during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and then returned in 2010 to help rebuild. Wisecup was the new guy on SEAL Team 1 when our cadre host Michael Rutledge was already a seasoned SEAL with that...

In the words of Freddie Mercury and Queen: "Pressure pushing down on me, Pressing down on you, no man ask for, Under pressure that burns a building down, Splits a family in two, Puts people on streets Chipping around, kick my brains around the floor, These are the days it never rains but it pours". Sometimes the pressure around us is too much, or at least that is how it seems to us. In this episod...

Before Brad was kicking in doors and hunting down bad guys with 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment and later as a Tier 1 operator in “The Unit” (aka CAG or Delta Force) over the span of his 20-year U.S. Army career, he was shredding the frets on his guitar. He deployed 8 total times in support of combat operations in Mogadishu Somalia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Now he’s form...

The odds are pretty good that you've watched Netflix's series Stranger Things before. In the recent series, Jennifer Marshall played the mother of the character "Max". She's also been on hit television shows Hawaii Five-O, Timeless, Game Shakers, and others. She joined the U.S. Navy directly after high school and spent five years serving as an aircraft handler, forklift operator, logistics special...

It's not often that we run across someone who goes from being a U.S. Navy SEAL and who then switch branches to the U.S. Army and become a 160th SOAR pilot! Meet Michael Rutledge and listen to his amazing story of how he was able to live a life of no regret. CW4 Michael G. Rutledge is the current Commander, 2nd Aviation Detachment, USMA as well as an MX400 instructor and mentor for the West Point F...

As a leader, building team cohesion and trust is a must. Trust is the foundation on which a leader can build on. In this episode, we are joined by Blayne Smith. In January 2009, Smith, then a Detachment Commander for the 3rd Special Forces Group, headed to Afghanistan. It was during this deployment that Smith lost several teammates, with one really hitting him hard. He shares this story and how di...

Perception is reality. In today's society and the jury of public opinion, once people create a perception about you, it becomes reality. It then becomes harder to sway their first impression or opinion. Our daily lives are flooded with "influencers" who attempt to use their opinions as facts and try to share why you should take their opinion as the only truth. In this episode we are joined by Mart...

Having a feeling of losing your 'tribe' and your sense of identity is difficult. Isolation, depression, and anger can easily creep in. In this episode, we are joined by Jonathan Lambert and we dive into the world under the sea and discuss the challenges of homecoming and belonging. It is a problem many veterans face post military. “Humans don’t mind hardship, in fact they thrive on it; what they m...

A combat mission. A bullet to his abdomen. His last rites read to him. Determination. The love and strength of his wife. This is the story of Kevin Flike. Kevin Flike's story is nothing short of amazing. After becoming a U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) soldier, his life took a major turn during his second deployment when he was hit in the lower abdomen and they didn't know if he'd make it....

Situational awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you are supposed to be, and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your health and safety. Simply, it's the ability to identify, process, and comprehend information about how to survive in an emergency situation. Andrew Blubaugh is a former U.S. Marine and has over 15 years of Milita...

Selection and indoctrination. Underwater Egress Training. Combat Diver Course. Advanced Paramedic Training. Airborne Training. Military Free Fall. Survival and Rescue. Rope Climbing. Pararescuemen (also known as PJs) are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operators tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and comba...

War is hell and those who've seen combat can attest to it. In every situation, a person must make the right decision. In this episode, a former CAG/Delta Force operator, Army Ranger Sniper, Air Force Special Operations Pararescueman (PJ), Cavalryman, and British Sapper share stories and talk about ethics in combat. Robert is a retired US Army Armor and Recruiter/Retention MSG turned Fortune 50 exe...

In this episode, Robert is joined by long time friend, Don Fox. Don is a former U.S. Army E-7/SFC Ranger Instructor who decided to become an officer. He takes us down a journey through his career as an enlisted and as an officer in 4th Ranger Training Brigade and his other units while sharing lessons and stories along the way. Don began his U.S. Army career as an enlisted Infantryman. He is a Pana...

“Greg, Greg, we are under attack,” were the last words from Ambassador John Christopher Stevens to his deputy Greg Hicks over the phone from Benghazi office shortly after the attack began around 9:30 p.m. “If you don’t get here we are going to die,” the radio operator at the tactical operations center in Benghazi pronounced on the radio from the improvised consulate. Glen ”Bub” Doherty was part of...