Semper Try

At just 14 years old, Heinz Langbein found himself standing in a foxhole with four Panzerfausts, facing advancing Soviet T-34 tanks during the final weeks of World War II. In Part 2 of my conversation with Heidi Langbein-Allen, she shares the incredible true story of her father's first battle, the split-second decisions that saved his life, his capture by American forces, and the emotional journey...

At just 13 years old, Heinz Langbein was taken from his parents by the Nazi regime. What began as a promise of safety from Allied bombing quickly became a systematic effort to turn German boys into soldiers. Indoctrinated through the Hitler Youth, separated from his family, forced to endure starvation, and trained for war, Heinz watched his childhood disappear one day at a time. In Part 1 of this...

n Part 3 of our conversation with John Pietruszewski, we explore a side of service that often goes unnoticed the service that continues long after the military career ends. From earning the Green Beret to mentoring young people through Scouting, coaching youth sports, serving in the American Legion, and honoring veterans through the Color Guard, John shares how purpose, leadership, and commitment...

In Part 2 of my conversation with John Pietruszewski, we continue his incredible journey from Green Beret to community leader. John takes us inside life at Fort Bragg, shares what day-to-day service in Special Forces was really like, and tells the story of earning a chance to try out for the Army's elite Golden Knights parachute team. Competing for just five spots, John completed 50 jumps during t...

In 1971, John Pietruszewski faced a reality many young Americans knew all too well—the Vietnam draft. With a draft number of 26, he knew his chances of being called were high. Rather than wait, John made a decision that would change the course of his life: he enlisted in the Army with one goal in mind—earning the Green Beret. In Part 1 of this conversation, John shares his journey from growing up...

At 19 years old, Julie Becker returned home from a trip to Mexico and found a voicemail waiting for her. It was from a Navy recruiter. What started as a simple phone call led Julie from Phoenix, Arizona, to boot camp in Great Lakes, intelligence training in Pensacola, and eventually aboard the guided missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG-78) as a Cryptologic Technician and plank owner. In this episode...

In Episode 026 Part 2 of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill Lowe continues walking and talking with Army veteran Ray Reynoso somewhere along the back roads of Minnesota as Ray hikes the entire Mississippi River Trail from source to sea. This episode is raw and real. The camera mount failed, the audio cuts out at times, traffic flies by, and nothing about it feels polished — but honestly, that’s what mak...

Episode 26 Part 1 of the Semper Try Podcast is unlike anything we’ve done before. At 7:00 AM on Saturday morning, May 16th, I caught up with Army veteran Ray Reynoso in North Prairie, Minnesota, where he had spent the night tenting behind a church along the Mississippi River Trail Road. Ray is currently attempting to walk the entire Mississippi River Trail from source to sea — over 2,400 miles — l...

What started as a podcast interview turned into one of those conversations veterans know well — the kind where one story triggers another, then another, and suddenly you’re talking about fighter jets, aircraft carriers, PTSD, teamwork, terrible military flights, stolen couches in squadron spaces, and the moments that stick with you 20 years later. Marine Corps aviation maintainer Bill sits down wi...

In this episode of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with his new friend Steve, host of Even Though I Walk, for a powerful conversation about service, faith, trauma, healing, and the stories veterans carry home. Steve shares his journey from joining the Air Force at 17, serving as a firefighter, being called into ministry, and later spending 22 years as a Navy chaplain serving alongside sailo...

Part 2 of Episode 24 of the Semper Try Podcast is here. In this episode, I sit back down with Navy submariner David as we go deeper into what life is really like beneath the surface. From serving on the USS Ohio and USS West Virginia to spending over a decade at sea, this conversation pulls back the curtain on a world most people will never experience. We talk about long patrols lasting 80 to 100+...

Bill sits down with his cousin David Albert, a retired U.S. Navy submariner with 20 years of service beneath the surface. What started as a quick escape from a small town turned into a career inside one of the most demanding environments in the military. From freezing nights arriving at boot camp in Chicago… to surviving “sweat parties”… to learning how to make oxygen underwater… this episode pull...

On this episode of the Semper Try Podcast, I sit down with my uncle, Robert “Bob” Lowe, for a conversation that spans generations of military service and the stories that come with it. We start with my grandfather—a World War II Navy sailor who served on LSTs in the European Theater… and survived two ships being sunk. No spotlight. No recognition. Just came home and went back to farming in Minneso...

A conversation with Marine veteran Troy Hradsky, who served from 1986 to 1990. From small-town Brainerd to boot camp in San Diego, Troy shares what it was really like becoming a Marine in the 1980s — when drill instructors were still hands-on and the transformation was as mental as it was physical. We dive into: The mindset shift that boot camp creates Leadership lessons forged under pressure The...

In Episode 21 of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with Major Janelle Johnson of the Minnesota National Guard. With nearly 28 years of service, Major Johnson shares her journey from a 17-year-old recruit growing up near Camp Ripley to becoming a senior leader serving overseas in Norway through the State Partnership Program. This episode dives into: Joining the Guard before 9/11 and how everyt...

In Episode 20 of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with Minnesota National Guard veteran Jake Thesing to talk about his journey from joining the Guard in high school to deploying to Iraq from 2005 to 2007. Jake shares what it was like training as a 19K M1 Abrams tanker, working with tank units out of Wadena and Sauk Centre, and eventually serving on convoy escort missions in Iraq. He talks ab...

In Episode 19 of the Semper Try Podcast, Wayne Harting returns to talk about what’s happening at the Brainerd American Legion, why membership matters, and how local posts can continue making a real difference for veterans and their families. Bill and Wayne talk about new events, live music, fish fries, growing membership, and the importance of keeping organizations like the Legion strong. They als...

This week on the Semper Try Podcast, Bill runs a solo episode after completing his 15th Polar Plunge for the Minnesota Special Olympics with the Brainerd American Legion and CTC team, raising over $5,000 for an incredible cause. Bill then dives into military history surrounding March 9th, including Operation Meetinghouse, the devastating B-29 firebombing of Tokyo in 1945, one of the deadliest air...

On this episode of Semper Try, I’m joined by Tom Getty — Air Force veteran and longtime Minnesota National Guard soldier who’s also serving with me on the Brainerd American Legion board. We recorded this one on a windy “no snow” vacation, but the stories are worth it. Tom comes from a strong military family (WWII Navy, Vietnam-era Air Force, sons and grandsons serving today), and he takes us insid...

In Episode 16 of Semper Try (Because Trying Beats Quitting), Bill sits down in an undisclosed, snow-free location with Canadian veteran Jeff McCrae. Jeff’s story is one you don’t hear every day. He served across Canada’s integrated military system, working with the Army, Navy, and Air Force—including time supporting NORAD in Colorado Springs before commissioning as a military air traffic controlle...

In Episode 15 of Semper Try, I sit down with Bill from B93.3 and the Brainerd Elks to talk about what service organizations really do—and why they still matter today. We break down the Elks Lodge, how it’s different from groups like the Legion, VFW, Eagles, and JCs, and why their focus on youth and veterans continues to make a real impact in the community. From the Minnesota Elks Youth Camp to Hoo...

What drives someone to keep volunteering season after season—long after the wins fade and the time commitment grows? In this episode of Semper Try, Bill sits down with Nate Olson—coach, official, Sports Booster board member, and lifelong athlete—to talk about why coaching youth sports matters far beyond the scoreboard. Nate shares how growing up in a sports-centered family shaped his life, how coa...

In this episode of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with Deanna Olson — volunteer, wellness coach, and founder of a memorial fund inspired by her father, a 51-year employee at Camp Ripley, lifelong farmer, and amputee who defined what service to others truly looks like. After her father’s passing, Deanna and her sisters asked a simple question: How do we keep Dad’s legacy of helping people a...

In Part 2 of Episode 012, Bill continues his conversation with Leroy, a retired Minnesota State Trooper with 36 years in law enforcement, diving into the moments that define a career — the ones you never forget. Leroy walks through life after State Patrol School, field training, and years working the interstate, including a career-defining multi-agency pursuit on Interstate 90 tied to one of the l...

In this episode of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with longtime friend and fellow Legion member Leroy, a U.S. Army veteran who served as a Military Police officer during the Cold War. Leroy shares how his decision to join the Army in 1974 was inspired by his father—a World War II veteran who lost his leg in combat in the Philippines and earned a Purple Heart. From basic training at Fort Le...