The American Grit Podcast

Eric Bronner grew-up near Milwaukee, Wisconsin before attending the U.S. Naval Academy. After graduating, he served as a Naval Flight Officer for 8 years. Eric graduated from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law in 2009. He had an 8 year career in law and real estate before discovering his passion for nonpartisan election reforms. In the fall of 2021, with help from a number of inspiri...

Dennis Blocker serves as Vice President of Conservators of the Greatest Generation (COGG), a nonprofit dedicated to preserving the places, artifacts, and personal stories of America’s World War II generation through public history, advocacy, and community engagement. He leads the Rooftop Oath Dedication in downtown San Antonio, a permanent historical preservation project honoring the site where th...

As part of Grunt Style’s Featured Veteran campaign, this episode of the American Grit Podcast shines the spotlight on Derek Blumke, Veteran Impact Fellow at the Grunt Style Foundation, and a leader on the front lines of veteran mental health reform. The Featured Veteran campaign exists to honor the men and women who continue to serve long after they hang up the uniform by showcasing their missions...

This week on the American Grit Podcast, host Tim Jensen sits down with Jennifer Marshall, a U.S. Navy and California State Guard veteran, actress, cancer survivor, and fierce advocate for veterans and recovery. Jennifer opens up about the challenges of life after uniform, the long shadow of military healthcare failures, and the brutal reality of a cancer diagnosis delayed by COVID. But it’s not ju...

This episode of The American Grit Podcast kicks open the door to a revolution in mental health care. Tim Jensen sits down with two trailblazers driving Texas push for psychedelic reform—Bryan Hubbard and Logan Davidson. Bryan, Executive Director of the American Ibogaine Initiative at the REID Foundation, fuses grit and policy expertise in a mission to end the opioid crisis. Logan, Executive Direct...

In this powerful episode, Tim Jensen sits down with Dr. Lynnette Averill — Clinical Director of the Emerge Research Program at Baylor College of Medicine . As one of the nation’s leading experts on trauma, PTSD, and suicidality, Dr. Averill is at the forefront of revolutionizing mental health care for veterans through groundbreaking treatments like ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy. They d...

In this episode, Tim Jensen sits down with Michael Lynd Sr., Vietnam veteran and founder of the Vietnam Grunt Museum in San Antonio. Lynd shares raw stories from the jungles of Nam, leading infantry through chaos, the weight of command, and the grit it took to come home and build something that honors those who never did. This isn’t about medals or speeches. It’s about the truth of the grunt’s war...

Kash Patel is the former chief of staff to the Secretary of Defense. Kash also served in the National Security Council as a counter-terrorism prosecutor for the D.O.J. and served in the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Tim and Kash discuss everything from the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan to the inner dysfunction of the D.O.D and the many challenges facing the military co...

Join host Tim Jensen on The American Grit Podcast as he welcomes Russell Acord, U.S. Army veteran and survival expert from "Expedition Bigfoot." In this episode, Russell shares essential survival tips and thrilling experiences from both his military background and his adventures in the wild. Dive into the world of 'Expedition Bigfoot' with behind-the-scenes insights and explore t...

VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt is a battle-tested infantryman turned national leader, serving as the voice of more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary, and he’s not afraid to use it. From the jungles of Vietnam to the halls of Congress, Lipphardt has fought both on the battlefield and in the broken systems veterans face after war. In this episode, he dives into the cold trut...

Join us talking to Michael Merzke is a retired U.S. Army veteran with over 24 years of service, including deployments with Military Police and elite Special Operations units in Iraq, Afghanistan, Panama, Kosovo, and beyond. Today, he serves as Program Manager at Extivita, a leading hyperbaric oxygen therapy clinic, and volunteers with HBOT4Heroes, helping veterans heal from TBI and PTSD through cu...

On this episode of The American Grit Podcast, USMC Veteran Tim Jensen sits down with country music powerhouse John Rich, half of the multi-platinum duo Big & Rich. From humble beginnings at Opryland to penning and producing over 40 Top 40 singles (including 14 #1 hits), John’s story is one of grit, hustle, and undeniable talent. But John Rich isn’t just a chart-topping artist, he’s a patriot,...

Step inside the garage of a WWE Icon and legend Bill Goldberg. In this raw episode of American Grit, WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg joins host Tim Jensen for a one-on-one like you’ve never seen before. Filmed straight from Goldberg’s own garage, this conversation hits harder than a spear from the man himself. They break down what’s next for Goldberg as he eyes his retirement match in 2025, reflec...

On this episode, we welcome  Dr. Larry Miller , a father, physician, and now a passionate advocate for systemic reform in veteran mental health care. His son,  Mark Miller , a 53-year-old Navy veteran and former sniper, tragically died by suicide on April 7, 2025, in the parking lot of the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio. Mark's final act was a profound statement against...

Today on the American Grit podcast hosted by Tim Jensen, we welcome a former infantry officer with the Canadian Armed Forces. Our guest served as a civil affairs officer in Afghanistan and learned the crucial lessons of resilience, teamwork, and leadership under pressure. After returning home with injuries and confronting PTSD, he transformed his struggles into a force for positive change. He auth...

Join us on “Come and Dose It” as we explore the impact of psychedelic advocacy on mental health care and the opioid crisis in Texas. Our guests, W. Bryan Hubbard, Executive Director of the REID Foundation’s American Ibogaine Initiative, and Logan Davidson, Executive Director of Texans for Greater Mental Health, share their experiences with pioneering treatments like the Texas Ibogaine Initiative a...

Join us on American Grit as Tim Jensen sits down with Kagan Dunlap, a distinguished U.S. Marine Corps officer and acclaimed content creator. In this episode, Kagan shares his journey from the military to the media, detailing his experiences in service and how they've shaped his approach to producing engaging, educational content. We'll dive into his military career, exploring pivotal moments and l...

Join us on the American Grit Podcast as we welcome Dan West, Adjutant General of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Host Tim Jensen sits down with Dan to delve into his impactful journey from the battlefields of Operation Desert Storm to his influential role at the VFW.  Discover how Dan's dedication to service has shaped his life and continues to benefit communities nationwide with current i...

Join host Tim Jensen on the American Grit Podcast as he sits down with Amy Forsythe, an award-winning military journalist and U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer. Amy shares her extraordinary career journey, from her early days as a Marine Combat Correspondent documenting pivotal military operations to her current role as a Navy Reserve Public Affairs Officer. Discover how Amy's storytelling has pres...

In this episode of the American Grit podcast, we’re joined by Army veteran JD & U.S. Marine Corps veteran Daniel Johnson from Battle Scarred Motorsports, a nonprofit organization harnessing the power of motorsports to support veterans and first responders. Listen in as they share stories from the track, discuss the therapeutic impact of racing, and talk about how Battle Scarred Motorsports is...

Join Host Tim Jensen on this powerful episode of the American Grit Podcast as he sits down with George Lutz, the founder of Honor and Remember, a nonprofit dedicated to honoring every U.S. military service member who has given their life in service to the nation. Inspired by the loss of his son, George “Tony” Lutz II, who was killed by a sniper in Fallujah, George's mission is to ensure the sacrif...

Have a listen with former Green Beret Medic and t.v. personality Fred Lewis from the the t.v. show Gold Rush https://www.instagram.com/officialfredlewis American Grit Website https://americangrit.com Grunt Style https://gruntstyle.com Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1XIW8qHpEazZKb5BMXbsXa Spotify Podcast https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/grunt-style iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us...

Join host Tim Jensen on the American Grit podcast as he sits down with Luke Sherman, Senior Vice President of Outreach at Folds of Honor and a retired captain from the Tulsa Police Department with over 30 years of law enforcement experience. Luke shares his compelling journey leading him to his pivotal role in expanding Folds of Honor's mission to include the families of fallen and disabled fi...

In this episode of the American Grit Podcast, host Tim Jensen is joined by Jessica Lauren Walton, a communications strategist and writer in the U.S. defense sector, to explore the profound psychological impact of war on soldiers, focusing on the concept of moral injury. Jessica, with her background in security intelligence and a passion for mental health advocacy, discusses the origins and growing...

Operated by K9s For Warriors, the Station Dog Program partners with first responder agencies to offer high-quality K9s for emotional support. Unlike Service Dogs, these Station Dogs don't have ADA rights but significantly reduce stress and burnout among officers, firefighters, dispatchers, and victims. Visit https://k9sforwarriors.org/stationdogs/ to learn more.