Tuxes & Tomahawks Podcast

🎙 Free Speech, Retaliation, and the Cost of Integrity | Erik Holt's Story   After 18 years in federal service, Erik Holt became Fire Chief of a small rural Colorado department in 2022. In less than a year, he helped grow the department from 5 to over 60 trained firefighters with the support of a dedicated board and community.   Everything changed after the May 2023 election, when all five board se...

Episode 76 | How Homegrown Terrorists Are Created with Dr. Richard J. Hughbank (Major, U.S. Army Retired) What turns an ordinary American into a terrorist? In Episode 76 of Tuxes & Tomahawks, I sit down with Dr. Richard J. Hughbank, retired U.S. Army Major, terrorism expert, author, professor, former military police officer, and someone who personally shaped my leadership journey as my Squadron Co...

Rugged individualism is not a slogan. It is a responsibility. This episode exemplifies what real American leadership and innovation actually look like. In Episode 75, I sit down with AG, CEO of Toehold, to talk about building from nothing, leading through uncertainty, and taking ownership when the stakes are real. This conversation is about the kind of leadership that does not wait for permission,...

Blake Jones, a Catholic student and leader in Turning Point USA at Colorado State University, experienced hostile reactions while writing Bible verses with chalk on a public plaza during a campus protest. He says he was harassed and spat on by another student amid ideological clashes. This episode unpacks faith, free speech, ideological conflict on campus, and what this moment says about modern co...

Adam DeRito has worn many uniforms in service to others. He has served as an Army Reserve officer, an intelligence analyst deployed to the Middle East, a firefighter and first responder, an oil and gas professional working to protect America's energy security, a Colorado farmer who understands the struggles facing rural families, and a substitute Catholic school teacher dedicated to forming the ne...

🎙 *Episode 73 — Christopher Hill: Redefining Travel Through Luxury and Purpose* In this transformative episode of *Tuxes & Tomahawks**, we're joined by **Christopher Hill**, the visionary founder behind **Hands Up Holidays* and **Impact Destinations**, two groundbreaking travel brands that merge **luxury experiences with meaningful philanthropy**. Based in New Zealand with his wife, two boys, and...

🎙️ Episode 72: "The Marine Who Wouldn't Stay Silent" — Andrés H. Cáceres In this gripping episode, we sit down with Dr. Andrés H. Cáceres, a former U.S. Marine officer who refused to be silent when truth and integrity were on the line. From the battlefields of Iraq and the southern Philippines to the front lines of Fukushima's disaster relief, Andrés built a career defined by courage and service....

🎙️ Episode 71 — Arvis Owens: Fighting for Justice in Uniform Arvis Owens, a 1995 U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Navy Commander, was falsely accused and wrongly convicted of sexual assault. Today, he's exposing how the military justice system strips service members of basic rights civilians take for granted: no probable cause, no unanimous juries, no access to evidence, and no innocence pro...

🎙️ Episode 70: Brady Knowlton — Building Businesses, Wrestling Catfish, and Living Without a Comfort Zone On this episode of *Tuxes and Tomahawks*, we sit down with Brady Knowlton, a man whose life is anything but ordinary. A proud graduate of Southern Methodist University and the University of Denver Law School, Brady has spent over 20 years driving strategic investments in the oil & gas sector a...

🎙️ Episode 69 — From the Crescent to the Cross: Ismail Youssef's Journey to Christ On this gripping episode of Tuxes and Tomahawks, we sit down with Ismail Youssef—a former devout Muslim who risked everything to follow Christ and now stands as a bold Catholic witness to the power of truth, grace, and courage. Born into Islam and raised in a culture where conversion is often met with rejection or w...

We are back again this week with an important update about Cadet Joseph Fernau. The United States Air Force Academy is disenrolling Cadet Fernau, charging him over $240,000 after claims of sexual assault by a self-identified transgender Cadet were found unfounded by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. It was discovered in the evidence that this person lied and made a false official sta...

🇺🇸✈️🇮🇪🇬🇧 Touchdown in Ireland and the UK and let me tell you, this trip hits different. I'm not here just to snap pics of castles or sip pints in pubs. I'm here to sit with workers, farmers, students, and families in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, and London to hear what life is really like. The stories are raw, unfiltered, and real. People are worried about jobs, culture, and the future of their kid...

🎙️ Episode 67: The Mission Isn't Over – Colonel George Markert's Next Battle: The U.S. Senate In Episode 67 of Tuxes & Tomahawks, host Adam DeRito sits down with a true warrior, patriot, and visionary leader: Colonel George Markert, USMC (Ret.). With over 30 years of global service, Colonel Markert's career reads like a living history of America's modern military operations—from East Timor to Iraq...

🎙️ Episode 66: From Battlefield to Heartsville: A Marine Colonel's Mission to Resettle Ukraine's Best and Brightest In this gripping episode of Tuxes & Tomahawks, host Adam DeRito sits down with Colonel Curtis Lee, USMC (Ret.), a decorated Marine with 29 years of service spanning Operation Provide Comfort, OIF, and OEF. But his mission didn't end with retirement—it evolved into a fight for hope, d...

🚨 **EPISODE 65: LT Kegan "SMURF" Gill — Phoenix Rising** 🚨   🎙️ Dive into the incredible story of LT Kegan "SMURF" Gill, USN (Ret.), a former Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot who survived the **fastest ejection in naval aviation history — at 695 mph.** 🚀   Despite **severe injuries, 13 surgeries, PTSD, and a traumatic brain injury**, Kegan's journey didn't end with survival. He faced years of da...

🎙️  EP64: Scott Bottoms – Faith. Fire. Fearless. Colorado Rep. 🇺🇸 | Pastor 🙏 | GOP Gov Race Candidate 🏛️ From the pulpit to the Capitol—and now vying for Colorado's top job—@repscottbottoms brings 🔥 and truth in a time when both are under attack. He launched his 2026 gubernatorial bid early this year, declaring a mission to combat "reckless spending, rising crime, and failing schools," and intro...

🎙️ Episode 63: Joel White – Engineering Policy, Shaping Power 🏛️💊🧠 Tuxes & Tomahawks Podcast In the halls of Congress, behind closed doors in D.C.'s highest-stakes meetings, and across major healthcare policy battles—you'll find Joel White at the center of it all. In this high-impact episode of Tuxes & Tomahawks , we sit down with one of America's most trusted political strategists and policy ar...

🎙️ Episode 62: Morgan Lerette – Inside Blackwater: Guns, Girls, and Greed in Iraq 💣🕶️🇺🇸 Strap in for one of our most gripping episodes yet. This week on Tuxes and Tomahawks, we sit down with Morgan Lerette — author, Air Force vet, Army intelligence officer, and former Blackwater mercenary. From the deserts of Iraq to the halls of Tufts University, Morgan has lived the kind of story Hollywood coul...

🎙️ Episode 61: Miles Spencer — From Kayaks 🛶 to Capital 💰, a Life of Curiosity 🤔 and Courage 💥 In this episode of Tuxes & Tomahawks, we sit down with the endlessly fascinating Miles Spencer — a man who proves that curiosity isn't just a trait, it's a compass 🧭. Miles is a digital media entrepreneur 📱, angel investor 👼, and explorer 🌍 who co-created the trailblazing PBS show MoneyHunt — a p...

🎙️ Episode 60: Aaron "AG" Gregoroff – From Fugitive to Flip-Flop King 🇺🇸🥋🥿 What do you get when you mix a troubled past, a military contracting career, martial arts discipline, and an obsession with craftsmanship? You get Aaron Gregoroff—the man behind Toe Hold®, America's most badass luxury flip-flop brand. In Episode 60 of Tuxes & Tomahawks, AG sits down with us for an unfiltered, all-American...

🎙️ Episode 59: Christian Ray Flores – From Refugee to Renaissance Man 🇺🇸🌍🎧 Tuxes & Tomahawks Podcast This week on Tuxes & Tomahawks , we sit down with Christian Ray Flores —a man whose life reads like a modern-day odyssey. From fleeing political unrest in Chile as a child refugee to becoming a chart-topping pop star in Eastern Europe… from boardrooms and startups to global mission fields—Christi...

🎙️ Episode 58 – Government Gone Rogue: One Man's Battle Against FBI Corruption 🔥🇺🇸 In this jaw-dropping episode of Tuxes & Tomahawks, we uncover a harrowing tale of injustice, entrapment, and survival inside the belly of the American federal justice system. Our guest—an investigative reporter turned whistleblower—shares a firsthand account of how the FBI and DOJ shattered the Constitution to buil...

🎙️ Episode 57 – Baker Leavitt: The Strategist Behind Black Rifle Coffee's Bold Rise 🇺🇸☕️🦅💼🔥 In this no-holds-barred episode of Tuxes & Tomahawks, we sit down with Baker Leavitt — the sharp-shooting 🤠, relationship-building 🤝, strategy-wielding 🧠 Director of Strategic Relations at Black Rifle Coffee Company. If you've ever wondered who helps steer the brand that fuels America's warriors and...

EPISODE 56: CARL WHELESS 🎙️ Tuxes and Tomahawks — Episode 56 Title: From Marine to Tank Commander: The Carl Wheless Story 🇺🇸🔥 Description: In Episode 56 of Tuxes and Tomahawks, we sit down with the remarkable Carl Wheless — a Texas-born warrior whose life has been defined by service, sacrifice, and unshakable resolve. 💪 Carl's journey began in high school when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp...

EPISODE 55: WELLS JONES 🔥From Antarctic Skies to Middle Eastern Sands – The Untamed Life of Wells Jones 🔥 This episode isn't just a conversation—it's a full-throttle journey through some of the most extreme, exhilarating, and inspiring adventures on the planet. Wells Jones has lived more lives than most can dream of: US Navy Antarctic Pararescue Team 🏔️ – Mastering extreme survival, skydiving ov...