Urban Valor: the podcast

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran, Cris Pacheco. Cris grew up in Chino, California. His parents immigrated to the United States from Cuba and El Salvador. Cris joined the Marines as an Amphibious Assault Vehicle Crewman AKA “Tracks.”  He had an alcohol problem going into the Marines, which contributed to some mental health issues during his enlistment such as not being able t...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine Captain Kelsie Hancock. Kelsie grew up in Southern Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay, fishing and crabbing. She went to school across the street from Patuxent River Naval Air Station and would watch the jets fly over and knew she wanted to be a Marine since the 4th grade. During her enlistment, Kelsie was reunited with a former school colleague at a cam...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Navy veteran, Johnnie Garcia. Johnnie grew up in a gang-infested neighborhood in Los Angeles, CA. His brothers were part of the gang culture and killed far too early. Johnnie enlisted in the Navy to escape from the trouble he was getting into. While in the Navy he spent time on the USS Tripoli, which was struck by an underwater mine while Johnnie and severa...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine Vietnam veteran, Ron Galasso. Ron grew up poor in Los Angeles, CA. He enlisted during the draft and said he chose the Marines because they were taking fewer casualties than the Army in Vietnam. Ron enlisted into the infantry as a rifleman, but quickly got selected to become a reconnaissance Marine. He says bouncing betty mines were a big problem for...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran, Elliott Mckenzie. Elliot was born addicted to drugs because of his mother’s drug use while pregnant. He was placed in a foster home, went to a paramilitary High School, and enlisted into the Marine Corps’ infantry as a rifleman. Elliott and his Battalion served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and lost 16 Marines on his deployment. Upon transition...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Navy veteran, Karla Lees. Karla grew up in San Dimas, CA cheerleading and was interested in fashion and design. She enlisted in the Navy at 16 years old as a machinist. Karla cried when she found out she had to cut her hair before going to Bootcamp and was surprised when they cut it even shorter upon arriving at Bootcamp. The gate guards didn’t believe she...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran, Aaron Rodriguez. Aaron was assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 during the Invasion of Iraq in March of 2003. While convoying supplies near the city of Nasiriyah his unit was ambushed with heavy enemy fire. Shortly after the ambush took place, they realized Marine, Sgt. Fernando Padilla-Ramirez was missing and had been captured. Aaro...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran, Roy Mcquaig. Roy grew up in South Georgia and passed on a full-ride golf scholarship to join the Marines. His town thought it was so crazy the local news station wrote a story on it.  Roy enlisted into the infantry as a rifleman and served two tours to Afghanistan and one tour to Kuwait, all during his first enlistment. He experienced a trau...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran, Terra Bennett. Terra grew up in Lakeland, Florida riding horses. She’s competed in horse barrel racing, goat tying, and pole bending. Terra was only 13 when she lost her mother to cancer. By the time she was 19, and just before going into the Marine Corps, Terra lost her father to cancer and had to navigate her own life for the first time wi...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features retired Army Staff Sergeant, William Faery. William was born in Lockport, NY and grew up on a junkyard. He moved around and ended up graduating high school in San Antonio, TX. William joined the Army as a “Medical Specialists” and was surprised to find himself in combat medic school involuntarily. He conducted multiple combat deployments, one of which he  a...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Army veteran, Bryan Martinez. Bryan grew up in Santa Ana, CA in a gang-infested neighborhood and comes from a family of immigrants. He was inspired to join the Army after seeing what  America did for his parents and he wanted to give back. Bryan built camaraderie in the Army by showing his battle buddies how he and his family would grill, Mexican style. He...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Retired Marine Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Praxedes. This Marine is a 2x Purple Heart Recipient that saw a close-quarters battle in Fallujah, Chaos in Afghanistan, and so much more.  Thomas grew up in Los Angeles, CA and wanted to be a soldier until he saw a Marine in dress blues. After the September 11th attack on America, he committed to the Marine Corps. Tho...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features retired Marine First Sergeant, Nelson Coburn. Nelson grew up in Brooklyn, NY. His biological father spent most of his life in prison, which ultimately took his life. Nelson spent approximately 22 years in the Marines. He began as a mortarman and served as a Drill Instructor, Marine Security Guard, Scout Sniper Platoon Sergeant, and Personal Security Detail...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Army Ranger veteran, Angel Cortes (aka OG Pumpkin). Angel grew up poor and malnourished and wound up getting jumped into a gang.  As a gangster, he found himself selling guns and drugs and running the streets. Eventually, Angel decided to make a life change and enlisted in the Army. He served multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and became on...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine Scout Sniper & Vietnam combat veteran, RJ Jackson. RJ enlisted into the Marine Corps in 1966 after hearing one of his good friends was shot and killed in Vietnam. He was selected to become a scout sniper after demonstrating expert proficiency with his rifle. During his tour in Vietnam, RJ was ambushed and wounded multiple times. During one ambush...

Today's story on Urban Valor brings us Sergeant E-5, Michael Delery from the United States Marine Corps.  Mike shares his story about what led him to the military,  his combat stories, and how his military transition has been since serving.   Mike's story is unbelievable, and his storytelling will make you feel like you were there!  Please give Mike words of encouragement, ask questions,...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features retired Marine GySgt., Andrew Cruz. Andrew was born in southern California but went to live in Costa Rica at the age of 1. Around the age of 4, he and his mom came back to the states with help from coyotes to cross the border.  Andrew joined the Marines as a supply guy and eventually got into recruiting where he spent most of his military career. In this ep...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran Kyle Hiner. On his 22nd birthday, Kyle was in a vehicle that crashed into a tree and sent him through the windshield. That incident made him realize he needed to make changes in his life. He enlisted into the Marine Corps shortly after on an open contract hoping to land an amphibious assault job. During Bootcamp, Kyle learned he was going to...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Army combat veteran Logan Joyce. Logan grew up in Orange County, CA. Growing up, he got into trouble with the law and spent a little time in jail. Logan was an avid skater, but people in his life told him that skating wasn’t a wise decision to pursue for his career. His older brothers inspired him to join the military. Logan became a Chemical, Biological, R...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine veteran, Jose Guevara. Jose spent the first half of his enlistment attached to the Marine Security Force Battalion out of Bangor, WA. He spent countless hours training and becoming proficient with close-quarters battle and recaptured tactics for urban warfare. Jose then got attached to 3rd Battalion 7th Marines out of 29 Palms, CA with whom he would...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine Scout Sniper veteran, Luke Hamilton. Luke was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. His love for the outdoors inspired him to join the Marines. Luke signed up for the infantry and quickly became a Scout Sniper. He talked about at least a dozen Taliban fighters getting eliminated after attacking Marines and running towards his team of Scout Snipers w...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine combat veteran, Jose Gasca. Jose grew up in the gang projects of Los Angeles during the early 80’s. He was inspired by his older brother to join the Marines and was a member of the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team for his first assignment. Jose then got attached to 2/2 Fox Co. and went with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Ops Capable) d...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Marine combat veteran, Nick Rodriguez.  Nick was inspired to join the Marines by his older brother. During his second tour to Iraq Nick volunteered for another combat deployment and found himself conducting combat missions in Afghanistan just two weeks after arriving home from Iraq. While in Afghanistan Nick displayed an amazing gesture of brotherhood by he...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Cassandra Fuentes. Cassandra is the widow of Marine combat veteran, Steven Osborne, who unfortunately took his life on March 10, 2022. Cassandra details what it was like living with a veteran who struggled with PTSD. She walks us through what transpired the day Steven took his life. Cassandra also shares fond memories of Steven and how he was a great father...

This week’s Urban Valor episode features Army combat veteran, Humberto Navarez. Humberto spent 20 years in the Army as a Black Hawk Mechanic. He served 4 combat tours in Iraq and has witnessed multiple tragedies during his time in service from gunshot wound victims to unfortunate suicides while deployed overseas. Navarez opens up during this interview and we're so thankful for his courage and...