About this episode
Marine Corps Veteran Roger Michael Hall pulls no punches in this episode of Urban Valor. From 2017–2022, Roger served as an infantry mortarman (0341) — but this isn’t the recruiting poster version of the Corps. This is the truth about months living on a Navy ship, crammed into tight berthing spaces, working long hours, and finding ways to stay sane in a floating steel city. Roger shares it all: wild overseas port calls, boot camp fights, grueling Mountain Warfare training, and the mental grind of deployment life at sea with hundreds of Marines shoulder-to-shoulder. He opens up about the moments that made him question why he joined — and the experiences that shaped who he is today. If you’ve ever wondered what Marine Corps life aboard a Navy ship is really like, this is the story no one tells! 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Video chapters: 00:00 Boot camp fights & ship life 01:34 Childhood & family background 04:01 Why Roger joined the Marines 08:11 Brutal boot camp training stories 22:01 Mountain warfare training & fatigue 35:09 Life aboard ship & dark humor 50:34 Wild deployment & barracks stories 1:11:09 Border Patrol mission under Trump 1:19:06 COVID-era deployment in Japan 1:22:04 Civilian life struggles & therapy 1:24:46 Advice for veterans after service #military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories