American Warrior Radio

Army Veteran Ayman Kafel is now a police sergeant. He has written numerous insightful articles on leadership in police organizations.

New York firefighter Clarence Singleton responded to the first World Trade Center attack in 1993. Even though he had retired, on Sept. 11 he immediately rushed to volunteer at the scene. He was nearly crushed in the collapse of the second tower.

Retired IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Brian Watson shares some of the most common scams perpetuated upon our elderly populations.

Air Force Intelligence Specialis Emma Przybyslawaki spent much of her career attached to various Special Operations units. She was credited with 1,634 kills. As Co-Founder and CEO of Strike Solutions she is now working to make our forces even more lethal.

Ed Mechenbier had already flown 79 of the 100 required missions over North Vietnam before he could return home. He didn't have to fly that day but volunteered and was shot down on his 80th mission. He would spend nearly 6 years as a POW.

Since it's founding, Combat Hero Bike Build has awarded 43 custom adapted motorcycles to severely injured Veterans and First Responders. President Ken Dugas and motorcycle recipient Bobby Henline join us.

"Sheepdog" is a gritty film about Traumatic Brain Injury, Veteran suicide, Post Traumatic Stress and Post Traumatic Growth.Writer, Director and Lead Actor Steven Grayhm joins us.

Havok Journal owner Scott Faith gives us an update on subjects impacting our military and Veterans.

Bob Wells had a distinguished 30-year Navy career including serving as a White House and National Security Council advisor in the Bush 43 and Clinton administrations. We discuss the current global threats.

Air Force Combat Search and Rescue pilot John Mangan flew more than 200 missions in Afghanistan. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor.He wroted "The Three Rings Mindset" to help others apply techniques used by high performers to deal with the stressors or modern day life.

Col. Brandon P. Alford, Commander - US Space Forces Southern joins us to share more about our nation's newest military branch and its mission.

A 2002 USO trip would inspire Darryl Worely to compose and perform the song "Have You Forgotten", a song about the 9/11 attacks. The song spent seven weeks at #1 on the Billboard country charts. Darryl joins us to describe his latest project.

Diveheart Founder Jim Elliott and Exec. Director Tinamarie Hernandez join us to describe how they are helping Veterans using the equalizing power of scuba diving.

Doug Hegdahl likely had the most unusual capture of any Vietnam POW. But the South Dakota farm boy would become one of the war's most unlikely heroes. Marc Leepson joins us to tell his story.

Bob Breault was one of the first Air Force pilots to be assigned to fly the very dangerous "Wild Weasel" mission in Vietnam. Afer leaving the service, he would go on to become a global leader in the optics industry.

Ryan McDermott is a West Point graduate and earned the Ranger tab. He led an infrantry platoon during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ryan shares his motivation behind wrting " Downriver: Memoir of a Warrior Poet"

Base Camp for Veterans used equine theragpy to help heal Veteran families. Founders Deborah Plum and Theo Windish join us.

Michael Durant flew with the elite 160th SOAR "Night Stalkers". His helicopter would be the second shot down during the Battle of Mogadishu and he spent 11 days in Somali captivity.

The 9/11 attacks forced Navy Chaplain Larry Cripps to finally confront the trauma he had suppressed from his time in combat in Vietnam.

Michael Reyka undertook an 8 year project that culminated in physically retracing his father Steve's journey as he fought his way north through France as part of the 180th Infantry Regiment.

Jennifer Chan is the founder of the Pacific Atrocities organization. She has written several books about atrocities committed in the Pacific-Asia theatre during World War II.We discuss the notorious Unit 731 and the lives of "Comfort Women".

Our last discussion of the year with Havok Journal owner Charles Faint focuses on leadership.

Command Chief Master Sergeant Kelvin Hatcher discusses the challenges military families face being separated during the holidays.

Brothers William and Phillip Taubman have written an insightful book that sheds new light on Robert Mcnamara, one of the most controversial figures during the Vietnam War. Co-Author of "MacNamara at War" William Taubman joins us for a discussion.

Navy Corpsman Jesse Brewer would be awarded the Silver Star for his actions at Hill 689 in Vietnam.

Michael Becker served in our Air Force for 26 years and nine months. He entered the Air Force as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technician and would eventually be the top ranking enlisted officer for one of our nation's largest Air Force bases.

Ian and Patrick are leading a unique project that will put to music the words of 12 letters sent home from troops. The letters span a period from the Revolutionary War to the Gulf War.

We discuss the critical role played by the National Guard and Reserves with retired Arizona Air National Guard Commander Major General Ted Maxwell.

During the Vietnam War, Major Robert Lodge was the foremost expert on "Combat Tree". The top secret program gave our fighters and advantage over the North Vietnamese MIGs. After his aircraft was disabled in an aerial dogfight, Lodge told his weapons officer to eject. Knowing his own capture on potential revelation of the top secret knowledge he kept could endanger others, Lodge went down with his plane.His friend and fellow Vietnam combat pilot Leonard "Lucky" Eckman is working to have Lodge awared the Medal of Honor.

During post partum depression, Lt. Col. Angelina Stephens began experiencing suicidal ideations. Despite potential risks to her career, she went very public with her story in order to help others.

Charles Faint joins us for another interesting discussion of topics featured on the Havok Journal.

Producer Chris Meek and Director Michael Gier join us to discuss a new 9/11 documentary set to release on the 25th Anniversary of the attacks.

Major General (US Army Retired) Clayton Hutmacher served in the Army for forty years - much of it in the Special Operations Community.He now leads the Special Operations Warrior Foundation which provides support for Spec. Ops families who have a loved one killed or severely injured.

After 14 months in the jungles of Vietnam, Dennis Nickel had a difficult time adjusting; drugs, alchohol and violent outburst plagued his life before PTSD was officially recognized. He and his wife Diana had their bumps and bruises for 40 years before unconditional love put them on a new path,

James R. Lyda served in our Air Force for 30 years and was a Wing Command Chief twice. During his last assignment before retirement he was responsible for 55,000 personnel.After retirement he founded Guidon Leadership - a full service firm that helps companies develop better leaders, managers and people.

The HBO Film "Taking Chance" chronicles Lt. Col. Michael Strobl's experiences while escorting the remains of Private Chance Phelps to his hometown. It was once of HBO's most watched original films and received numerous awards. Mike Strobl joins us to share his first hand account.

Scott Neil was a member of one of the special Green Beret units inserted behind enemy lines in Afghanistan shortly after the 9/11 attacks. He and a couple of friends created "Horse Soldier" bourbon to honor the legacy of the men who rode into battle on horse back against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

The after effects of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the subject of an interesting documentary co-produced by Kelly and Tanabe. Their predecessors fought on opposite sides during WWII. "Atomic Echoes" features interviews with Japanese bombing survivors and US military members who entered the zones shortly after the bombings.

Quang Pham and most of his family escaped Vietnam just before the fall of Saigon. He would go on to be the first American of Vietnamese descent to become a Marine Corps Aviator and the first to take and IPO public on NASDAQ.

Carlos Ruiz is the 20th person to hold the title of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. We talk leadership, motivation and what makes Marines different.

Peter Singer is nationally recognized as on of the premier futurists in the national-security environment. We discuss was future wars may look like.

Ayman Kafel has more than 20 years serving in the military and law enforcement. After founding Project Sapient, he has been researching the various sciences that can better help law enforcement officers deal with the stress and trauma of their profession.

HER Campaign Co-Founder Britney Higgs and retired DEA agent Stacy Zinn talk about the scourge of human trafficking in the US and what the HER campaign does to help victims safely transition.

It has been considered by many to be our US Marine Corps greatest peacetime loss of life. But many have never heard of it.  Chas Henry joins us to describe the Fuji Fire that took place on Oct. 19, 1979.

Paratrooper Andrew Bragg wrote "The Devil's Playground" as a tribute to his comrades from Charlie Company’s 2nd Platoon and their 2009-2010 deployment to the Arghandab River valley in Afghanistan. His platoon would suffer 50% casualties and 6 KIA during the deployment.

Havok Journal owner and 27 year Army Intelligence Veteran Charles Faint discusses some of the topics recently featured on their website. We do some deep dives into the threats/weakenesses of China and also how the wars in Ukraine and Gaza are causing a re-examination of modern war doctrines.

Major League broadcaster and Vietnam Veteran Bill Brown has written an excellent book called “Wartime Athletes; Stories of Sports Stars Who Joined the US Team.”  He shares some compelling and inspiring stories.

"Grit To Glory" recounts Green Beret Darrell Utt's journey from the back woods of West Virginia to his leadership role with ODA 043 in Baghdad during some of the most intense fighting.

On this episode we talk with two organizations in the farming battlespace. Farm 2 Veteran uses a network of farms in 9 states to provide healthy, quality food to Veterans experiencing food instability.The Land At Home Project has a mission to train Veterans to get involved in sustainable agriculture.

Erik Knowles quickly discovered that the Marine Corps is no place for a jokester. He now uses comedy as a way to help other Veterans deal with their trauma.