1 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're 2 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: listening to Software Radio Special Operations, military news and straight 3 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: talk with the guys and the community Software Radio. I'm 4 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: your host today, Steve Lstrurie. Long time here the afternoon, 5 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 1: but we have a great guest on the line with us. 6 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: I think a lot of our listeners will really uh 7 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: enjoyed this conversation. We're getting ready to have John Waynae Walden. 8 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: He's the first Ampute to realist as a Green Ray sniper, 9 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,160 Speaker 1: born on the fourth of July. Named after John Wayne. 10 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: I mean, how American can you get after that, folks. 11 00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: So we're gonna be talking with John here in just 12 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 1: a second, but before we do, we just want to 13 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 1: remind everyone we know, with all the COVID nineteen coronavirus 14 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 1: stuff that's going on out there, we hope everyone's staying safe. 15 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 1: We hope everyone's taking care of each other. Check on 16 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: your family members, especially some of your older ones who 17 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:28,839 Speaker 1: might not get out as much. A lot of those 18 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: folks are, you know, they might be house found in 19 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 1: there kind of lonely. So make sure you check on 20 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: especially some of your older relatives and Americans, and especially 21 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: those vets out there. So with that in mind, we're 22 00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 1: gonna get into the podcast. We want to welcome John 23 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 1: to the UH soft Rep Radio. John, thanks for the 24 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: time this afternoon. We really appreciate it. Stave, I really 25 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: appreciate y'all having me. You know, my leg will never 26 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: grow back, right, so I'll never get tired of people 27 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 1: wanting to hear about this one leg of redneck from 28 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 1: Growth Bank, So thanks for having me. You know, it's 29 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: funny because you know nowadays with the UH well, we'll 30 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 1: we'll get into all that. I mean, with your injury 31 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: and all that, but the the the medical technology for 32 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 1: the prosthetics has gotten so much better these days, so 33 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: you know where you're unable to still go out and 34 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: do the job as an s F guy. You know, 35 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: because when I was in undating myself here back in 36 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: the eighties and early nineties, um, you know, we we 37 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: only had three guys on active duty that had lost 38 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: the leg and stayed on active duty, and all three 39 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: of them are STAF guys. We had a Sergeant Major 40 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: named Carlos Parker and seventh Group lost his leg in 41 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,320 Speaker 1: Vietnami remained in and then my partner Dave Ortiz was 42 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 1: SF medic used to run the medal lab over there 43 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: for the eighteen Deltas. He lost his a motorcycle wreck 44 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 1: in fee of film UM and then he stayed in. 45 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 1: And then our old commander when him and I worked 46 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: out of uh S F A S when they first 47 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: started it up. Now we're really dating ourselves there, but uh, yeah, 48 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: he lost the leg in Iraq and stayed in, and 49 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: then nowadays it's it seems like there's, uh, the guys 50 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: are you know, much more active and they're you know, 51 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: staying I guess you could say, uh, you know, more 52 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,959 Speaker 1: actively involved than they probably would have been in my era. Yeah, 53 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: I think it's kind of twofold Steve. Obviously there's no 54 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 1: debate that the technology advancements have have been there, but 55 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: also the mindset you know before, as you could probably know, 56 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: like if you got your leg shot off back in 57 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: the day, you know, staying in really wasn't something that 58 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 1: necessarily was considered to your point about you know a 59 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: few guys, it wasn't you know, outlandish to have somebody stay. 60 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: It just wasn't something that was neo normal thing. But 61 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: since man, I can't tell you the prosthesis that that 62 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: I've gotten that's allowed me to just do things that 63 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: I never thought possible, right, And and uh, I think 64 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: people have noticed that to see. Obviously I went through 65 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: sodic and was uh I graduated that back in the day, 66 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: and and people have done a lot cooler things that 67 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: I have, for sure. But to your point, we really 68 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: have been uh blessed with the technology out there, and 69 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 1: I think because of that, our successes that we've had, 70 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: you know, has really changed the mindset. Yeah, so let's 71 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: we're gonna actually go backwards now let's talk about um. So, 72 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: I take it your dad must have been a great 73 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: fan of John Wayne's to name you after the Duke. 74 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely, you know. Not only was he a big 75 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: fan of John Wayne, but he was also a hippie. Yeah. 76 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 1: I never won't forget asking my dad, you know, when 77 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 1: I was I don't know, fourteen fifteen, was like, hey, Dad, 78 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 1: why did you name me John Wayne? You know, thinking 79 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: I get this great story about how he's a great American. 80 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: He wants me to embody all the manly things that 81 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 1: John Wayne did. And he said, Wilson, you had a 82 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: cool birthday, figured you needed a cool name. You thought 83 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 1: about it a hole that that that's a good reason. 84 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 1: So yeah, go ahead. I was just saying, so, you know, 85 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: being born on the fourth of July, a guy by 86 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: the name of John Wayne, to your point, going through 87 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: Green Beret School. You know when John Wayne was in 88 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: the movie The Green Berets. I've done a few push 89 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: ups for that guy. Oh. I was just gonna say, uh, 90 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: going through you know S F A S and then 91 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:49,239 Speaker 1: SF you know, QC with the name of John Wayne 92 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: going on the fourth of July, you weren't the gray man. 93 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: I'll just say that much. Yeah, well that you know, 94 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: And like Ron White says, I had the right to 95 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: remain silent, but not the ability when they say who 96 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,640 Speaker 1: do you think you are? John Wayne? And so that's 97 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 1: when I have to open my mouth and then uh, 98 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: I'll get a little stronger after that. Yeah. Yeah, just 99 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 1: like Ron White said, I had the same problem. You know, 100 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: you could take the boy out of Boston, but you 101 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:22,279 Speaker 1: can't take the smartass out of the boy from Boston. 102 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 1: So that's right, you know, I I was. I pushed 103 00:06:26,760 --> 00:06:32,840 Speaker 1: a lot of territory south. Yeah, I turn him in 104 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: the que course, right, you know, my feet were elevated 105 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: on that pine tree quite a bit, you know. Yeah, 106 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: I tell my kids my chest don't look like this 107 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: because I kept my mouth shutting Army. So what year 108 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: did you join the military? You know, it kind of 109 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: true to my personality, you know, on July four I 110 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: turned twenty July five, I went to the recruiter and said, 111 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: you know, um, you know, I said, man, I need 112 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: a real job, right and uh, so that was July five. 113 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: Whenever I went to the recruiter. August sixteenth, I was 114 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: in basic training, you know, so that that quickly is 115 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: is when I when I commit, I commit. And uh 116 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: that was two thousand and one, so you know what 117 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: else happened there? So September eleven, I was still in 118 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 1: basic training when the towers fell, and obviously things changed 119 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: from there. Oh yeah, now were you uh eighteen X 120 00:07:35,960 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: ray or we did you go in the regular army? First? Yeah, 121 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: I went to the recruiter, got me man, He said, hey, 122 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: you wanna shoot missiles? I said, hell, yeah, who don't? 123 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: And so I joined the army to be a patriot 124 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: missile operator. And uh, when the towers failed, you know, 125 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,480 Speaker 1: we were deploying everything. And that's whenever I learned about 126 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: SF and and then two thousand and uh heck five, 127 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 1: I think whenever I went through selection. Nice, yeah, yeah, 128 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:07,440 Speaker 1: that was after my time. Unfortunately, I remember when we 129 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 1: first started s f a S. You know, those of 130 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 1: us who were gonna be working out there, we didn't 131 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: have that. I mean, you know, s f A S 132 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: was kind of rolled into the old phase one where 133 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: you know, the the old harassment phase back then. And 134 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,480 Speaker 1: uh so then they said, oh, well, you guys are 135 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: gonna be working out here, you have to go through 136 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: the course. And I remember thinking, go through what you 137 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: have to go through s F A S. And I 138 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: was like, we're already qualified. So of course they would 139 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 1: put a bunch of like gonna guys who are gonna 140 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 1: be instructed together, and we had a kind of our 141 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,199 Speaker 1: own team. But we were getting some really weird looks 142 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: from the candidates because they're wearing the white tag just 143 00:08:54,679 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: like you guys had to do. I'm sure, you know. 144 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: And then they're looking at guys who were already have 145 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: tabs on, not wearing the white tags on their uniform, 146 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 1: but you know, doing the same stuff they're doing. They 147 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: probably thought it was part of the course, Like are 148 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:13,320 Speaker 1: they trying to mind this with me right now. Well, finally, 149 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: you know, when we were going out to do the 150 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: land of course, you know, they truck you out to 151 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 1: the Hoffman Triangle and uh so We're sitting on the 152 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: truck and I'm just kind of looking out the back 153 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: wondering what did I do to piss off somebody that 154 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: I ended up having to do this stuff all over again. 155 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: And then next thing you know, uh, some kids asked me. 156 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 1: He's like, why are you guys here with tabs? And 157 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: then one of our guys he's passed away. Now, Brian, 158 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: look what's the s F guy from tenth group? And 159 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 1: he said, well, we're not supposed to tell anybody, but 160 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: we're going up on the next shuttle mission. And uh 161 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: the kid was like what and he's like, yeah, you 162 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:54,040 Speaker 1: have to pass election before you can go to NASA. 163 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: So yeah, whoever does the best out of this is 164 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: going on the next shuttle. That's I remember laughing my 165 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: ass off because I'm like, okay, answer, yeah. So anyway, there, 166 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: we we had a guy in our sear school that 167 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: you remember back in the day you didn't have to 168 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: go through and and then he was in the guard 169 00:10:22,080 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 1: going to active duty, and like I believe he was 170 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: a Master Stortan, you know. And and uh he was 171 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: in our serious schools because he went to active. Dude like, oh, 172 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: bo oh, you didn't go to sear school. Yeah, you 173 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: gotta do that now. Yeah, they've they've changed so many 174 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 1: the stupid rules they used to have. Because I went 175 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: to see her as a you know six, and uh, 176 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: after I had been in group for a while because 177 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: they at that time it wasn't part of the que course. 178 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: And then I went to the one and I went 179 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: to the war of course, they were like, oh, serious 180 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: school is part of this. I already been and they 181 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: were like, oh, well great, now you get to do 182 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: it again. And I knew all the guys who worked 183 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: at SERE because I had worked at Camp McCall you 184 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 1: know as a s F A S guys. So they 185 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: were all looking at me like what are you doing here? 186 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: You already why are you on this side of the fence. Yeah, 187 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: it wasn't very pleasant the second time. So so after 188 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: you graduated the course, what what group were you assigned to? Yeah? 189 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: So I was signed a third group. Uh that's O 190 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,520 Speaker 1: D A three six. Um. In fact, right when I 191 00:11:32,559 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: got there was the transition point from three nine six 192 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: to three three three six. That's that was uh. I 193 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: mean it was a great team. The guys there were 194 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,719 Speaker 1: all just you know, barrel chested freedom fighters that that 195 00:11:46,040 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: loved to to do what we love to do. And 196 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,199 Speaker 1: and you know the deal like when you're on teams, 197 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: you know, the teams that love to get it and 198 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: load it that don't. And we were fortunate up to 199 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: uh get a lot of good missions when we were 200 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: deployed because of that. Now, at that time, obviously everything 201 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: was heavily into the Gulf War, so you probably weren't 202 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 1: doing the Africa stuff at that time. It was probably 203 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 1: all Afghanistan Iraq. Yeah, that that's it. And in fact 204 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: they were when I graduated. I believe it was somewhere 205 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 1: in August. I knew it was hot Brag when I 206 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: graduated and went to you know, my O d A. 207 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: And the first experience in my oder was going through 208 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: all the deployment stuff because they were we were deployment 209 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:41,160 Speaker 1: in October. That August is is a rough time in 210 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: and for Bragg. Yeah, absolutely, and uh we were, like 211 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: I said, that was my introduction was getting with them 212 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:50,880 Speaker 1: and said all right, well we're going in October, so 213 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: we need this sis and this and I was like, 214 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: all right, cool, and uh we went to uh oh 215 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 1: Man where was a Kabul outside of Kabul Polish shark 216 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 1: yet I think was the five that we were first 217 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: at and then ended up doing the majority of our 218 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: stuff out of jay Bad. And you know, we were 219 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: lucky enough to have the first candac of the two 220 00:13:12,559 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: oh first commandos um you know, the commando unit that 221 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 1: that we had stood up before then had not had 222 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,199 Speaker 1: any people graduate the course yet at this time. This 223 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 1: was two thousand and seven, I believe, And uh, you know, 224 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: we were just lucky to have some great folks there 225 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: that that that supported us and and we didn't have 226 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,760 Speaker 1: to sit it, you know, sit in our huts the 227 00:13:34,760 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: whole time. We got to go out and do some work. Nice. Yeah, 228 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 1: Now can you talk us through when you got hurt? Yeah? Absolutely, 229 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: you know. So on April six of two thousand and eight, 230 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 1: you know, we were on a kill capture mission to 231 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: get the guy by the name of Haji four. He 232 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,440 Speaker 1: was a you know, in charge of the HIG at 233 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: that point, and and you know what he was doing. 234 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 1: People don't know that that Afghanistan really has a big 235 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: export industry of of gems, right, star sapphires, rubies and 236 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: such things of that nature. And you know what he 237 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: would do is go into these minds and and take 238 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: over and say, hey, I'm in charge now, and uh 239 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: fund to higg from all of that, right, And uh, 240 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: that's that's basically what we were gonna do, is go 241 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: up there where he was, which was about a thirty 242 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:32,000 Speaker 1: minute ride north of Jalalabad, up in the mountains where 243 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 1: ten thousand feet above sea level, you know, And it 244 00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 1: was in April, so you know when we landed, it 245 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: was probably you know, low thirties, right, and still had 246 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: snow on the ground, and and uh we did. The 247 00:14:47,960 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 1: thing about him is there wasn't a lot of intel, 248 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: whether you know, of the surrounding area for obvious reasons, 249 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: right there in the you know, nobody had been in 250 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:57,840 Speaker 1: there since the Russians, So there was no you know, 251 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: a lot of human intelligence that we could gather than 252 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 1: what we got from the I SR footage. And and 253 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: so we really didn't know how many people we were 254 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: going up against. We thought maybe it was him and 255 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,200 Speaker 1: tend to sixteen you know man detachment, you know PSD, 256 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 1: and and uh, some people in the area. You know, unfortunately, 257 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: end up being around two hundreds two d fifty people fighting. So, 258 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: you know, when we landed, I was the assault team 259 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: one leader along with another SF guy, Dave Sanders, and 260 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: we had about eight Afghani commandos that was on our 261 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: team and behind us climbing these you know, we're basically 262 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: climbing a mountain, right, you know what it is when 263 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: you land in the waddy and you start going up 264 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: these dope pass and you have to jump up pretty 265 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:43,080 Speaker 1: much of the next terrace and follow that tool as 266 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,880 Speaker 1: far as you can go. And it was about a 267 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: twenty to thirty minute climb just going up this mountain. 268 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: You know, we're ten thousand feet up, but on this 269 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: mountain face itself, we were probably you know, one or 270 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: two hundred feet up, and um, you know that's when 271 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: we got opened up on with pretty much an avalanche gunfire. 272 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: I don't say that to sound cool, you know, it's 273 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: just what we were in, you know, in in perspective, 274 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: you know, within the first ten minutes, you know, you know, 275 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: I've been talking for longer than ten minutes, but within 276 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 1: the first ten we had our lead interpreter, Ck got 277 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: shot in the Throat died on impact. Dylan Bear was 278 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: shot in the hip. The initial assessment on him was 279 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 1: twenty minutes, and Louis Morales had gotten shot twice. You know, 280 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: so we we really got punched in the face. You 281 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:30,760 Speaker 1: know what Mike Tyson eloquently say, everybody's got a plan 282 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: to get punched the mouth. That's that's what happened to us. 283 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:37,280 Speaker 1: And and uh, you know, I came back down from 284 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: my position because the commanding Control element that was following me, 285 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: you know, so the whole idea was for me to 286 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: be the first one in right, grab a building, lock 287 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: it down, have commanding Control come up to me, and 288 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: then have a salt team to leap frog to the 289 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 1: next building. And we kind of just played that game 290 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: untill we got to the target. And with two guys shot, 291 00:16:57,600 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: we realized that, you know, there was only you know, 292 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:03,920 Speaker 1: basile ten of us with the commandos plus the commandos, 293 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: you know, there's just wasn't enough of us to be 294 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 1: combat effective to to keep you know, charging up this mountain. 295 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,879 Speaker 1: And so uh, me and Dave took our team and 296 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,520 Speaker 1: came back down to the Commanding Control element, and uh, 297 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: pretty much initiative, you know, Operation human shield. We only 298 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 1: had one medic ron Surer who excuse me, he ended 299 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,159 Speaker 1: up getting the Meddal of Honor for for what he 300 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: did that day. Uh So we were to catch the 301 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: bullets while Ron did his job, and he did a 302 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: great job for about I don't know, two hours, so 303 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:37,919 Speaker 1: we're probably about, you know, three hours into this firefight. 304 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: And I'll never forget moving for one position the next 305 00:17:41,640 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: and and uh, you know, just feeling the worst pain 306 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:47,440 Speaker 1: ever felt in my life, felled forward and rolled over 307 00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:49,640 Speaker 1: and my leg was just hanging at a forty five 308 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: degree angle, you know, only by an inch of flesh. 309 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: And uh, man, that's why I tell everybody, you know, 310 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: I didn't do this John Wayne Green Beret thing and 311 00:17:58,040 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: telling my start and I didn't have time to bleed 312 00:17:59,880 --> 00:18:01,719 Speaker 1: or anything like that you had seen in the movies. Man, 313 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: I cried, screen yelled, right, I did any human thing 314 00:18:05,480 --> 00:18:11,679 Speaker 1: you would think to do um at that moment. And ultimately, 315 00:18:12,480 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 1: you know, I lived by the creed that I'm done. 316 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: But I know I'm dumb, so that almost makes me smart. 317 00:18:18,960 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: I never will forget thinking. I'm like, hey, you're dumbass, 318 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: just got shot and you might want to ask for help. Right, 319 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:26,639 Speaker 1: and uh, I asked for Dave Sanders. I'm like, hey, man, 320 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: you gotta help with this turny kid, and and he 321 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: did the best he could to get it on there. 322 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: And uh. One of the things I remember was thinking, 323 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: thinking while Dave was doing that, was like, I'll be 324 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 1: damn Spielberg got it right, because my blood was squirting 325 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: out just like the movies. I was like, man, I 326 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: don't mean to laugh, man, but it's I mean, I'm 327 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: getting visual here, so I mean, you get it right. 328 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:53,720 Speaker 1: And hey, look every joke I make about my leg 329 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:55,719 Speaker 1: being gone the middle fingers the guy that shot me, 330 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 1: So yeah, if my life sucks because him, he wins, 331 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,520 Speaker 1: and my life thinking of suck, I got no problem 332 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: making a joke about it, you know. But but yeah, 333 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: to Dave helped me with the turn of kid, and 334 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: obviously with the blood you know, squirting like it did, 335 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:13,719 Speaker 1: it was very easy for me to see, you know, 336 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: how long or how much to to tighten it and everything. 337 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 1: And and that's when we just continue to fight and 338 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 1: and do the best we can. But I remember the 339 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: next time, every time I would try to move my leg, 340 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: it would just get you know, caught on something and 341 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 1: just the most excruciating pain. So I grabbed my leg, 342 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: I folded up into my you know, my crotch, and 343 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 1: just held it between my thighs while I was on 344 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 1: the objective. And you know, I might be along with 345 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: I gotta say, I kicked my own asshole in the battlefield, right, 346 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 1: But well, the only thing I could think of was, 347 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,679 Speaker 1: you know, you gotta splint it, right, And uh, that 348 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:53,199 Speaker 1: was the only thing I could. You know, I obviously 349 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: didn't have a splinter or anything. So I'm like, well, 350 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna you know, hold up tween my legs. 351 00:19:59,320 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 1: But at that point, you know, we we were about 352 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: four hours into the fight, maybe five, and and uh, 353 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 1: I never want to forget seeing my team start and 354 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,800 Speaker 1: get shot, you know. And and I was a new 355 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: SF guy, you know, by no means am I trying 356 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: to act like I was, you know, Chuck Norris wore 357 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 1: John Wayne Green you know underwear. I wasn't that cool. 358 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: I looked at my team startn't for a lot of direction, 359 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,120 Speaker 1: and uh, you know I saw him get shot within 360 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: ten feet of me, and uh, you know that was 361 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: definitely a mental holy crap, this is getting real type 362 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: of you know scenario and and unfortunately the powers that 363 00:20:35,320 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 1: be above us thought the same thing, and they opened 364 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 1: up and diverted every almost every air st and theater 365 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: to our location and really started dropping ordinance that that was, 366 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: you know, to be quite honest, that the biggest help 367 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: for us to get off that cliff side and get 368 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 1: down to the mountain, you know. And and uh, that's 369 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:56,960 Speaker 1: what we would do. We would drop a bomb, you know, 370 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: scale the back inside of the cliffs and dropping their bombs, 371 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 1: scaled the back side of the cliff and just wash 372 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: rents repeat. You know. I got two funny stories, so 373 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 1: I always remember whenever, you know, you got the morphine injectors. 374 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: Right well, about ten minutes after getting shot, I'm like, 375 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 1: oh crap, I got this morphine Jackson. It's gonna feel 376 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,479 Speaker 1: great right now, you know. But it also say, hey, man, 377 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:19,959 Speaker 1: you're kind of jacked up. You might want to ask 378 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,360 Speaker 1: the right way to do this. So I asked Ron, 379 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: you know, I was like, hey, what side down? He's 380 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:27,200 Speaker 1: like purple, all right? Cool? So I put it down 381 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: and the freaking uh needle went into my thumb and 382 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: so I was just cussing and drown. I'm like, you 383 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: got one job, Ron, one job, right, and uh, so 384 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 1: I wanna beat you in my leg when I see you. 385 00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 1: I RN and and uh, everybody like we're laughing right 386 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: now the team was laughing on the side of the mountain. 387 00:21:50,040 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 1: Oh man, the rest his soul. That's that guy was absolute. 388 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: He was He was a great guy. But uh, and 389 00:21:56,720 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: then the since I'm on Ron, the last story is 390 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: never well, freak it thinking after that. You know, Stephen 391 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:04,800 Speaker 1: had to have been thirty to forty five minutes and 392 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:07,919 Speaker 1: nobody's checked me and or keeping me alive other than me. 393 00:22:07,960 --> 00:22:11,200 Speaker 1: And I'm not qualified for that, right. You know. Ron 394 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,280 Speaker 1: was working on Dylan and Louise that and he never 395 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:16,439 Speaker 1: made it over here to check me. So I was 396 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: always like, I was like, run, Ron, come check me out. 397 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,480 Speaker 1: You know a b C S. You know, do the 398 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: medic ship that I want to know about right now. 399 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:26,480 Speaker 1: And and I'll never will forget him sticking his little 400 00:22:26,480 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: peanut head over Dylon and giving me a thumbs up 401 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: and saying you're good, like I'm not good, Ron, Like 402 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: I know being good Ron, this is not good. My 403 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 1: my legs tucked up under me here, it's not good. Yeah, yeah, 404 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 1: you know. And uh, but obviously he knew what he 405 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: was doing. Right, if I was well enough to yell 406 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: at him, I wasn't dying, and and uh and he 407 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: actually got cancer after this and and passed away a 408 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 1: few weeks ago, and so uh, yeah, I saw that. 409 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: That was very sad. And he had a couple of 410 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 1: young kids, and it's just right, Yeah, American definitely gone 411 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,240 Speaker 1: too soon. And and uh, you know, cancer is a 412 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: hell of a thing. And only saw this that we 413 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 1: can get is I'm just glad he's no longer in pain. Yeah, 414 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,960 Speaker 1: but but yeah, you made it. You made it out 415 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: of there on a on a helicopter. And we were 416 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 1: talking about this before we started the recording, So tell 417 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: our listeners what happened with the helicopters. Yeah, so the 418 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 1: first helicopter that came in, you know, it was a 419 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,880 Speaker 1: proper metavac bird And so before I even got there, 420 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: we had to you know, the h LZ was in 421 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 1: the middle of the water, and what was between us 422 00:23:41,840 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 1: and the and the base of the mountain that we 423 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: had to get through was this river, melted ice and 424 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: the snow. And you know, I never will forget getting 425 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 1: drug through that and just being you know, again it's 426 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: you know, the degree of water was thirty three degrees 427 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: and and man, it was the coldest bath that I've 428 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 1: ever gotten in my life. I was like, come on, baby, Jesus, 429 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 1: I'm surviving a gunshot. Now you're gonna make me die hypothermia, 430 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,520 Speaker 1: you know. And and uh so the bird comes in 431 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: and uh there's a picture that's ingrained in my memory 432 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: of seeing Scott with his arm getting you know, the 433 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: reaching up to to grab the bottom of this medevac 434 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 1: bird and it actually flying away, and you know, we 435 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: have audio of the pilot saying I'm hit, I'm hit. 436 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: I'm going south and and he actually got shot and 437 00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 1: had to fly away. So we had to get drug 438 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:32,080 Speaker 1: back through the water again to the base of the mountain. 439 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: Second bird comes in. It was just from the you know, 440 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 1: our bird air reaction force and and it comes in. 441 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 1: We had some you know, SF guys get off and 442 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: we got on and we uh, you know, elevator up 443 00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 1: out of the objective and start flying away. And I 444 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: never forget we had to do a emergency landing because 445 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:51,200 Speaker 1: all the damage we took getting out of there, we 446 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,679 Speaker 1: couldn't even make it to a bad And I was like, again, 447 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 1: thanks baby, Jesus right, gunshot, hypothermia, out of plane crash, 448 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,440 Speaker 1: what are we gonna do? And uh we we we 449 00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:04,440 Speaker 1: got crossloaded to the third aircraft and it got us 450 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: in there and and uh that's that's uh that's the 451 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: day at my office that day. M hmm. But that 452 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 1: from from there? Did they send you on your way 453 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:22,320 Speaker 1: to Germany? Is that the normal route for somebody who's injury? 454 00:25:23,119 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 1: So we went into u a bad and that's when I, 455 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: um actually died a couple of times and and UH 456 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 1: came back. I was always my joke, I'm like, I 457 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:33,679 Speaker 1: just you know, I was seeing if y'all are gonna cry? Right, 458 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,480 Speaker 1: And then I when I came back door, and uh, 459 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: I woke up in Bogram the following day and Steve, 460 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be honest with you, I'll there will you know, 461 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:50,400 Speaker 1: there aren't a word to truly you know, uh quantify 462 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 1: with the feeling of me looking at those stealing tiles 463 00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 1: and being terrified to look down, right because I knew, 464 00:25:58,359 --> 00:25:59,880 Speaker 1: you know why, I knew why I was there, right, 465 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 1: I didn't have any memory loss and and uh so 466 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:07,920 Speaker 1: I knew that that the next moment I looked down 467 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:10,159 Speaker 1: would be the most profound moment of my life. I 468 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:12,560 Speaker 1: also kind of thought, you know, like the whole Ricky Bobby, Well, 469 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: with my high income and advancement of modern science, right, 470 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: there's no reason to think they can't save the leg. Right, 471 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: this is special Forces. And uh but I looked down 472 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 1: and I saw one leg sticking out, and you know 473 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 1: that that's when I cried, and I knew that everything 474 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: that I had worked for, you know, at this moment 475 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: was over. Um. You know when when I really give 476 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: a speech about it, I always say that's the meaning. 477 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: That's the moment that I truly learned the meaning of 478 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,399 Speaker 1: the word can't right, you know, forever, I can't walk, 479 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,440 Speaker 1: not without the aid of a prosthetic device. And and uh, 480 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: that was a just a debilitating gut punch that that 481 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,120 Speaker 1: I you know, I hope people never have to go through. 482 00:26:58,800 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: But you're question. Yeah, I went to launch Duel and 483 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 1: then from there we we uh ended up at Walter 484 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 1: Read and the uh, the folks of Walter Read. The 485 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:13,439 Speaker 1: prosthetics people there do some tremendous work. As I mentioned 486 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: to you offline. You know, my partner that I used 487 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,040 Speaker 1: to work with, we were on a two man mission 488 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 1: down in South America, and you know he was uh 489 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: missing a leg as well, and I'd go with him 490 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,679 Speaker 1: up to Walter Read and you know he'd get fitted 491 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:34,919 Speaker 1: for a new one. At that time, the state of 492 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: the art stuff wasn't anything like what you guys have today. 493 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 1: But you know, they did what they could for him, 494 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,399 Speaker 1: and they did some great work up there. Yeah, Walter 495 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:47,480 Speaker 1: Read is phenomenal. You know, it just was. It always 496 00:27:47,520 --> 00:27:50,480 Speaker 1: say that if you wanted to get better, there was 497 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,159 Speaker 1: no better place than Walter Reid. You know, if you 498 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: wanted to put the time in to get better, they 499 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,200 Speaker 1: were They had to staff and the and the capabilities 500 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,439 Speaker 1: to give you the best that you can in. And 501 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: I've got nothing but good. Good. I know there was 502 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,920 Speaker 1: like a bad press about him a long time ago, 503 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:07,760 Speaker 1: but uh again there's there was nothing but good that 504 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: happened whenever I was there. Yeah, that's uh, that's good 505 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: to hear because you know, a lot of what we 506 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,919 Speaker 1: do here in the news about either veterans are you know, 507 00:28:19,240 --> 00:28:23,239 Speaker 1: active duty, you know, soldiers getting medical treatment and a 508 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:25,840 Speaker 1: lot of it is very negative and it's good to 509 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:28,959 Speaker 1: hear about that. I mean, I had good luck when 510 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 1: I was at Walter read that's where they ended up 511 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 1: putting me out. Actually I went they medically medically. I 512 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: can't even speak this afternoon. They medically put me out 513 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 1: at that time. But yeah, um, yeah that was I mean, 514 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:50,360 Speaker 1: I'm glad to hear that. And so talk us through, 515 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: you know. Okay, so, yeah, you lost your leg that 516 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: fit you with a prosthetic device, and how did you 517 00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: end that back in SF because that is not a 518 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:08,360 Speaker 1: very common thing. Yeah, you know, So I was there 519 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:12,880 Speaker 1: for Walter Reid for maybe six to eight months, and 520 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: quite frankly, I just couldn't deal with DC anymore. You know, 521 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: it's a great place to visit, I just couldn't. I 522 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:19,680 Speaker 1: I couldn't live there. And I and I you know, 523 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,480 Speaker 1: went back to my chain of command. Uh, and I 524 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 1: was like, hey, guys, I gotta get back, you know, 525 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:26,920 Speaker 1: I gotta get back to BRAG. You know, I just 526 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: started to run at that point. And uh, you know, yeah, 527 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: BRAG didn't have the facilities that that that Walter reed 528 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: didn't have. But anyway, I just had to do it. 529 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 1: And and so I went there and and honestly, quitting, 530 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 1: quitting was never an option for me, you know, to 531 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: your point earlier, how we started this. Right. My name 532 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:48,719 Speaker 1: is John Wayne. I was born on the fourth of July. Right, 533 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 1: Like if God ever put it in black and white, 534 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: you know what somebody is supposed to do. He sure 535 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,280 Speaker 1: did for me. And and uh, you know, to become 536 00:29:56,440 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: SF you don't have to like it, you gotta love it. 537 00:29:58,560 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: And so it was something I love even to this day. 538 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:03,320 Speaker 1: You know, I loved every minute of it. And and 539 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 1: so Quentin wasn't an option. It was just a let's 540 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:11,120 Speaker 1: figure out how right. And I was fortunate enough that 541 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: that my team start and actually went to work at 542 00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: the Sniper detachment over at Opsted and um so I 543 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: transferred over to him over you know, and worked with 544 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 1: him at the at the Sniper Debt. And man, I 545 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: tell you what I just I had to I had 546 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 1: to try. I try to. You know. Obviously to be 547 00:30:29,320 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: a cooming an instructor there you had to be sold 548 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: qualified and and uh, you know, my my rehabilitation had 549 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: come to a certain point where I felt that I 550 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 1: had the you know, the performance that could could do it, 551 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: and uh they put me in there, and and I 552 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: was fortunate enough to meet all the qualifications and and uh, 553 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 1: you know graduate uh Special Forces sniper school, and you 554 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:55,640 Speaker 1: know it was funny they didn't even know I was 555 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 1: one legged. A lot of them whenever we were doing 556 00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,800 Speaker 1: what it was, uh stalks, right, so you're we went 557 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,480 Speaker 1: out to the stock lanes and changing in the gilly 558 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:06,840 Speaker 1: suits and that was the first time that you know, 559 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: obviously had to drop trout in front of everybody, and 560 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:12,880 Speaker 1: guy was like, what the hell. I'm like, yep, I'm 561 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:18,120 Speaker 1: one leg and buddy games on and when they did 562 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:21,960 Speaker 1: all the you know, the scrambles and running guns were 563 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: they they posted times and everything. You know, I made 564 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:26,320 Speaker 1: sure to go up to the board and say, hey, 565 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 1: the one leg guy wasn't last. Yeah, but yeah, it 566 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: was just it was a great experience. You know, it 567 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:40,040 Speaker 1: was tough. They didn't pull any punches. It was definitely 568 00:31:40,080 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 1: the first time that I, uh, you know, got uh 569 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:47,040 Speaker 1: a realization of how tough it is to operate as 570 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 1: an amputee, you know, and and quite honestly, it was 571 00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:55,080 Speaker 1: a big come to Jesus moaning moments, you know that. Yeah, 572 00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: I had this romantic sized thing about all right, you 573 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: know I can do this, I can do that. I'm 574 00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:03,239 Speaker 1: just as good and everything. But it really made me 575 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,920 Speaker 1: realize like, you know what, no matter how good I 576 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:08,400 Speaker 1: am one legged, I'll never be as good as a 577 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: Green Beret too legged, right, And that was a very 578 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: very tough conversation for me to have. No again, by 579 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,720 Speaker 1: all means I could stay in a in a non 580 00:32:18,760 --> 00:32:21,840 Speaker 1: operational role, working at the school house, doing something like that. 581 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: But I just in my heart, you know, I h 582 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 1: I couldn't spend another you know, eight to eight years 583 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: at least, because I had about eleven years in at 584 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 1: this time. And that's just when I decided to get out, 585 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,240 Speaker 1: you know, and and said, you know, God's pointed me 586 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:41,000 Speaker 1: in a different direction. And and uh may I'll tell 587 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,280 Speaker 1: you what, moving back to Dallas or to Texas was 588 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: one of the best, you know decisions I ever made. 589 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,960 Speaker 1: Dallas is a beautiful area. As I mentioned to you earlier. 590 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:56,640 Speaker 1: I mean we have some family members there, and um, 591 00:32:56,680 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: you know, we went down there a couple of years ago, 592 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 1: went to the Texas State Fair and taking the OYU 593 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,960 Speaker 1: Oklahoma game. I mean, we did the whole thing, and 594 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: U that's just got to do it. That's a great place. 595 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 1: I really like that area, and they love vets there, 596 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:13,400 Speaker 1: like you know, just like how Walter Reid is. If 597 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: you wanted to get better, that's the place to do it. 598 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:16,960 Speaker 1: If you're a veteran and you want to have a 599 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: job and work and have a family, this is a 600 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: place to do it. They are you know, we we 601 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: have a very very diverse economy, so you know, we're 602 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: not hitting that hard with processions as other parts of 603 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:33,200 Speaker 1: the country, you know, big veteran lovers. You know, the 604 00:33:33,240 --> 00:33:36,800 Speaker 1: support that I've gotten from people here in this community 605 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 1: and this area has just been, you know, absolutely phenomenal. Yeah, 606 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: and uh, you know you you didn't mention, uh, and 607 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:47,840 Speaker 1: you weren't blowing your own horns, so I'll blow it 608 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,680 Speaker 1: for you. Not only did you receive the purple Heart 609 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,440 Speaker 1: for your you know, your injury there, but you also 610 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 1: got a bronze star and a silver star. So uh, 611 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,560 Speaker 1: I think our listeners should know that a little bit 612 00:34:00,600 --> 00:34:03,720 Speaker 1: too well. I appreciate that, you know our motto quiet 613 00:34:03,760 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 1: professionals right now, but you know, it is a you 614 00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:11,160 Speaker 1: know on that point though, it is a very humbling 615 00:34:11,480 --> 00:34:14,160 Speaker 1: fact to know that, you know, the day I lost 616 00:34:14,200 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: my leg, two medals of honor were awarded eight silver stars. 617 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,480 Speaker 1: The Air Force crossed a purple hearts you know, but 618 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,759 Speaker 1: zero American killed. How crazy is that to know that, 619 00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:26,680 Speaker 1: you know, I'm I'm a part of that history and 620 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:29,479 Speaker 1: and uh, it really is a humbling figure. This wasn't 621 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:31,319 Speaker 1: my deal, this is my teams. There are a lot 622 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 1: you know, cooler people on that day than than me. 623 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:39,240 Speaker 1: I'm just very lucky to to be a part of them. 624 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: Well I think they were lucky to have you, so 625 00:34:42,760 --> 00:34:46,200 Speaker 1: you know, and that again, you know, talking about run 626 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:49,640 Speaker 1: your medic I mean, you know when I when I 627 00:34:49,680 --> 00:34:54,200 Speaker 1: read that story, uh it was amazing because I remember 628 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 1: when that came all out in the news, and uh, 629 00:34:57,719 --> 00:34:59,719 Speaker 1: you know, it's amazing that the work he did that 630 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:02,680 Speaker 1: and you know, as you said, he was so cool 631 00:35:02,719 --> 00:35:05,840 Speaker 1: and come under fire and taking care of a couple 632 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 1: of other guys, and you know, it's just it's it 633 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:14,800 Speaker 1: speaks volumes about SF in general, right right, It really 634 00:35:14,800 --> 00:35:19,319 Speaker 1: does you know the fighting force that we as you know, 635 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:24,319 Speaker 1: you know, together man, we are an absolute juggernaut on 636 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:28,759 Speaker 1: the battlefield. It's it really is. I just keep saying 637 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:30,800 Speaker 1: the word humbling, because it is humbling to note that 638 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:33,080 Speaker 1: I'm a part of that history. And quite honest, and Steve, 639 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:36,040 Speaker 1: that's what keeps me motivated, you know, in my civilian life, 640 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 1: you know now what I'm doing now, it's just I 641 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 1: feel like I'm serving my country just as much, you 642 00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 1: know then when I was in you know, being an 643 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 1: advocate for you know, it's Green Beret Foundation to Sentinals 644 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 1: freedom and the the you know, the great benevolent agencies 645 00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:52,600 Speaker 1: that are out there, you know, to the companies that 646 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:56,360 Speaker 1: I'm running now to where you know, Gallantry Global Logistics. 647 00:35:56,360 --> 00:35:58,320 Speaker 1: I want to be the you know, the largest veteran 648 00:35:58,360 --> 00:36:00,400 Speaker 1: hiring company in the state of Texas. And you know, 649 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 1: my water company Lived to Give. You know, every bottle 650 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:05,600 Speaker 1: you buy, we're giving half the profits to veteran and 651 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 1: first responder charities. You know, imagine you know the amount 652 00:36:09,080 --> 00:36:10,960 Speaker 1: of good that we're gonna be able to do just 653 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 1: by selling water. Man. I'm so excited, you know, at 654 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:16,239 Speaker 1: that the place God has put me in now and 655 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:19,719 Speaker 1: and it's just it's it's it's it's fun to come 656 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,959 Speaker 1: to work every day. Put it that way, right, Well, 657 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 1: that that was what I was gonna ask you, John. 658 00:36:25,719 --> 00:36:28,000 Speaker 1: I know that I read in your bio that you 659 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:30,799 Speaker 1: know the cofor Lived to Give, As you mentioned, it's 660 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,000 Speaker 1: a company built on the premise of giving back and 661 00:36:34,040 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 1: they donate fifty of all the net profits the charity 662 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:41,719 Speaker 1: supporting the military first responders and their families. So how 663 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:44,640 Speaker 1: did you get into that? Because I know for a 664 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:48,960 Speaker 1: lot of us, I mean I'm speaking for myself here, 665 00:36:49,320 --> 00:36:52,480 Speaker 1: I don't know anything about you know, charities and stuff 666 00:36:52,520 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: like that. So how how did you come about with that? Well? 667 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:58,799 Speaker 1: I kind of just told you thirty minutes of how 668 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:01,279 Speaker 1: I became about it, right, losing my leg, I kind 669 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:05,439 Speaker 1: of just was forced into the world, right, h what's 670 00:37:05,480 --> 00:37:07,719 Speaker 1: the rogue game? Guy? I'm not just a client, but 671 00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:11,200 Speaker 1: I'm also what the owner or whatever? Yea, you know 672 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:13,880 Speaker 1: the same thing, right. So I've been on both sides, 673 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, Steve, I know firsthand what it's 674 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:20,520 Speaker 1: like to you know, be in a hospital and have 675 00:37:20,719 --> 00:37:23,279 Speaker 1: a benevolent agency help you. Right, whenever I showed up 676 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 1: to Walter Reed Green Beret Foundation, had you know, two 677 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:28,760 Speaker 1: thousand dollar check in a in a go rug bag, 678 00:37:28,840 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 1: and and you know there are others, uh, there are 679 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,799 Speaker 1: other agencies that was helping get my family up there, 680 00:37:34,840 --> 00:37:37,279 Speaker 1: and and so it was it was life changing. And 681 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:39,920 Speaker 1: I will never forget that, and want to make sure 682 00:37:40,640 --> 00:37:42,680 Speaker 1: you know that those that are still going. You know 683 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:45,759 Speaker 1: that just because we're talking about COVID doesn't mean the 684 00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:49,399 Speaker 1: war stops, right. You know, we were always gonna need 685 00:37:49,400 --> 00:37:53,440 Speaker 1: people to uh to support those that are keeping us safe. 686 00:37:53,480 --> 00:37:58,040 Speaker 1: And and um, I had lunch with a friend of 687 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 1: mine that that brought a guest and his name was 688 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:03,359 Speaker 1: Zack Smith. And and Zack Smith was a Mississippi State 689 00:38:03,400 --> 00:38:05,960 Speaker 1: football guy. You know, civilian, had nothing to do with 690 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:07,800 Speaker 1: the army other than he just loves this country and 691 00:38:07,840 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 1: those that serve it. And he brought me the idea. 692 00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:12,080 Speaker 1: He's like, hey, you know I wanted to I was 693 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:13,960 Speaker 1: thinking about doing this thing. At the time. It was 694 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:16,480 Speaker 1: called gift back and and you know I want to 695 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,960 Speaker 1: you know, UM sell a product that every time you 696 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:23,960 Speaker 1: buy it, we we give half back. And uh, I said, 697 00:38:24,000 --> 00:38:25,319 Speaker 1: you know what, I got a friend of mine that's 698 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:27,799 Speaker 1: in the beverage industry. Let's let's uh you know, because 699 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:29,680 Speaker 1: he offered me a part of the company and said, hey, 700 00:38:29,760 --> 00:38:31,960 Speaker 1: let's let's let's think about doing this. And I said, well, 701 00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:33,680 Speaker 1: I got a buddy that you know he may know 702 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:35,600 Speaker 1: a little bit. His name is Larry Young. He's the 703 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:39,960 Speaker 1: former CEO of Dr Pepper and so he might know 704 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,359 Speaker 1: a little bit about beverage. And uh, we had lunch 705 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:46,520 Speaker 1: with Larry and and uh, just like the the awesome 706 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:48,799 Speaker 1: guy that he is, he listened to what we were 707 00:38:48,800 --> 00:38:51,760 Speaker 1: all saying and then when we shut up, he started 708 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,600 Speaker 1: talking right. He said, all right, guys, here's what we're 709 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,120 Speaker 1: gonna do. Let's do water. It's the cheapest to make. 710 00:38:57,239 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: Everybody drinks it and won't kill nobody. And uh, there 711 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:04,440 Speaker 1: we go. And and uh we were fortunate enough to 712 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,400 Speaker 1: have him introduced us to some of the marketing people 713 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:10,200 Speaker 1: at at Dr Pepper and we are Alexander their agency 714 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:13,239 Speaker 1: they use, and they helped us design the logo, come 715 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:16,520 Speaker 1: up with the name. Actually you know and and um. 716 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:21,240 Speaker 1: During that time, I some of my very close friends 717 00:39:21,280 --> 00:39:24,920 Speaker 1: here um in the in the Dallas area. We raised 718 00:39:24,960 --> 00:39:27,840 Speaker 1: the money that was needed to really take a serious 719 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:30,640 Speaker 1: play at the beverage industry, because it does take a 720 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:32,560 Speaker 1: lot of money. This is not something that you get 721 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 1: you don't get into Kroger and Tom Thumb lightly right. 722 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:40,239 Speaker 1: You have to have the firepower behind it too. You 723 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,799 Speaker 1: know that we're learning now, you know, to get through 724 00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 1: this and and uh, you know, fast forward here we are, 725 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:50,040 Speaker 1: you know, we started making water in in November. And 726 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:53,400 Speaker 1: and and true John Wayne fashion right with the whenever 727 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 1: we got the help from Dr Pepper to find a 728 00:39:57,239 --> 00:40:00,160 Speaker 1: bottler to make our water, because it's the reverse us 729 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 1: most is purified water, but with the electrolytes and minerals 730 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:05,960 Speaker 1: added back for taste. Right, it's the the enhanced water, 731 00:40:06,400 --> 00:40:09,759 Speaker 1: uh playing field that that we're in. And and the 732 00:40:10,160 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 1: plant that they looked linked us up with was Sea Force, 733 00:40:14,239 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 1: which is bottling plant down in Navasota that is owned 734 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 1: and run by Chuck Norris and Gina Norris. So my 735 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: wife's like, you mean to tell me you got Chuck 736 00:40:25,239 --> 00:40:27,719 Speaker 1: Norris making your water. I'm like, well kind of, but 737 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:31,719 Speaker 1: you know. And so it was great to meet them, 738 00:40:31,719 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: and they're a great partner to have. We're we're very 739 00:40:34,880 --> 00:40:38,480 Speaker 1: very lucky to get to have them. And uh, once 740 00:40:38,520 --> 00:40:40,640 Speaker 1: we got the water, you know, before then we were 741 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:44,280 Speaker 1: dealing with the different charities, right, who do we support? 742 00:40:44,320 --> 00:40:48,000 Speaker 1: How does this work? And and that was a tough 743 00:40:48,160 --> 00:40:53,120 Speaker 1: process in itself, you know, Man, it's tough to find 744 00:40:53,200 --> 00:40:55,440 Speaker 1: charities out there that one is national. We gotta have 745 00:40:55,440 --> 00:41:00,280 Speaker 1: a national branch, you know, because of selling water and 746 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:04,160 Speaker 1: and uh, obviously the cause has got to be the 747 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: right They gotta be doing the right thing with the 748 00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:09,160 Speaker 1: financials and the products and services is what they're doing. 749 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:13,799 Speaker 1: And UM, after a long, you know, hard thing, we 750 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: we really settled on three, which was the um UM 751 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:22,319 Speaker 1: Task Force, Dagger Foundation, which they're the nine one one 752 00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:27,000 Speaker 1: for special operations. Really UM Folds of Honor, right, Folds 753 00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:29,760 Speaker 1: of Honor gives five thousand dollar scholarships to the children 754 00:41:29,760 --> 00:41:33,600 Speaker 1: of the wounded and fallen, and then CHIPE charities. Uh 755 00:41:33,640 --> 00:41:38,439 Speaker 1: they do three different falsets of their charitable donations, ones 756 00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 1: to kids with rare diseases, ones to veterans, and the 757 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:45,600 Speaker 1: others first responders. And so we were very fortunate to 758 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:48,320 Speaker 1: to find them in partner with them, you know, to 759 00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:52,239 Speaker 1: really give our first responder and aspect and and uh, 760 00:41:52,360 --> 00:41:55,279 Speaker 1: unbeknown to us, right as an entrepreneur, I'm just kind 761 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:57,120 Speaker 1: of learning as I go with a lot of this stuff. 762 00:41:57,160 --> 00:42:00,360 Speaker 1: I don't have corporate law degree or know anything about 763 00:42:00,719 --> 00:42:04,160 Speaker 1: corporate co venture agreements that I do now, you know. 764 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:08,360 Speaker 1: And and so because of that, the corporate covidure agreements 765 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:10,719 Speaker 1: that you have to have in every single state with 766 00:42:10,800 --> 00:42:14,880 Speaker 1: every charity that a profilet a pro Uh, a profit 767 00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:19,560 Speaker 1: company has with the nonprofit organization, we're starting to Live 768 00:42:19,600 --> 00:42:23,120 Speaker 1: to Give Foundation. That essentially everything's gonna run the same, 769 00:42:23,160 --> 00:42:25,719 Speaker 1: but instead of having to worry about all the legalities, 770 00:42:25,760 --> 00:42:28,760 Speaker 1: we're just gonna you know, do out all the charitable 771 00:42:28,760 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 1: stuff through to Live the Gift Foundation. That's awesome, that's uh, 772 00:42:34,320 --> 00:42:38,960 Speaker 1: that that's fantastic. You know, that's you know, for somebody 773 00:42:38,960 --> 00:42:43,200 Speaker 1: who's already given so much and still giving back. I mean, 774 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,400 Speaker 1: and now you have not only John Wayne, but you 775 00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:49,120 Speaker 1: have Chuck Norris beyond you. I mean, how more American 776 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:53,719 Speaker 1: can you get? You know? And and more importantly, Steve. 777 00:42:53,800 --> 00:42:56,919 Speaker 1: I'm just excited to the amount of good that we're 778 00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:00,120 Speaker 1: gonna do just by selling water. Right to imagine at 779 00:43:00,200 --> 00:43:02,920 Speaker 1: you know, let's put things into perspective here. I think 780 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: SmartWater did about eight hundred million in revenue last year. 781 00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:10,319 Speaker 1: Imagine if we gave half of that away, right, I mean, 782 00:43:10,360 --> 00:43:13,080 Speaker 1: that's real talking. You know that we're just asking people, 783 00:43:13,120 --> 00:43:16,360 Speaker 1: you know that the consumers not having to sacrifice anything. 784 00:43:16,440 --> 00:43:19,680 Speaker 1: We are, you know, we're the same price, the same product. 785 00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:24,040 Speaker 1: We're allowing everyday Americans to give back daily. Right, That's 786 00:43:24,080 --> 00:43:26,400 Speaker 1: the That's why I think this is gonna be a 787 00:43:26,440 --> 00:43:29,720 Speaker 1: big deal. Is whenever you move your hand three inches 788 00:43:29,719 --> 00:43:32,879 Speaker 1: in that cooler, you know, from whatever products to Live 789 00:43:32,920 --> 00:43:36,040 Speaker 1: to Give, you know that we are going to change lives. 790 00:43:36,600 --> 00:43:40,320 Speaker 1: And man, I can't wait to tell those stories. That's awesome. 791 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:44,800 Speaker 1: And uh, yeah, is my next question is Lived to 792 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:48,480 Speaker 1: Give the water? Is that available everywhere? Or is that 793 00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:52,640 Speaker 1: just in Texas right now in store? It's available in 794 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:55,560 Speaker 1: the DFW area where we're fortunate enough to get. You know, 795 00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:59,160 Speaker 1: I started telling you in November of last year. Really 796 00:43:59,239 --> 00:44:03,640 Speaker 1: is is is when we kind of launched and uh, 797 00:44:03,760 --> 00:44:08,720 Speaker 1: the way that the sales process works that the groceries 798 00:44:08,800 --> 00:44:11,600 Speaker 1: and and stores they really only meet about once maybe 799 00:44:11,600 --> 00:44:14,319 Speaker 1: twice a year in the spring and the fall, right, 800 00:44:15,120 --> 00:44:17,800 Speaker 1: and uh, we were gimming up hiring the right people, 801 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:20,120 Speaker 1: you know, rock stars in the industry to get this 802 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:24,200 Speaker 1: baby rolling. And then COVID happened in February for and 803 00:44:24,239 --> 00:44:26,279 Speaker 1: when all of our meetings we're gonna happen in March 804 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:29,719 Speaker 1: and April, you know, and so we we really got 805 00:44:29,760 --> 00:44:32,279 Speaker 1: punching the mouth with that. But during that time, we 806 00:44:32,320 --> 00:44:35,040 Speaker 1: do have a great success story. We're in We've gotten 807 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,560 Speaker 1: over a hundred seven elevens. We were in you know, 808 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:40,160 Speaker 1: a bunch of third party channels here from Local Yoko, 809 00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:44,319 Speaker 1: you know, Grocerer to Defender Outdoors and other places, you know, 810 00:44:44,440 --> 00:44:48,640 Speaker 1: a good places like that. Um, we are obviously nationwide 811 00:44:48,640 --> 00:44:51,719 Speaker 1: on Amazon. You can go get it. And you know 812 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:56,919 Speaker 1: we're on Amazon right now in one Leader and uh yeah, 813 00:44:56,960 --> 00:45:00,200 Speaker 1: and so that's where we are in right now. That's 814 00:45:00,400 --> 00:45:04,400 Speaker 1: that's awesome, man, and I wish it the very best 815 00:45:04,440 --> 00:45:07,040 Speaker 1: with that. And uh, I'm gonna go on Amazon as 816 00:45:07,040 --> 00:45:09,000 Speaker 1: soon as we're done, and I'm gonna order some water. 817 00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:12,040 Speaker 1: So they got to give back a little bit where 818 00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:14,239 Speaker 1: we can. We're not breeding pandas you know, we're just 819 00:45:14,320 --> 00:45:20,799 Speaker 1: making water. You know. Hey, you know maybe some of 820 00:45:20,840 --> 00:45:23,200 Speaker 1: that smart water will rub off on some of us 821 00:45:23,239 --> 00:45:31,160 Speaker 1: down here. Yeah, absolutely, John. Uh, we want to thank 822 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:34,600 Speaker 1: you for joining us this afternoon. I mean, this has 823 00:45:34,640 --> 00:45:38,600 Speaker 1: been great. Uh, you have an awesome story to tell. 824 00:45:39,400 --> 00:45:43,840 Speaker 1: You were amongst a group of green Berets. That's unbelievable. 825 00:45:44,320 --> 00:45:48,080 Speaker 1: That the story of that team. And again I remember 826 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:52,000 Speaker 1: reading about it, you know, and it's uh everything that 827 00:45:52,120 --> 00:45:55,600 Speaker 1: SF is supposed to be all about. And uh, you know, 828 00:45:56,600 --> 00:45:59,719 Speaker 1: I think your your story is fantastic and I wish 829 00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:03,680 Speaker 1: you all the best in all your future and others there, Steve, 830 00:46:03,719 --> 00:46:06,520 Speaker 1: I really appreciate it. Thank you so much. And and 831 00:46:06,280 --> 00:46:09,440 Speaker 1: um again I don't I don't take the invitation lightly. 832 00:46:09,480 --> 00:46:11,399 Speaker 1: Like I told you earlier. You know, my leg will 833 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:14,799 Speaker 1: never grow back. And so every single day I'm going 834 00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:18,000 Speaker 1: to have the memory of what the true sacrifices of 835 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:21,319 Speaker 1: our freedoms is. And and uh, the thank yous that 836 00:46:21,400 --> 00:46:23,520 Speaker 1: I get from people like you that want to hear 837 00:46:23,520 --> 00:46:25,480 Speaker 1: my story and for all of those that want to 838 00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:28,759 Speaker 1: support those that are serving, it's just an absolute you know, 839 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:32,080 Speaker 1: validation for that sacrifice, right and and and when you say, 840 00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:34,640 Speaker 1: you know, thank you, that's why I don't say you're welcome. 841 00:46:34,680 --> 00:46:36,719 Speaker 1: I say you're worth it. You're worth that fight, You're 842 00:46:36,719 --> 00:46:40,520 Speaker 1: worth the holidays and everything missed, and and uh God 843 00:46:40,560 --> 00:46:42,919 Speaker 1: bless you all. And and uh look forward to hearing 844 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:48,960 Speaker 1: from you again. Yeah absolutely. Uh let's uh, let's uh 845 00:46:49,239 --> 00:46:52,000 Speaker 1: link back up in the future when when this water 846 00:46:52,120 --> 00:46:57,960 Speaker 1: company is going global. Yeah, well, well we'll do a 847 00:46:58,560 --> 00:47:02,480 Speaker 1: you know, we'll reach John stuff when when that happens. 848 00:47:02,520 --> 00:47:06,920 Speaker 1: But John, thanks once again. I mean that it was 849 00:47:07,000 --> 00:47:11,320 Speaker 1: fantastic and you know uh, we really appreciate your time, 850 00:47:11,680 --> 00:47:17,280 Speaker 1: We appreciate your service, and uh yeah you're a great American, 851 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:20,319 Speaker 1: my friend. Well god bletch you, Steve, Thank you sir 852 00:47:21,120 --> 00:47:24,880 Speaker 1: all right and uh for myself Steve Blastoria. All of 853 00:47:24,920 --> 00:47:26,919 Speaker 1: us here at Software Up Radio, we want to thank 854 00:47:26,920 --> 00:47:29,480 Speaker 1: everyone for listening to this afternoon. We want to thank 855 00:47:29,520 --> 00:47:32,840 Speaker 1: our guests John Wayne Walding and folks be sure to 856 00:47:32,920 --> 00:47:37,000 Speaker 1: check that out. Um. You know, John is now the 857 00:47:37,080 --> 00:47:40,000 Speaker 1: co founder of Live to Give and if you're looking 858 00:47:40,000 --> 00:47:43,160 Speaker 1: for water to buy, they give half of it back 859 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:48,120 Speaker 1: of their net profits too support military first responders in 860 00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:50,960 Speaker 1: their families. That doesn't get any better than that, So 861 00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,360 Speaker 1: suffer up Radio here on time on target. We'll be 862 00:47:54,400 --> 00:47:59,080 Speaker 1: back with another podcast real soon. But once again thanks 863 00:47:59,160 --> 00:48:02,120 Speaker 1: to our guests on my wall and John once again 864 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:05,040 Speaker 1: thanks for joining us. Let's do it again soon. Yes, 865 00:48:05,080 --> 00:48:23,719 Speaker 1: sir here will thank you've been listening to self Replydia M.