1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. We have a really 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: special podcast for you today because my guest actually is 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: a gentleman who I met at one of my daughter's 4 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: Halloween parties. She was over at a friend's house and 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,240 Speaker 1: we were sitting around the bonfire in the back and 6 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,440 Speaker 1: Will was there and he started talking about he's a veteran. 7 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: He started talking about his service, and I just thought 8 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,160 Speaker 1: it was so fascinating that I really felt like his 9 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: perspective and his take on this should be shared with people, 10 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 1: because I'm somebody who I think you all know. I 11 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: was not in the service, and I don't have a 12 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: lot of friends that are veterans. So it's nice for 13 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: me to be able to sit with someone and kind 14 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: of see what it's like to go to be deployed 15 00:00:48,680 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 1: to serve and come back home and what that whole 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: experience is. And Will was willing to share that with us, 17 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: so I wanted to bring willan Will Dirk's thank you 18 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 1: so much for joining me on the podcast today. And 19 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:06,440 Speaker 1: it was a pleasure meeting you. So I'm so glad 20 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: that you decided to agree to come on and talk 21 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:09,480 Speaker 1: about this stuff. 22 00:01:10,040 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 2: Well, thank you, Tutor. It was a pleasure to meet 23 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 2: you also, and glad to be here and to share 24 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 2: my experience. 25 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: So one of the things I was just telling you, 26 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 1: one of the things that struck me is that you 27 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: and your wife are both deployed together, and that's how 28 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: you met. And you were both sitting there the other 29 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,640 Speaker 1: night when we were chatting, or a few months ago 30 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: when we were chatting, and you were talking about your 31 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: experiences when you were deployed, and she was like, you know, 32 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,400 Speaker 1: it's funny we were together and we have totally different memories. 33 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: A lot of these things that I just don't even 34 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: remember happened. And I thought that was fascinating because we 35 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: always think that, you know, everybody kind of experienced the 36 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 1: same thing. But I think one of the things that 37 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: we don't realize as civilians is that everyone comes back 38 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: with different experiences and different scars when they've served. 39 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's true. Yeah, my wife, she doesn't remember a 40 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:10,560 Speaker 2: lot of the statistics and what we did there all 41 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 2: the time. My mind, I just absorbed all of it 42 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:19,480 Speaker 2: when I was over there. When we left on September nineteenth, 43 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:24,799 Speaker 2: after the twin Towers were hit. When we got over 44 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 2: there and we launched our first planes in at night. 45 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 2: I remembered standing up on the island of the aircraft 46 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 2: carrier and just watching those planes take off and the 47 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: sense of pride you have going and you know, going 48 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 2: into war to defend our country and for who attacked us. 49 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 2: And I remember that, and she really doesn't remember all 50 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 2: of those details, but yeah, that was something that I 51 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: will never forget, is seeing those planes take off at 52 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:04,520 Speaker 2: night for their first bombing runs into Afghanistan. And that 53 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 2: hits you pretty hard as a nineteen year old kid. Yeah, 54 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 2: to see that happen and to know what's going to 55 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 2: be happening from here on forward as we were over there, 56 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 2: and knowing that those planes were going off to protect 57 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 2: our guys on the ground and that you know, we're 58 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 2: going to lose people, and that's that was hard to 59 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: take in too. It's just something that you can't really 60 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 2: comprehend until you go through it. And it was a 61 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: good experience, and yeah, it was. It was something else 62 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:48,600 Speaker 2: over there. 63 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: And just for those that are listening, like I said, 64 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,240 Speaker 1: this was a Halloween party. And so we were just 65 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 1: a few weeks away out from the October seventh attack 66 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 1: on Israel, and I was asking you about that and 67 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 1: I'm just wondering from your perspective that night. I mean, 68 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: even now, what kind of memories does that bring up? 69 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: Because everybody's calling it Israel September eleventh, and that was 70 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: really I mean that impacted all of us. Obviously, you 71 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: went and served in like I mean that experience that 72 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 1: you just talked about, going there knowing that you were 73 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: fighting against someone who had just attacked us. When you 74 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,480 Speaker 1: see this attack on Israel, what is your What kind 75 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: of emotions does that bring up? 76 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 2: It brings up stirs up a lot, because when, of course, 77 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,839 Speaker 2: when we were attacked, you just want to go out 78 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: and you want to take care of business. You want 79 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 2: to take care of who who attacked you and hurt you. 80 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:51,839 Speaker 2: You don't think of anything else. You just think of 81 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 2: taking care of business. And that's how I feel. Israel 82 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 2: felt like they were attacked and they're not going to 83 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 2: let that happened to their people. And so I feel, 84 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 2: you know, I understand that what they went through, and 85 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: how you just it's you got to try and take 86 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 2: them out. You got to try and get people that 87 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: attacked you and hurt you and killed your people. 88 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: So as you watch some of these college students and 89 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 1: knowing that when you were nineteen you were going over 90 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: there to fight. And you see some of these college 91 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: students at some of our most elite colleges talking about 92 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: a ceasefire and saying that Israel has no right to 93 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: fight for themselves. What is your reaction to that. 94 00:05:40,480 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 2: It's with not experiencing with not those kids not experiencing 95 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 2: that and being attacked to say, seize fire and don't 96 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 2: go after those people that hurt you. 97 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:56,160 Speaker 1: No one. 98 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 2: It's hard to get the terrorists because they blend in 99 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 2: with the civilians, so it's hard to You have to 100 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:06,960 Speaker 2: go right into the heart of them in order to 101 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 2: get it. And there there's going to be civilian civilian casualties, 102 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 2: which is sad, but it's part of every war we've 103 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 2: ever been in. It it happens. So I just I 104 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 2: think that you just have that Israel hassages go in 105 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 2: and do what they're doing. Yeah, it's sad to see 106 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 2: civilians killed, but the terrorists used the civilians as shields. 107 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 1: So that was something that struck me when we talked 108 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 1: that evening was I asked you about this and you said, 109 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:44,599 Speaker 1: I mean, you can't really fight terror and you got 110 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: into that in a way that, like I said, as 111 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: a civilian, I never thought about because I think from 112 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: the outside perspective, we look at war and we're like, Okay, 113 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: these good, good guys go here, the bad guys are here, 114 00:06:56,800 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: and it's pretty cut and dry, and there are rules 115 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: to war, and we all know and we know there 116 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,679 Speaker 1: are rules, but those of us who have not engaged, 117 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 1: I don't think we really get what the rules are. 118 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 1: So you hear people constantly like they're breaking the rules, 119 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: and you're like, do you really know what the rules are? 120 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: But you actually went through that with me and you 121 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 1: were like, look, you guys don't get what we're dealing 122 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: with on the ground when you fight terror. And you 123 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: went there to fight terror. I mean, these have been 124 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 1: this has been the war on terror for years. So 125 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: explain a little bit about how the rules of engagement 126 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: are different for you than they are for terrorists. 127 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 2: So terrorists they don't follow, you know, like we have. 128 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 2: You can't fire until fired upon terrorists, they just they'll 129 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 2: just start firing. They'll set up they'll use children, of 130 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 2: course as a weapon, they'll use any roadside bomb, They'll 131 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 2: just use whatever they can to disguise it. So we 132 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 2: can't see it. There's just no They just don't follow 133 00:07:55,520 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: any rules of any sorts. Where we have rules we 134 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 2: follow with engaging the enemy, you know, sometimes it has 135 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 2: to be cleared to engage if we're using mortars or whatever. 136 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: Like I said, my buddy was a marine and he 137 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 2: was telling me some of these things too, where they 138 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: had to have it clear to make sure there's no 139 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: shoppers or jets in the airspace. And so those rules 140 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,920 Speaker 2: that we have to follow really restrict when you're fighting 141 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 2: terrorism a group of people who don't follow rules. It 142 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 2: makes us it's like tying your hands behind your back 143 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 2: and trying to fight, which makes it tough on our 144 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 2: men and women on the ground to take care of terrorists. 145 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 2: And they're hard to see, right. They blend in with 146 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 2: the civilians. They're not wearing a military uniform, and that 147 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 2: makes it hard to fight them too, because they'll be 148 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 2: your friend during the day when you're in their village, 149 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 2: and at night there they're trying to kill you. 150 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 151 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. What do you say to people 152 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: who are saying, well, then you can't fight them because 153 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 1: you can't take the chance of hurting kids, and you 154 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 1: can't allow you can't allow any of that to happen. 155 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: So just let it stay there, because I mean, if 156 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: you don't fight it, isn't this going to fester and 157 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: become a much bigger terror problem. 158 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 2: It will, It will keep growing more and more. So 159 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:34,760 Speaker 2: in order to fight it, Yeah, you have to get 160 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 2: in and get in there and dig them out. And 161 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 2: in the process, civilians do get killed or injured, and 162 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 2: you try to do your best for that not to happen, 163 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 2: but it does. But the problem is with social media 164 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 2: and our news, they're always over there and reporting back. 165 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:57,079 Speaker 2: So that's another that's tough for our men and women 166 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 2: too to do their job because they're always getting reported 167 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 2: on and people back home see what we're doing over there. 168 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 2: And sometimes war it's not pretty. It never will be. 169 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: It's so funny because we were I was on news 170 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,839 Speaker 1: Nation last week and the guy that I was on 171 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:21,599 Speaker 1: with was really very very much against any war overseas 172 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: and the war in Israel especially, and he was talking 173 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: about we were talking about, well, you've got to understand 174 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:32,319 Speaker 1: that right now. If you look at the numbers, seventy 175 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:35,600 Speaker 1: five percent of these people in Gaza are supportive of 176 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:39,199 Speaker 1: Hamas and they are supportive of what happened on October seventh, 177 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: and so you're really in an ugly situation because unless 178 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 1: you take Hamas out of there, unless you can remove 179 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 1: this government that is manipulating people, manipulating their minds, how 180 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: do you have any type of living condition over there? 181 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 1: And he said, well, you're saying seventy twenty five percent, 182 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,319 Speaker 1: don't just to die. And I think it was interesting 183 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 1: because Dan Abrams kind of stepped in and he was like, 184 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: hey man, this is war. And that's the thing that 185 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: I think I've seen so much on social media is 186 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,080 Speaker 1: that people are like, let's just not do this. But 187 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: it's the good guys that would then be not doing 188 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: this since stepping back. They did this on October seven. 189 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: Nobody did this but them's there's no coming back from that. 190 00:11:27,120 --> 00:11:30,240 Speaker 1: Now they still have hostages. I mean, my goodness, they 191 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 1: took hostages and we gave them that the Israelis negotiated 192 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: out fifty of the two hundred and forty and gave 193 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: them three times as many criminals. Yep. 194 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, they can't get away with that. You have to 195 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,160 Speaker 2: stop them. You have to go in like Israel said, 196 00:11:47,160 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 2: We're not going to let this ever happen again. Well, 197 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 2: in order to do that, you have to go in 198 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 2: and wipe them out. You have to take them out. 199 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 2: So as Israel's going in and going house to house 200 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 2: and finding tunnels and you know, taking them out, that's 201 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:04,360 Speaker 2: how you do it. I mean, they're they're getting the 202 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 2: civilians out the best they can, but it's a war zone. 203 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 2: It's not going to be easy to get the people out. 204 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: You mentioned your friend who is a marine, and when 205 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: we talked that night, you were talking about how there 206 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: were techniques that they used to get these terrorists to 207 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,240 Speaker 1: come out, and that was a lot of times playing 208 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 1: babies crying, like loud babies crying, playing over and over 209 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: and they would sit there and they would then also 210 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: be listening to this or listening to loud music. And 211 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: now those noises, these guys, these men and women have 212 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: come back. And for as much as that was to 213 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: get out these terrorists, get them out into clear sight, 214 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,839 Speaker 1: that is also pretty triggering for these guys because they 215 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: went through trauma when they're over there. So explain a 216 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 1: little bit about what that was like for your friend 217 00:12:56,240 --> 00:12:57,439 Speaker 1: and what that's like now. 218 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 2: So yeah, he being over there. He served a year 219 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 2: in Iraq, and yeah, he would say, they played loud 220 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: babies crying and loud music, rock music just to drive 221 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,120 Speaker 2: to the terrorists crazy to where they'd come out and 222 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 2: then they could engage them in combat. And so now 223 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 2: he's at home or at work or wherever, he'll hear 224 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: these sounds, but there's nothing playing sometimes in it. He 225 00:13:26,280 --> 00:13:29,960 Speaker 2: loses a lot of sleep over it, and it's hard 226 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 2: for him sometimes to listen to certain music. He says, Yeah, 227 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 2: there's certain times I don't. I don't really listen to 228 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 2: certain songs anymore. I can't. I can't listen to him 229 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 2: or even hear them because they'll trigger memories from from 230 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 2: the war. So it's hard on him. It's there's times 231 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:53,440 Speaker 2: where he doesn't sleep much at all and shares that 232 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 2: with me, which is nice. He can get that off 233 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 2: his chest and help him get through through it to 234 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 2: where maybe one day he will be able to get 235 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,199 Speaker 2: a full night dress and listen to that music again, 236 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 2: but it will take a lot of time. 237 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 1: And one of the things that you were talking about, 238 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: when they're out there and these guys are not abiding 239 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: by the rules of engagement, you could be as a marine. 240 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: You could be stationed on a hill where you can 241 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: see them planting bombs, roadside bombs, and if they're not 242 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: engaging you, there is nothing you can do. But you 243 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 1: can see them doing this. And this is going to 244 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: affect people in our military. How is it possible that 245 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: that you can't do anything? That seems crazy? 246 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 2: That would be where they wouldn't get permission to mortar 247 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:54,560 Speaker 2: them because of there could be choppers in the area 248 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 2: or jets in the area, and so he said they 249 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 2: wouldn't be able to get permission to take out the 250 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 2: terrorists while they were doing that, and they would just 251 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 2: have to sit and watch and then watch the convoy 252 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: come up the next day or so and get hit. 253 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 2: So that was hard to do because they could have 254 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 2: prevented that. And he said, well, you don't hear anything 255 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 2: flying through the air. You don't see anything. He's like, 256 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 2: we could have just quickly launched a few mortars and 257 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 2: taken them right out, but the rules won't allow them to. 258 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: So that was tough on them too. 259 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: So for all this grief that our service members get 260 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 1: during wartime, I mean, this is what you're dealing with 261 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: on the ground. These are hard decisions. You're watching really 262 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: horrific things happen, and that was obviously a war on terror. 263 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: We see this now in Israel. But as someone who 264 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:57,200 Speaker 1: was over there and engaged yourself, when you saw the 265 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: pull out from Afghanistan, what did you think of that? 266 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 2: I had mixed feelings about that. One. I felt all 267 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:11,400 Speaker 2: the sacrifice that our military put in, all the men 268 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 2: and women, all those years that we put in there, 269 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 2: and the people that we were able to help and 270 00:16:19,320 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 2: we're able to live a good life just went right 271 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 2: down the drain and they just went right back to 272 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 2: the old ways that it was. And that just broke 273 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: my heart from me because we made progress and then it 274 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 2: was all gone. And to me, I thought, well why then, 275 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 2: why why do you even try to do anything? And 276 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 2: then the other part of me was like, well, you 277 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 2: have to do something And it wasn't my decision to 278 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:56,680 Speaker 2: pull them out. Is it a good thing that they're home, Yes, 279 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 2: but all the progress we made was lost. And that's 280 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 2: what the tough thing is to fight terrorism. You can't 281 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 2: gain when you're trying to fight terrorism unless you stay 282 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: the course the whole way. But then you would have 283 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,120 Speaker 2: to constantly be in Afghanistan and keep pushing them back 284 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 2: because terrorism. I don't think we'll go away. 285 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 286 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. So what is the answer to 287 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 1: fighting terrorism? I mean, it's funny because I was talking 288 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: to my pastor about this and he's like, this is 289 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:37,399 Speaker 1: these are wars that have gone on for thousands of years, 290 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: and it's kind of funny when you hear like the 291 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:45,439 Speaker 1: the pundit or the social media influencer who comes out 292 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: and it's like, I've got the solution for this. We're 293 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 1: just going to sit down and have these two groups 294 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 1: talk and we're not gonna have any dangerous killing or anything. 295 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: I mean, what happened on October seventh was incomprehensible. I 296 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:03,679 Speaker 1: think because it was incomprehensible, that's where so many people 297 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,199 Speaker 1: have been like, hey, let's just not do anything. You know, 298 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: it stopped. Now it's over, and they can't really fully 299 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: comprehend what these people in Israel have experienced, what they 300 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: have suffered, what they've lost, but what also they have seen. 301 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: And so we look at this and we go, okay, well, 302 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: this war on terror is extending now to Israel. But 303 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: This war between Israel and Hamas has been going on 304 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: for years and years and years. So is your opinion 305 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: that it is possible to wipe out Jimas. 306 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 2: I think you can, and to an extent, I think 307 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 2: you can push them way back, but I think they'll 308 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 2: always be there. I think they're always the terrorists are 309 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:53,239 Speaker 2: always going to be somewhere. You may be able to 310 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 2: push them back and shrink it way down, but I 311 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 2: don't think you'll ever eradicate them off the face of 312 00:18:58,800 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 2: this earth. 313 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: What do you think the best way is for us 314 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: to support our men and women who are serving and 315 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: those who come home, Because I know you and I 316 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: have talked about this as well. Folks that are coming 317 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: home are feeling lost, and there's this in many cases 318 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:19,159 Speaker 1: we have, I mean we have what twenty two veteran 319 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 1: suicides every single day. Yeah, this is something that it 320 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: seems like it's not happening through the VA, It's not 321 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 1: happening through government programs. Are there programs that are supporting 322 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:34,240 Speaker 1: our men and women that you would say, hey, if 323 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,680 Speaker 1: you have the ability to support these programs, put your 324 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,440 Speaker 1: money there, put your volunteer time there. 325 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 2: Yeah. If there are private ones, yes, absolutely, I think 326 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 2: the VA and the government could step up, step up 327 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 2: a little more and offer more things to our veterans, 328 00:19:55,040 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 2: maybe even direct them to private places, private organanizations if 329 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:05,239 Speaker 2: they can, and help them get to that place they 330 00:20:05,280 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 2: need assistance. I think, I think our country always it 331 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 2: to them to give them assistance to either travel to 332 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 2: get to the place, financial something to help them out, 333 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 2: whatever they can do to step up. 334 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: I mean, we hear so much about trying to make 335 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 1: sure people can get their healthcare in other ways, you know, 336 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: we hear about we're going to pay for the private 337 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: jet to take you to get your personal health care. 338 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: We're going to make sure that this you have access 339 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 1: to this or that if you fall into this category 340 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,199 Speaker 1: or that category. Why do you think that there is 341 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,879 Speaker 1: not a greater push for this for our veterans. Do 342 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: you think that this falls on politicians? Because I mean, 343 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: it should be something the government is providing, and yet 344 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 1: this is not really a top conversation when it comes 345 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 1: time for an election. 346 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 2: No, and I agree. I I feel that yes, it's 347 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 2: a volunteer. We sign up. We know that we could 348 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,240 Speaker 2: be going to combat, we could be going into harm's way, 349 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 2: but there's no training to prepare to prepare you for 350 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:20,160 Speaker 2: what you'll see, what you'll do. So when we come home, 351 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 2: I think it would be on the best interest of 352 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:26,879 Speaker 2: the government to make sure that the person they just 353 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 2: sent to war is taken care of and can come 354 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:34,919 Speaker 2: back into civilian life, because it's it's not as easy 355 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 2: as just you're discharged, now go get a job. I 356 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 2: was listening to the radio the other day and there 357 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 2: was a marine on there saying, when you're in the military, 358 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 2: you have a purpose. You put your uniform on, you 359 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 2: know what you're doing every day. When you get out, 360 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 2: you don't have that uniform on anymore, you feel lost. 361 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,280 Speaker 2: What am I supposed to do? 362 00:21:58,359 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 1: Now? 363 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 2: You know you have in the military, it's very regimented. 364 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:07,080 Speaker 2: You have this to do, this job, this task, this mission. 365 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 2: When you get out, if you don't have that anymore 366 00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 2: and you've been doing it for some time, it's hard 367 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 2: to adjust back into that civilian life. So that you know, 368 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 2: I don't know if there's I don't know how to 369 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 2: fix that. 370 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 1: Well, I think there are organizations. Before I let you go, 371 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 1: I want to ask you there's this new trend on TikTok. 372 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've seen this. It is service 373 00:22:33,320 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: members who are currently in active duty somewhere, whether they're 374 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: in training or they're over deployed, they are currently service 375 00:22:44,400 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 1: members and they are filming videos of five reasons why 376 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: you should never join the military. We already have recruitment 377 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: that is way down, and I think that these trends 378 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: on social media, I mean, we see these trends in 379 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:03,400 Speaker 1: every other area. How devastating is it to see And 380 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:07,439 Speaker 1: what would you share from your experience to tell people 381 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: that they should join the military. 382 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 2: From my experience, the military was a great experience for me. 383 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:20,119 Speaker 2: It helped me grow as a as a person. It 384 00:23:20,240 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 2: helped me to have that drive to enjoy everything I 385 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 2: have in my country that I have here, all the 386 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: freedoms we have, and just knowing that those freedoms could 387 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 2: go away at any time. If someone doesn't step up 388 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:43,359 Speaker 2: to protect them, then we could lose them. One thing 389 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,399 Speaker 2: I can say is, yeah, is it always fun? No, 390 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 2: it's tough times in there. I had a lot of 391 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 2: tough times. So it helps you grow and helps you realize, Hey, 392 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:55,679 Speaker 2: the country we live in and what I did or 393 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 2: the people next to me, did you know we have 394 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 2: the freedom to do, have freedom of speech and do 395 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 2: what we want so and it gives you that sense 396 00:24:05,280 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 2: of a pride where you live, knowing that you stood 397 00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 2: up and said I'll defend it to the best of 398 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 2: my ability, all the way up to death. So for 399 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 2: people you know out there who are protesting against the military, 400 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 2: I don't think that's something that should be done. You 401 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:29,639 Speaker 2: should encourage people to join and protect their country and 402 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 2: their loved ones. 403 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 1: Yeah. Absolutely, well, I mean, we are so grateful to 404 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: you for your service. And I watch these TikTok trends 405 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: and I think this is just to become personally famous, 406 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: and this I have to say, I don't think this 407 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: is about true military service. And if you are serving, 408 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: then you've chosen to serve for a reason. I think 409 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: that these trends have to go by the wayside. But 410 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: I appreciate you. I appreciate what you've done for us, 411 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 1: and I think that people should know you also had 412 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,880 Speaker 1: a lifelong friend that you met when you were there, 413 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: So you ended up meeting your wife while you were serving, 414 00:25:11,160 --> 00:25:13,320 Speaker 1: and now you have two children together. 415 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 2: We do, Yes, that was yeah, eighteen years married now, 416 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 2: and it was very It was an honor to serve 417 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 2: with my wife and be deployed overseas together. And the 418 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:30,360 Speaker 2: one of the biggest things too that I miss there 419 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 2: the men and women I served with. That camaraderie you build, 420 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:40,679 Speaker 2: you can't find that anywhere else. It's a special bond 421 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 2: between everyone. So whoever you know, people want to join that. 422 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 2: You meet so many different people from all over the country, 423 00:25:50,359 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 2: and it helps you broaden your experience and the views 424 00:25:56,119 --> 00:26:00,760 Speaker 2: of other people too, from different states. That was really 425 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 2: helpful to me just growing up in a small town, 426 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:10,119 Speaker 2: meeting people who've never seen snow before, or you know, 427 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 2: the little things you don't think about. So that's a 428 00:26:14,160 --> 00:26:15,560 Speaker 2: big thing too. 429 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:20,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that when I hear people talking about 430 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:23,360 Speaker 1: their service, their time and the service and that camaraderie, 431 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 1: I think that's so important for us to talk about 432 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,080 Speaker 1: because right now, the reason we see a lot of 433 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:32,439 Speaker 1: these young people that are joining protests and getting involved 434 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 1: in these clubs that are that are negative in some 435 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,719 Speaker 1: ways because they're looking for a place of belonging. And 436 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,000 Speaker 1: we've talked about it several times on this program. There 437 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: are ways to have that place that home that are 438 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 1: different than getting involved in something that is a protest. 439 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: You there is faith, and there is service, and these 440 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: are two great places to build community. And I know 441 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,400 Speaker 1: a lot of our service members come home and they 442 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: come home from that camaraderie and they join into a 443 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 1: faith community, and that is Those are two places where 444 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:09,639 Speaker 1: you can be involved in something that is way bigger 445 00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,240 Speaker 1: than you and you can get a lot out of 446 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: that and learn a lot from that and then pass 447 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: that along to other people. And I appreciate you coming 448 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 1: on today to talk about your experience. Will Dirksey, thank you, 449 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:24,159 Speaker 1: you're welcome. Thank you, Tutor, and thank you all for 450 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 1: joining us on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. For this episode 451 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:30,080 Speaker 1: and others, go to Tutor dixonpodcast dot com. You can 452 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 1: subscribe right there, or head over to the iHeartRadio app, 453 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and join 454 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: us next time on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Have a blessing.