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Photo courtesy of The Commercial Appeal Please enjoy this replay that originally aired in Feb of 2017. J. Stanford (Stan) Staheli was only 18 years old when drafted. One year later he was a member of Patton’s Third Army, 4th Armored Division, liberating France from the Nazi’s.  It was here that he was captured in 1944 during a German counter-attack near Rimsdorf, France.  The Germans immediately said “The war’s over for you.”  Stan thought surely, they were going to be killed; but that wasn’t the case. He and the other prisoners walked three days to the camp in Frankfurt.  They then traveled by rail in a standing-room only conditions to East Germany.  Then eventually to another location where they were held for five months.  Even though he said he was treated humanely, he was stripped of his clothes each night and only had a small throw blanket for cover, during the coldest recorded winter in German history at the time. Stan said life in the prison camp wasn’t that bad.  The guards told them “if you don’t work, you don’t eat.”  Having grown up in the depression, this wasn’t a new concept to him.  He learned to love to work long before the Army.  They built bomb shelters and repaired railroads for the German Army.  However, many of the guards were disabled from the front lines and would show the prisoners pictures of their captors’ families when their superiors weren’t around. Staheli said his mom never lost faith that her son was alive.  Even though he was officially “missing in action”, many presumed he was dead.  After being released, he was finally able to write his family and then surprised them on a Sunday morning in Cedar City, UT. Today, Staheli is 91 years old (as of Feb 2017) and has a noble posterity – 10 children (2 have passed), 53 grandchildren, and 60+ great-grandchildren.  Quoting Will Rogers, he said “I never met a man I didn’t like.” This hero, with only an 8th grade education, was presented an honorary diploma from Enterprise High School in May 2016. Music courtesy of Soundroad – Believe.Copyright 2021 Thad Foresterwww.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com The post Ep 078 | Stan Staheli, Patton’s Third Army, WWII POW – Replay appeared first on .

Throwback to my interview with Mick Gillispie and Ryan Fowler on “The Game” radio show in February 2012. Mick has been a big supporter of The Mark Forester Foundation since its inception. And in this interview we cover many topics surrounding Mark’s education, time in military, final battle, The American Fallen Soldiers Project, fundraisers and Mark’s foundation. As you’ll hear in my intro, I’m having a difficult time interviewing lately, but have people with compelling stories lined up. It’s all a matter of time, and right now, our family is having to constantly “recalibrate”. Here are links to what we discussed today: Bama Gone but Not Forgotten – Thomas “Jake” Jaichner An American Hero Comes Home – Major Troy Gilbert The American Fallen Soldiers Project – Univ of Alabama Lifetime’s “Coming Home” Tennessee Smokies Honor Mark JAG 28 Memorial Birthday Walk Follow Mick at: Bama Insider Cubs TV Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com The post Ep 077 | My Interview on “The Game” | Throwback from 2012 appeared first on .

Sept 29, 2020 is the 10th anniversary of Mark Forester’s death in Afghanistan. The picture in this post is Mark’s body being taken from the C-17 at Dover AFB for the Dignified Transfer. My guest is General Robert Armfield who was Mark’s group commander in 2010. Armfield was also at Dover when Mark’s body arrived, he visited our home to provide additional details of his death, and was in the background helping lead the notification activities. We discuss how they arranged simultaneously notifying our family, how they watched Mom and Dad’s home until Dad got home from work. Why they called the sheriff before they delivered the news and how they prepare to bring this news that rocks someone’s world instantly. He also shares the purpose of that last big mission Mark and his team were on. It was great to have this experienced, American warfighter on the show and we appreciate him reflecting on Mark’s death from Gwyn’s unique perspective. “I cannot think of another Air Force general who has more combat time than Brig. Gen. Armfield,” said retired Lt. Gen. Eric Fiel, former commander of Air Force Special Operations Command and officiant of Armfield’s retirement ceremony. Learn more about Brig. Gen. Armfield here Mentioned in this show: HBO original movie: Taking Chance *PTC is on Patreon.  If you like what you’re hearing please check out how you can help the cause so I can provide quality content and keep on keeping on! Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com The post Ep 076 – Special: Brig. Gen. Gwyn Armfield | Behind the scenes of our Next-of-Kin notifications appeared first on .

Dan Skidmore spent nine years as an Air Force combat controller. As a member of this elite group, he deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other locations across the globe. He is a member of Force Blue , which unites the community of Special Operations veterans with the world of marine conservation for the betterment of both. Dan is also the Director of Training for GORUCK – a gear, apparel, footwear, and events company that I’m a big fan of. In this episode we cover three main topics: CCT, GORUCK and one of his businesses, Ruck Wrap, which promotes recovery and injury prevention by compression and teaches how to “maintain your machine.” At the end, I got his opinion on professional athletes kneeling for the National Anthem. I hope you enjoy this hard-charging, health and fitness advocate that I enjoy following on Instagram. Follow Dan on Facebook below: https://www.facebook.com/daniel.skidmore.5 *PTC is on Patreon.  If you like what you’re hearing please check out how you can help the cause so I can provide quality content and keep on keeping on! Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com The post Ep 075 – Dan Skidmore | Former CCT, GORUCK Dir. of Training appeared first on .

Today Mark’s friend and teammate tells us what it was like to get the news of Mark’s death, how he got a risky flight out of his FOB and met up with Mark so he could escort his buddy back to the states as part of the Angel Flight. This episode is solely about Bobby Bonello and Mark Forester.  Even though much of what is discussed is written in my book, I wanted to have an oral history and capture Bobby’s feelings and some details that were left out of the book. Seeing Bobby at Dover AFB for the Dignified Transfer was somewhat comforting.  He knew Mark and knew us.  Up until then, our notifications had been from those who knew Mark, but we didn’t really know. Bobby was visibly shaken and had a sort of blank look in his face when we first saw him.  Probably how we looked too. The picture above is Bobby at Mark’s casket/transfer case in a C-17 in Kandahar, just before leaving for Dover AFB.  Although barely being able to see Bobby’s face, he looks shaken, worn and upset.  I still can’t tell you who took these pictures, but they were a friend of a family friend who happened to be there.  Amazingly this person found out who it was and made the connection, got the pics to his friend, who then sent to me.  It was only a matter a days after this happened. And hope you enjoy clips of the song used.  Credit to Radney Foster, Angel Flight. **originally aired Sept. 29, 2017 as episode 038** *PTC is on Patreon.  If you like what you’re hearing please check out how you can help the cause so I can provide quality content and keep on keeping on! Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com The post Ep 074 – Memorial Day Special: Bobby Bonello Escorting Mark’s Body to Dover – The Angel Flight appeared first on .

It seemed Linda Ambard was the last person to find out about her husband, Maj. Philip Ambard’s death. The media knew, her co-workers knew and even some of her children found out via social media. Linda shares why her late husband immigrated to the United States, learned English, along with 7 other languages, and then chose to join the Air Force. Her notification and details of this death were far from effective, but we know who his killer was. It was an insider–someone he and his teammates trusted. Since, she’s been on a mission to help the Air Force know where to improve and to help military spouses understand how to avoid some of the challenges she faced in the days following his death. Linda still doesn’t have clear answers, but she’s forgiven Phil’s killer (who killed a total of 9 Americans that day) and has “hope” for the Afghan people. Since his death, she’s run 55 marathons (total of 200) on six continents. She’s been on the Antarctica Marathon waiting list and will accomplish that goal in 2021. She’s a champion of getting outside, running, and relying on your faith to get thru challenges. She’s a woman of action and change. It was great having her on Patriot to the Core! You can get her book here and learn more about her husband Maj. Phil Ambard: Courageously Alive Afghan Pilot wanted to kill Americans Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.comRock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 073 – Linda Ambard | Courageously Alive appeared first on .

I know I’m not the only one who is getting an increased amount of target marketing on alternatives to gyms. Our current situation that has caused gyms to close didn’t change my routine at all b/c I don’t rely on one. The reason; my exercise strategy changed when I began following Mark Lauren’s programs in January of 2018. His quote to me in this episode, which originally aired July 2018, has proven to be ahead of it’s time: “A critical and essential piece to long term fitness is being independent.” Here we discuss how to be independent of a gym membership, unnecessary equipment and much more. Back on the show is former Air Force combat controller (CCT) Mark Lauren.  In episode 40, we discussed his early life, time in military and how he implemented his workouts in the CCT pipeline.  Now, we’re talking a little more about how he observed that the fitness industry at large was backward, ineffective, and unsustainable in it’s approach.  So, he created fitness programming that improves performance outside of the gym. Lauren’s understanding of athletic fundamentals allows him to create exercise programs for all ability groups that improve performance and physical condition in record time, injury free, by mastering the fundamentals. Bodyweight training is Mark’s calling in life.  And I’m a big believer in his philosophy and movements. Today we talk about those programs and the success of his app at MarkLauren.com. Follow Mark on Instagram *Originally aired July 9, 2018* Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 072 – Mark Lauren | Bodyweight Master & Best-selling Fitness Author appeared first on .

Most of you have heard of Chris Kyle or seen the movie “American Sniper“, directed by Clint Eastwood. It was a very popular book and movie. But I always wondered about his brother Jeff. What made him serve in the military? How close were he and Chris and how did Chris’ death affect him? Today is one Gold Star brother talking with another about his life growing up and how he was “set straight” by a veteran at the VA who told him he’s all talk and no action. That was a turning point for Jeff. We also discuss the great work he and his family are doing with https://www.chriskylememorialbenefit.com/ and American Valor Foundation, in addition, his job at United States Tactical If you enjoy this podcast or any of my other 70 episodes, please give me a rating on iTunes. Ratings and reviews are big help in the success of the show. Thank you. Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 071 – Jeff Kyle: Marine & Gold Star brother appeared first on .

“Cowardice and courage; both are infectious. The Hong Kongers are showing a lot of courage.” Michael Yon (Instagram Michael_yon_world) is back on the show to discuss what’s going on it Hong Kong. We get into some deep history on China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as well as talk its comparison to Poland in the 80’s. He’s been on the ground, in the action, since summer of 2019. I’ve watched his videos and seen a man on fire, much violence and anger between protestors and traitors. Yon has written a plethora of books and articles. One recent, in-depth interview was on American Thought Leaders from a few weeks ago. You can watch that here: American Thought Leaders Learn more about Michael from his blog Now, enjoy the history lesson and why it’s important that the United States stands up to China. And you can listen to my first interview with this “premier combat journalist” Michael from episode 13 here. Copyright 2020 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 070 – Michael Yon | Insurgency in Hong Kong appeared first on .

Woody Williams will never forget the odor of burning human remains. “There are some things about that 4 hours that have bothered me my whole life… I can’t remember going back and getting the other 5 flamethrowers.  It was so horrific, I didn’t want to remember.” I was introduced to death by flamethrower after learning of Mr. Williams.  He went thru 5 – 70 lb flamethrowers in a 4-hour battle on Iwo Jima.  Two of the Marines assigned to him were killed that day protecting his life.  He is the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from that battle, and the last surviving Marine to receive the MOH for heroism in World War II. You could say Mr. Williams lived a sheltered life up until his time in the military.  Prior, he’d never heard of Pearl Harbor, the Pacific Ocean, or Japan.  He joined the Marines to protect his country and protect his freedom.  He thought he’d be staying in the U.S., but after boot camp he learned they’d be fighting the Japanese in the Pacific. I asked, “What did you know about Iwo Jima before you got there?”  His response, “Not a thing!”  Later he saw the flag raised on Mount Suribachi, but didn’t consider the significance at that time.  He had a job to do and wasn’t reveling in the moment. His story is remarkable.  He was awarded the MOH by Pres. Truman, but admits being more nervous to meet the Commandant of the Marine Corp than the President.  He shares with us what both these men told him regarding the medal.  He didn’t know anything about the MOH.  Even the day he received it he didn’t know what it was about. I even get his opinion on the NFL controversies over kneeling during the National Anthem.  Awesome interview.  You should read his medal citation below and learn more about him at these links: Read his Medal of Honor Citation Learn about his foundation: Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation *originally published Oct 30, 2017 Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 069 – Hershel “Woody” Williams | Medal of Honor Recipient appeared first on .

Nic is a former Air Force Pararescueman (PJ) and Country Chief for a special unit within the CIA. During his career he witnessed the epidemic of child trafficking within illegal markets and recognized the opportunity to apply his training to influence this global crisis. How do he and his organization, DeliverFund, do this? By equipping, training and advising law enforcement officers to track down and arrest these worthless scums of the earth. They focus on getting the source by unleashing the warriors. In some instances, they’ve reduced the time to find and arrest traffickers down to days and hours. To say Nic McKinley has a firm understanding about these illicit, illegal markets and has the highest levels of training to effectively combat them is an understatement. Click here to learn more about Nic and DeliverFund. This non-profit could always use any donation to help fight this evil. And in case you wondered if Nic is the real Jack Ryan… he is. Here’s proof. Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 068 – Nic McKinley | Unleashing the Warriors on Child Trafficking appeared first on .

On this 9th anniversary of the death of Mark Forester, I talk with our dad and sister. Obviously this is more of a personal episode where we talk about Mark at various stages in life and Dad and Terri’s relationship with him. You may not know it by pictures or only knowing Mark as an adult, but he went thru a lazy period as a teenager. He also spent entirely too much time playing a ridiculous computer game called “Return of the Shadow” (or something like that). This is a rare time when Dad is recorded talking about Mark. So, join me today as we honor Senior Airman Mark Forester, who was killed-in-action on this day in 2010 in Afghanistan. If you want to learn more about Mark, throughout his life and military, you can purchase his book from Amazon here: My Brother in Arms Also, if you feel so included to support my podcast, it’s easy via Patreon. The $$ amount you can contribute is very little. Regardless, thank you for listening and sharing. Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 067 – Special: Mark Forester – Hammerhead appeared first on .

When Lauren Sisler’s phone rang at 3 am, she never expected her father to say that her mother had died. When her plane landed in Virginia that same day, all she wanted was a big hug from her dad, only he wasn’t there. In those few hours, he had died too. Today, this ESPN and AL.com sports broadcaster tells how she was ashamed for far too long about how her parents died. When she finally was transparent–that they had overdosed on prescription painkillers, she felt freedom and healing. This Navy daughter has an inspirational message about overcoming grief and despair and finding success. After all, she was only 18 when she lost both parents. Thank goodness for her older brother, Aunt and Uncle, and coaches at Rutgers who didn’t cut her any slack. I look forward to seeing her on the sidelines more this year in the college football season. You can also watch this interview on YouTube. Thank you Sheepdog Firearms for letting us record another show in your fine facility. Mentioned in this episode: Paralyzed UAB Football Player Tim Alexander keeps promise Follow Lauren on Instagram Follow Lauren on Twitter Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 066 – Lauren Sisler | Firsthand Effects of Addiction and Overcoming Tragedy appeared first on .

Renee Nickell’s brother, Major Samuel Griffith, was killed-in-action in Dec, 2011. Since then, she’s gone thru many dark valleys and has found healing by writing a book: “Always My Hero” about her older brother and best friend. With her appearance last week on Home and Family, and her radio, podcast and TV tour this past year, she’s done an incredible job spreading the word about Marine Sam Griffith. Her brother Sam left behind a wife, children, and grieving parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews. This former F-18 pilot – turned Forward Air Controller, did his part to not only raise a noble posterity, but also lead his men and eliminate terrorists. Her book goes deep into the conflicts her family fought through after Sam’s death. Miraculously she got $400 so she, husband and children could drive non-stop from Florida to Dover AFB to witness the arrival of her brother’s remains as part of the Dignified Transfer. As a Gold Star sibling, I have tremendous respect for Renee and how she’s expressing her devotion to her brother and country by personalizing the price of freedom. She’s in pain. Her family hurts – just as anyone who loses a loved-one. In this case, I can relate more than most. May this interview help your Memorial Day be more meaningful. Thank you for listening. You can purchase her book (re-releasing in June 2019) by visiting her web site or Amazon: Renee Nickell web site Always My Hero on Amazon You can also read her article on patriotism published on Today.com here. Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 065 – Memorial Day: Renee Nickell | Her Brother was Always Her Hero appeared first on .

In the predawn hours of March 4, 2002, just below the 10,000-foot peak of a mountain in Afghanistan, a fierce battle raged. Outnumbered by Al Qaeda fighters, Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman and a handful of SEALs struggled to take the summit in a desperate bid to find a lost teammate. Chapman, leading the charge, was gravely wounded in the initial assault. Believing he was dead, his SEAL leader ordered a retreat. Chapman regained consciousness, finding himself alone with the enemy who was closing in on three sides. Thus began the most difficult and exceptional fight of his life. For the U.S., the battle proved the deadliest entanglement of Operation Anaconda. We lost 7 men there at Takur Ghar, including Jason Cunningham and Neil Roberts. On August 22, 2018, Pres Trump posthumously awarded the medal of honor to John Chapman. My guest today, Dan Schilling, has written a book, Alone at Dawn, to capture the life and legacy of this American Hero. Although the book doesn’t come out until June, I loved getting an inside scoop on Chapman’s life leading up to his final mission and how Dan became involved. We also talk about his extreme sports and why he set a Guinness World Record for 201 BASE jumps in 24 hours. Pre-order Alone at Dawn here plus check out Dan’s other books. Watch drone footage of Chapman’s incredibly heroic final stand here. Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 064 – Dan Schilling | Alone at Dawn appeared first on .

If you search for Justin Carroll on the web, you will find very little about him–and good luck finding a picture of his face. This former Marine is now a security and privacy consultant. Carroll stresses that it’s not about hiding anything, but protecting our information. In his early days he transitioned from Force Recon to becoming a member of the first Fox Company (first MARSOC unity to deploy) under Maj. Fred Galvin. Today we spend most of our time learning how to protect ourselves and our children online. Justin has it figured out since he’s managed to keep himself from being blasted all over the web. We also talk about some of his current projects – Across the Peak podcast, Revolverguy.com and his books, The Complete Privacy and Security Desk Reference, Volumes I and II. Justin is full of tips that anyone could and should do to be a little more careful regarding our online presence–whether it’s social media, banking or our credit. Copyright 2019 Thad Foresterhttp://www.patriottothecore.comemail questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 063 – Justin Carroll | Online Security and Privacy appeared first on .

Sammy Davis joined the Army because he loved his daddy. He wanted to make him and his grandads proud.  He was just a kid out of high school.  If he hadn’t joined the Army, he wanted to be a member of Hell’s Angels.  Regarding war protestors at SFO I asked, “Did you look them in the eye?”  Davis’ response: “I looked every one of them in the eye.”  On November 18, 1967, his team was ambushed by the Vietcong and the Americans did what they were trained to do.  Davis was knocked unconscious, then woken up by a beehive round strike to his body. Although he didn’t think he’d live to see the light of day, he saw his brothers across the river and he rescued them.  One of those men was Jim Dyster, who had been shot thru the head and was for sure dead.  Turns out, he wasn’t.   During our conversation we get to hear from his wife, Dixie too.  She’s by his side at all his appearances.  She wrote a book about their life, which is linked below. This is another great, selfless American that kept a smile on my face the entire interview.  And you may be interested to know he’s the real life Forrest Gump.  Watch his Medal of Honor ceremony with Pres Johnson and you’ll see why.  Below are some resources to learn more about Sergeant FirstClass Sammy L. Davis: Medal of Honor citation His book: You Don’t Lose Til You Quit Trying. Dixie’s book:  Endless Love and Second Chances The post Ep 062 – Sammy L. Davis | Medal of Honor Recipient – Vietnam appeared first on .

“Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes.  Maybe I could have made a difference.” (spoken by the sheepdogs; the warriors). What do you ask the expert in the study of the psychology of killing? Among the many things we discuss today are the differences between sheep, wolves and sheepdogs.  Which one are you?  Well he’s going to describe each one and how they respond to threatening situations.  There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. We also talk violence on TV, sleep deprivation, teen suicide, everyday carry (EDC) and veterans health.  I love his reasoning for turning off the cell phone/tablet at night–do not take to bed.  This was very interesting. Learn more about Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, his books and academy here: www.killology.com Grossman Academy On Combat On Killing (perennial bestseller) Stop Teaching our Kids to Kill Warrior Mindset: Mental Toughness Skills for our Nation’s Peacekeepers Sheepdogs – Meet our Nation’s Warriors (children’s book) Why Mommy Carries a Gun, American Sheepdogs (children’s book) *Replay from 7/10/17 Copyright 2018 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ The post Ep 061 – Lt. Col. Dave Grossman: Killology 101 appeared first on .

Today is 8 years since Mark was killed in Afghanistan.  Although we were notified in person by his teammates and leadership, there were still many unanswered questions–details no one who wasn’t there could personally share. Major Wes Wilson was the ODA Detachment Commander when Mark was killed.  Their team had split up and Wes was about 200 meters away with the mounted element, which included George, who’s been on the podcast two times before. Hear Wes give us more details of that intense short period on Sept 29, 2010 in Uruzgan Province, where two Americans and others were killed. You can read more specifics of Mark’s final stand from his Silver Star citation here. Purchase his book in paperback, hardback or Kindle here. Copyright 2018 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com The post Ep. 060 – SPECIAL: MAJ Wes Wilson – The Aftermath of Mark’s death in Shah Mashad appeared first on .

“If we don’t try to rescue the boys, we’ll be giving them a death sentence.” On June 23, 2018, a team of 12 boys — who were all between the ages of 11 and 16 — had just finished a weekly soccer practice and went to explore a cave with their coach. But after they’d entered the cave, heavy rain started falling and the rising water trapped them inside. 1 day later their belongings were found.  Then, on July 2 a rescue diver discovered them when he ran out of line and popped up out of the water inside the cave. While most of the world was captivated by this story, my guest today was in the thick of the action.  Major Charles Hodges was the US Mission Commander. He and his team from the 353rd Special Operations Group along with a team from the 31st Rescue Squadron, were brought in to advise and assist the Royal Thai government. He gives us great detail on their initial thought processes, how he and his team assisted the multinational effort and why they were willing to take risks and be bold b/c they had no choice but to get the Wild Boars out of there, accepting that 3-5 of the boys could die in the process. Maj Hodges, an Air Force Special Tactics Officer, concluded with: “This is what we train for – going into a crisis and solving problems.”   Copyright 2018 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com Rock Tune by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://audionautix.com/   The post Ep 059 – Inside the Thai Soccer Team Rescue w/ Maj Charles Hodges appeared first on .