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Lt. Col. Thomas D. Ferran III volunteered to be a part of the first group of trained Marine Corps snipers in the Vietnam War. He spent almost all his time in the field, accompanying various infantry units on their missions. Ferran describes sniping as a personal business, that is simultaneously an art, and a hunt. He was a co-founder and former president of the USMC Scout / Sniper association, and received two Purple Hearts, five presidential Unit Citations, and the Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon.Learn more about Ferran, and his service, here.

Lt. Col. Thomas D. Ferran III volunteered to be a part of the first group of trained Marine Corps snipers in the Vietnam War. He spent almost all his time in the field, accompanying various infantry units on their missions. Ferran describes sniping as both an art, and a personal business. He was a co-founder and former president of the USMC Scout / Sniper association, and received two Purple Hearts, five presidential Unit Citations, and the Marine Corps Combat Action Ribbon.Learn more about Ferran, and his service, here.

After Graduating from the US Naval Academy, McGrath joined the Marine Corps and flew 89 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, she became the first woman in the Marine Corps to fly in combat in the F-18. In her new memoir, ‘Honor Bound’, describes her groundbreaking time in the military, her tough political campaigns, and the challenges we face as a country. Follow Amy on Twitter at @AmyMcGrathKY To learn more about Amy, listen to her interview on our other podcast, Burn the Boats

James E.T Hopkins was a surgical intern before he volunteered with the Army Medical Corps. After serving in Fiji and the Solomon Islands, Hopkins volunteered again for what would eventually be known as Merrill’s Marauders.Merrill’s Marauders fought primarily in the jungles of Burma, executing deep penetration missions behind enemy lines. The 1962 film Merrill’s Marauders is based on their experiences.As a combat surgeon, Hopkins was unarmed on the battlefield, and completely exposed as he treated the wounds of fellow Marauders.To hear more stories about the Marauders, listen to our interview with Col. Logan. E. Weston, nicknamed 'The Fightin’ Preacher'.To learn more about Hopkins, click here.

Warning: This episode contains depictions of corpses, substance abuse, a suicide attempt, and some foul language. Viewer discretion is advised.Kris Goldsmith is an Army combat Veteran who served in Iraq. As a 19 year-old, he was assigned the task of photographing corpses and documenting mass graves. He developed severe PTSD, and in 2007, as the result of a suicide attempt that caused him to miss redeployment, he was given a less-than-honorable discharge. After years of legal battles, that discharge was upgraded. Kris went on to become an advocate for veterans with “bad paper” discharges, and helped pass crucial legislation that helps them receive the benefits they deserve.To learn more about Kris, his advocacy, and his work fighting domestic extremism, listen to his episodes of Burn the Boats, out next Wednesday.Learn more about his organization, High Ground Veterans Advocacy, hereFind Kris on Twitter at @KrisGoldsmith85

Colonel Logan E. Weston (nicknamed The Fightin’ Preacher) served in WWII in the famous special ops force, called Merrill’s Marauders. The Marauders fought primarily in the jungles of Burma, executing deep-penetration missions behind enemy lines. The 1962 film Merrill’s Marauders is based on their experiences.

Master Sergeant Michael ‘Top’ Washington served in the Gulf War, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan between 1988 and 2004. He worked mainly in counterintelligence, and also became a Firefighter during this time. His son, Mike Jr., followed in his footsteps and joined the Marines. In 2008, Mike Jr. was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan. Mike Jr. 's Battalion, the 2/7, would be the hardest hit battalion in the Corps that year, with 160 men wounded and 20 killed. Since their return, the 2/7 have suffered 13 more casualties due to suicide.After his own severe struggles with mental health, Top found a new calling as a licensed therapist, focusing on fellow military veterans and first responders.To hear more about Top’s mental health recovery and his work as a licensed therapist, listen to his interview on Burn the Boats.

Lieutenant Colonel Milt Shalinsky served in WWII with the 385th Bomb Group. On June 20th, 1944, Shalinsky’s B-17 bomber was hit and crashed near Brunswick, Germany.Listen as Shalinsky describes the crash and his experience as a prisoner of war.

This past Sunday was Father’s Day, so Warriors in Their Own Words host Ken Harbaugh interviewed his dad, Col. Kent Harbaugh. Col. Harbaugh was a Phantom pilot in Vietnam, and later commanded a nuclear missile wing during the cold war.

This past Memorial Day, in Hudson, Ohio, retired Army Lt. Col. Barnard Kemter was a guest speaker. He spoke about the meaning of memorial day, and the importance of honoring the fallen. He also spoke about the holiday’s origins, and how one of the earliest examples involved freed black slaves honoring fallen union soldiers after the Civil War.During this part of his speech, Lt. Col. Kemter’s microphone was cut, intentionally, by event organizers from the local American Legion chapter.Today, we bring you Lt. Col. Kemter’s Memorial Day address, in its entirety.

Addl. for Summary: Duffy served in the US Army in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2004 and 2005, conducting counterintelligence and interrogation operations. In Iraq, Duffy suffered a traumatic brain injury from an IED.Sgt. 1st Class Duffy is currently the CEO of Pathfinder, an organization dedicated to easing veterans’ transitions back into civilian life by connecting them with local community resources. Duffy also wrote an essay for Headstrong Project about her experiences. 

Duffy served in the US Army in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2004 and 2005, conducting counterintelligence and interrogation operations. In Iraq, Duffy suffered a traumatic brain injury from an IED.Sgt. 1st Class Duffy is currently the CEO of Pathfinder, an organization dedicated to easing veterans’ transitions back into civilian life by connecting them with local community resources.Tune in next time to hear the rest of her interview on Warriors in Their Own Words.

In the second of a two-part episode, Col. Bill Gara tells stories of the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion of the 1st Infantry. Gara served from North Africa to Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge.See additional photos and learn more about the 1st Engineer Battalion at firstengineerbattalionveterans.org.

Col. Bill Gara tells stories of the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion of the 1st Infantry, which he led from the 1944 Normandy landings through May of 1945. Gara served from North Africa to Omaha Beach and the Battle of the Bulge.See additional photos and learn more about the 1st Engineer Battalion at firstengineerbattalionveterans.org and tune in next time to hear the rest of his interview on Warriors in Their Own Words.

Content Warning: this episode includes graphic descriptions of wounds and combat, as well as strong language.Dr. Jon Heavey is an emergency room physician on the front lines of the battle against COVID, who began his medical career as a battalion surgeon with the 101st Airborne Division in Iraq.Read Jon’s 2012 article “An Unbearable Price” in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine for more about his service as battalion surgeon.

Lt. Bill Story was born in Winnipeg, Canada. He began his military service as a platoon sergeant in the Winnipeg Light Infantry at the age of 19. In 1943, he became the first enlisted man in the First Special Service Force to be field commissioned as a lieutenant.   The Devil’s Brigade disbanded in 1944 and, in 2013, the unit received the Congressional Gold Medal for their service. Lt. Story was inducted into the Special Forces Decade Association as a life member in 2015 and passed away in 2016.Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Warriors for a free month of unlimited access to the extensive The Great Courses Plus library. Find classes on anything you can imagine, from "World War II: Pacific Theater" to "1066: The Year That Changed Everything," ancient palaces, the Beatles' rise to fame, and even how to bake bread. Sign up for your free month at: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Warriors.

Lt. Bill Story was born in Winnipeg, Canada. He began his military service as a platoon sergeant in the Winnipeg Light Infantry at the age of 19. In 1943, he became the first enlisted man in the First Special Service Force to be field commissioned as a lieutenant.   The Devil’s Brigade disbanded in 1944 and, in 2013, the unit received the Congressional Gold Medal for their service. Lt. Story was inducted into the Special Forces Decade Association as a life member in 2015 and passed away in 2016.Learn more about The Devil’s Brigade from History.com and tune in next time to hear the rest of Lt. Story’s interview on Warriors in Their Own Words.Visit TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Warriors for a free month of unlimited access to the extensive The Great Courses Plus library. Find classes on anything you can imagine, from "World War II: Pacific Theater" to "1066: The Year That Changed Everything," ancient palaces, the Beatles' rise to fame, and even how to bake bread. Sign up for your free month at: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/Warriors.

Mike Howard shares stories from his 22 year career with the CIA. Mike is a former station chief for the CIA and corporate security expert. After his career in government, he served for over a decade as the Chief Security Officer for Microsoft, overseeing physical security worldwide for the company, including the personal security for Bill Gates.Keep an eye out for Mike’s upcoming book on leadership, out later in 2021, titled “The Art of Ronin Leadership: Strategy, Execution, Sustained Success.

Lt. Col. Winston M. Roche enlisted in the US Army at 17 and served as a combat engineer in the trenches in France for nearly two years. He recorded this interview with the Honor Project at the age of 93 and passed away in 1994 at the age of 95. Learn more about Lt. Col. Roche in his Los Angeles Times obituary.

Lt. Col. Winston M. Roche enlisted in the US Army at 17 and served as a combat engineer in the trenches in France for nearly two years. He recorded this interview with the Honor Project at the age of 93 and passed away in 1994 at the age of 95. Learn more about Lt. Col. Roche in his Los Angeles Times obituary and tune in next time to hear the rest of his interview on Warriors in Their Own Words.