Listen to the playlists of American special operators: Wil Willis

What do American heroes listen to?

Army Ranger veteran and former Air Force Pararescueman Wil Willis is literally an American bad ass, so it makes sense Kid Rock’s epic song would make his Battle Mix playlist.

“Music became sort of this way of marking your time through the military.”

He’s not the only vet to talk about the impact music had on his time in the service. Like others, Willis has specific memories tied to the music he listened to while wearing the uniform, whether he connected with the lyrics or sang the songs to keep the cadence on unit runs.

“When you’re in the Ranger battalion, you’re the tip of the spear. ‘Break glass in case of war. Unleash hell’—’War Pigs’ is what that’s all about.”

Willis said he fought for family and love and adventure; for him, that was the whole point of service.

Check out the what else is on his Battle Mix on Spotify.

Shannon Corbeil is an actor, writer, and host with a masters degree in Strategic Intelligence. A prior U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer, she now specializes in writing about military history and trivia, veterans issues, and the entertainment industry. She currently resides in Los Angeles, CA.


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