How the Gurkha warriors of Nepal became so feared - We Are The Mighty
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How the Gurkha warriors of Nepal became so feared

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The Gurkha warriors of Nepal are fearless soldiers who famously serve in the British and Indian militaries. Their reputation for bravery, fighting ability, and heroism dates back to the Middle Ages.

Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw of the Indian Army, once said, “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or is a Gurkha.” A fitting statement for a force who’s motto is, “better to die than to be a coward.”

Don’t miss this episode about Gurkha badassery!

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Podcast

Why a new sidearm replacement is a big deal to the troops

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Firearms technology has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. While civilians and law enforcement have taken advantage of new designs, the military hasn’t been as quick to adjust.

In this episode of the We Are The Mighty podcast we discuss the military’s plans to find a pistol replacement, the role of today’s battle rifles, and why ammo matters.

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Guest:

  • Christian Lowe: Executive Editor at We Are The Mighty
    • Christian is a veteran reporter and digital editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the U.S. military at home and abroad. He deployed six times to Iraq and Afghanistan as an embedded reporter and has covered all the services in the conflict zone, on base and in halls of Capitol Hill and the Pentagon. Christian worked previously at Army Times and Military.com as well as a stint in the firearms industry as Editor in Chief of Shooting Sports Retailer and Tactical Retailer magazines. He’s a competitor in IDPA, USPSA and 3-Gun Nation.

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This is how ‘Got Your Six’ works with movie makers to get it right

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The mission of Got Your Six is to normalize the depiction of veterans on film and television and dispel common myths about the veteran population. Together with partners in the entertainment industry, business, and politics, it casts a wide net of influence and social change.

In this episode of the We Are The Mighty podcast, Got Your Six executive director Bill Rausch and WATM’s Logan Nye discuss the depiction of veterans in mainstream entertainment.

Related: Here are the Got Your Six chief’s lessons from his first 100 days

Hosted by:

  • Logan Nye: Army veteran and associate editor
  • Orvelin Valle (AKA O.V.): Navy veteran and podcast producer

Guest:

Bill Rausch photo courtesy of Got Your Six.

Bill Rausch is a former Army Major with over 10 years of service, including 17 months in Iraq serving under Gen.s Casey and Petraeus while assigned to the Information Operations Task Force. Prior to joining GY6, Bill was Political Director at Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America where he oversaw policy and advocacy campaigns.

More about Bill Rausch’s experience on his Got Your Six profile page.

Selected links and show notes from the episode:

  • [01:30] Got Your Six’s mission.
  • [02:15] How and why Got Your Six got involved in the entertainment industry.
  • [03:15] How Got Your Six helps movie makers tell the veteran experience.
  • [07:40] How Got Your Six works with business and politics.
  • [10:40] What Got Your Six certified means in the entertainment industry.
  • [13:00] Why Got Your Six is less interested in military standards and more interested in telling the veteran experience.
  • [15:15] Why military families are just as important as the service member.
  • [19:50] What it’s like working with celebrities.
  • [21:20] How Melissa Fitzgerald helps veterans and military families.
  • [22:45] How combat veteran J.W. Cortes (best known for his recurring role in Gotham) is giving back to the veteran community.
  • [23:40] Upcoming Got Your Six projects.
  • [27:40] Bill Rausch’s favorite military transition movie: The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946.

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Catching up with triple amputee Bryan Anderson

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Bryan Anderson is an Iraq War veteran turned model, actor, motivational speaker, book author, and more. He achieved all of these noteworthy accomplishments while dealing with life as a triple amputee.

Bryan enlisted in the Army in early 2001 and shipped out to his duty station on September 11, 2001. He served two tours in Iraq as an MP (Military Police) Sergeant before being injured by an IED that resulted in the loss of both legs and his left hand. He was awarded a Purple Heart and spent over a year rehabilitating at Walter Reed Hospital.

Bryan’s story has received extensive media coverage including features in Esquire Magazine and articles in major publications, such as LA Times, New York Times, and Chicago Sun. He appeared in the HBO documentary, Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq with the late James Gandolfini, CSI: NY, The Wrestler with Mickey Rourke, and American Sniper with Bradley Cooper.

As you’ll hear in this special edition of the WATM podcast, Bryan’s energy is contagious.

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Selected links and show notes from the episode

• [00:00] Bryan Anderson website

• [02:05] Quantum Rehab

• [05:17] iLevel Power Chairs

• [07:25] Bryan Style

• [07:40] Bryan Anderson YouTube channel

• [11:15] This former SEAL Team 6 members is climbing Everest for vets

• [12:20] This Marine could be the first combat-wounded veteran to climb Everest

• [20:50] Watch these 5 vets admit what branch they’d pick if they joined again

• [22:10] Fort Hood is the black hole of the Army: The 7 funniest Yelp reviews for military bases

• [25:30] Bryan Anderson’s film career

• [31:50] Meeting Gary Sinise and working for his foundation

• [37:45] Gary Sinise Foundation 

• [40:20] Building houses for fellow vets with Gary Sinise

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How to survive any dangerous situation with these deadly skills

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Clint Emerson is not your average U.S. Navy retiree. He’s not your average anything and he never was. That might be why so many Fortune 500 companies want Emerson to not only speak at their corporate gatherings but also teach them how to survive some extreme circumstances.

Emerson is a former Navy SEAL and the author of a number of books, notably 100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative’s Guide Eluding Pursuers, Evading Capture, and Surviving Any Dangerous Situation. He also wrote 100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition and Escape the Wolf: Risk Mitigation Personal Security Handbook for the Traveling Professional.

Clint Emerson is a retired US Navy SEAL, New York Times Best Sellers author, and crisis management professional.

In his books, he covers everything from making a homemade taser to teaching your children how to handle themselves during an active-shooter situation. No one needs to be a sheep among wolves when going about their daily lives – and Emerson wants you to know how to handle yourself.

“Violence is not limited to bad guys,” Emerson says. “Violence is okay for good people to activate and use against anything coming your way.”

He spent 20 years in the Navy as what he calls a “violent nomad.” But it was a lifelong dream. In this episode of Mandatory Fun, he describes how a chance meeting in an airport with a man who claimed to be a SEAL altered the course of his life forever.

But he wants you to be a violent nomad in the same way – he wants to make you self-reliant, able to self-rescue, and capable of helping others in any given situation, be they natural disasters, man-made crises, or medical emergencies. And you can do it without hiring him and his consulting firm to show you what “violence of action” means.

“This kind of violence of action can save your life,” he says. “You just need to know how to turn it on.”

Mandatory Fun guest: Clint Emerson — Retired US Navy SEAL, New York Times Best Sellers author, and crisis management professional. Learn more about Emerson at:

Mandatory Fun is hosted By:

Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and Managing Editor

Tim Kirkpatrick: Navy veteran and Editorial Coordinator

Orvelin Valle (aka O.V.): Navy veteran and Podcast Producer

Catch the show on Twitter at: @MandoFun and on our Facebook group.

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The reason Russia says it wants to nuke Norway over a deployment of 330 Marines

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Norway recently invited 330 U.S. Marines to its country for winter warfare exercises and Russia went all nuclear over it.

Frants Klintsevitsj, the deputy chairman of Russia’s defense and security committee, said on national TV that a nuclear strike was on the table over the Devil Dog deployment.

But how much damage can 330 U.S. Marines and their personal gear do? We did a little research, and it turns out Russia’s response might have been spot on.

Join us for an entertaining discussion of Marine Corps history and learn about its fearsome reputation.

Related: 15 quotes from Gen. ‘Mad Dog’ Mattis, slayer of bodies

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A corpsman’s advice to ISIS militants who fake injuries to get out of jihad

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Bad back, knee sprains, and other injury claims ISIS militants are using to scam out of duty are child’s play compared to excuses deployed by the finest members of the E-4 Mafia.

“For starters, headaches and stomachaches are rookie excuses,” says Tim Kirkpatrick, a former Navy corpsman and newest member of the We Are The Mighty Team. “There’s no way to diagnose these ‘chief complaints’ because they’re subjective.”

As a veteran with multiple deployments, Tim has heard every excuse in the sick call commando’s manual and can tell you what works and what doesn’t.

“A Marine rarely gets out of a hike,” he says. “He has to be dead or dying to get out of it, but there are ways.”

In this episode of the “Mandatory Fun” podcast, Tim and reformed members of the E-4 Mafia — your hosts, O.V. and Blake — divulge their ‘skating’ tips to ISIS fighters looking to file a proper jihad-ache.

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Selected links and show notes from the episode:

  • [02:00] ISIS militants are faking illnesses to get out of fighting.
  • [05:30] Common excuses Marines use to try and get out of work.
  • [09:10] The best ways to fool a corpsman into giving you a medical pass.
  • [13:00] Who are ISIS doctors?
  • [15:00] ISIS penalties for faking injuries.
  • [18:00] How ISIS organizes its fighters.
  • [27:30] That time a Taliban fighter shot his kid as an excuse to come on to a FOB to check out security.
  • [31:30] The risk Blake is willing to undergo for a buddy.

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Officers and enlistees confess the best and worst about each other

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Historically, the military has relied on clearly defined boundaries of acceptable interaction between the officer and enlisted ranks to maintain good order and discipline.

It is a long-standing custom that dates back hundreds of years and has proven itself effective time after time. But not everyone feels it’s a custom worth holding on to.

“I think there should not be a difference between officer and enlisted ranks,” said former Air Force officer Shannon Corbeil. “I believe we should all reach rank based on experience and accomplishment.”

On the other hand, Chase Millsap — another former officer — believes the military should maintain its course because officers bring leadership experience accomplished through higher learning and training.

Also read: 7 tips for getting away with fraternization

However, Blake Stilwell and Tim Kirkpatrick — two former enlistees — argue that the stupid partying and immatureness is what officers experienced during college.

In this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, two former officers and enlistees confess the best and worst about dealing with each other while in active service.

Hosted By:

Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and managing editor

Tim Kirkpatrick: Navy veteran and Editorial Coordinator

Orvelin Valle (AKA O.V.): Navy veteran and Podcast Producer

Guests:

Chase Millsap: Army and Marine Corps infantry veteran turned Director of Impact Strategy at We Are The Mighty

Shannon Corbeil: Former Air Force intelligence officer and We Are The Mighty editor

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Noah Galloway talks about joining the ranks of ‘American Grit’

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Noah Galloway (Image: Fox)

Noah Galloway is a veteran who sustained injuries in an IED attack on his second deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. He lost two of his limbs and sustained severe injuries to his right leg and his jaw.

Related: JR Martinez and Noah Galloway talk ‘Dancing with the Stars’

Like many disabled veterans, Galloway became withdrawn, out of shape and depressed. The former fitness fanatic and athlete was drinking, smoking, and sleeping his days away. But late one night, Galloway realized that there was more to him than the injuries. He walked out of his room realizing that he was setting the example for his boys of what a man is. And for his little girl, the example of how a man should act and it terrified him.

He needed to make a change, and he needed to do it fast. He joined a 24-hour gym and started eating right. He participated in obstacle races and adventure races around the country, such as Tough Mudder, Spartan events, Crossfit competitions plus numerous 5K and 10K races.

Now a personal trainer and motivational speaker, Galloway doesn’t take excuses from his clients, fans, or followers – and finds ways to get things done. Galloway was a season 20 participant of Dancing With The Stars in which he took third place following his appearance on the cover of Men’s Health Magazine and numerous other publications.

Most recently Noah joined WWE Superstar John Cena and three other veterans on American Grit, a military-inspired show on the Fox Network that splits 16 of the toughest men and women into four teams of four who work together to face survival challenges. It’s Galloway’s job to push his team of civilians to act as a team and go beyond their limits.

The show airs Thursday, April 14th at 9/8 central on Fox.

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Selected links and show notes from the episode

•  ‘American Grit‘ on Fox

• Noah Galloway website

• Noah Galloway Facebook

• Noah Galloway Twitter

• Noah Galloway Instagram

• [00:00 – 17:00] Talk about American Grit

• [17:00] Family time after filming American Grit

• [20:00] Big fish in a little pond. Noah’s hometown fame

• [25:00] Training civilians

• [28:00] Noah’s VA experience at Walter Reed hospital

• [33:00] Noah’s regret: not integrated with the other veterans at Walter Reed

• [35:00] Noah changes his life around for his kids

• [38:00] Noah’s book and dealing with depression

• [41:00] Veterans are more successful than the American average

• [45:00] Dealing with the VA and mental health care

• [49:00] Changing the VA system survey

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RNC vs. DNC on veteran issues (podcast)

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In this #DefendYourVote bonus episode of the WATM podcast, we catch up with our editor-in-chief Ward Carroll live from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ward also covered the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, and so we asked him to compare and contrast the two.

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How unconventional tactics won the battle for Ramadi



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In this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, we speak with Scott Huesing, a retired U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Major with 24 years of service as an enlisted and commissioned officer.

During his career spanning ten deployments, he operated in over 60 countries worldwide. Throughout his numerous deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa, he planned, led, and conducted hundreds of combat missions under some of the most austere and challenging conditions.

Scott Huesing as he speaks to Marines stationed in 29 Palms..

Before the Marines on-the-ground could consider fighting an unconventional war, they first had to demonstrate using unconventional tactics to fight the War on Terror in Iraq — that’s exactly what retired Marine Scott Huesing did.

“When I say ‘unconventional,’ I was willing to think outside of the box to some degree,” Scott Huesing states. “If there was a Marine, soldier, sailor, airman, contractor that had a rifle, knew how to shoot it, I didn’t care. If they wanted to come out in the combat zone and fight with us, that was an enabler.”

Then-Capt. Scott Huesing in Ramadi, Iraq, 2006. (Image: Scott Huesing’s Facebook)

Related: Navy SEAL: No, the military does not destroy your creativity

The Marine veteran is a published author since 2005. His upcoming book, Echo in Ramadi, is a ten-month snapshot in time that changed the face of operations on the battlefield. It promises to be a captivating story of Echo Company, 2d Battalion, 4th Marines during the Second Battle of Ramadi in support of the Multi-National Forces (MNF) Surge Strategy in 2006.

Echo in Ramadi’s book cover. (Image: Amazon)

His true-life account provides keen insights into what may be an unfamiliar world to readers, but very familiar to those, like Scott, who lived it and endured this historic fight.

Echo in Ramadi was written to honor the sacrifices and spirit of his Marines and the families they supported – it’s his way of honoring and paying tribute to troops he served next to.

Also Read: Military brats are highly skilled at reading people and bad situations

Hosted By:

Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and Managing Editor

Tim Kirkpatrick: Navy veteran and Editorial Coordinator

Orvelin Valle (aka O.V.): Navy veteran and Podcast Producer

Special Guest: Retired U.S. Marine, Scott Huesing

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This is why it’s so damn hard to play a veteran, according to an actor



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In this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, the crew speaks once again with standup comedian-turned-actor Tone Bell.

Tone isn’t a veteran, but as always, there’s a connection. On the Netflix show Disjointed, he plays a veteran who served on three Iraq combat deployments and now deals with the everyday struggles of a combat veteran.

To play the role, Tone studied multiple levels of PTS, the process of veteran transition, and the culture of cannabis, all while bringing his comedic charm to the character. These hot topics would send the average actor running toward the next potential part, but this comedian believes this role only made him a better thespian.

“You just want to get it right,” Tone Bell says. “You want people to appreciate it and not go ‘bullshit’ that’s not the way it happened.”

Tone Bell as “Carter” doing what he does best — exhales the comedy. (Netflix)

Since Hollywood doesn’t have the best track record of getting the veteran characters right, veterans tend to become very harsh in our criticism — something they feel entitled to do.

“It [the role of Carter] took a toll on me as a person in my day-to-day life,” Bell admits.

Since Disjointed Part: 1 debuted on Netflix, Tone received copious amounts of support from the veteran community for finally portraying a veteran the right way and not going over-the-top with his performance.

Related: These veterans may be the future of cannabis-based pharmaceuticals

You may recognize Tone in a few other shows like 9JKL, The Flash, Truth Be Told, and Bad Judge with Kate Walsh.

In Disjointed, Tone plays the character of “Carter.” He works as a security guard in a marijuana dispensary at Ruth’s Alternative Caring owned by Ruth Feldman (played by Kathy Bates).

Carter and Ruth shelling out the laughs. (Image source from Netflix Disjointed)

Also Read: This Green Beret will change what you know about action movies

All episodes of  Disjointed are currently streaming on Netflix — so check them out. They are hilariously funny.

Mandatory Fun is hosted By:

Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and Managing Editor

Tim Kirkpatrick: Navy veteran and Editorial Coordinator

Orvelin Valle (aka O.V.): Navy veteran and Podcast Producer

Special Guest: Standup comedian turned actor Tone Bell

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This Green Beret wants to help you find your personal A-Team

In Army Special Forces parlance, an A-Team is not a fictional squad featuring Mr. T – it’s a real thing. An Operation Detachment-A Team is made of 12 operators, each with a different specialty (but is of course cross-trained to another), to form the core team that makes up the Green Berets.

Greg Stube, a former Green Beret, believes anyone is capable of operating at the Green Berets’ level. His new book shows you how to build an A-Team in your own life to achieve your goals.

Stube enlisted in the Army infantry in 1988. Just four years later, he was reclassing as a Special Force Medical Sergeant. As a Green Beret, his training went much, much further. He learned surgery, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. He also went to dive school and SERE school, and became a master parachutist. Like every Green Beret, he became fluent in a foreign language – his language was Russian.

He was ready to conquer anything. He would have to be in the coming years.

Listen to our interview with Greg Stube on the Mandatory Fun podcast:

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His career spanned 23 years and included the end of the Cold War, the Gulf War, and the start of the Global War on Terror. During Operation Medusa in Afghanistan in 2006, Stube and his Green Beret team were outnumbered in the Battle of Sperwan Ghar – a week-long battle against the Taliban. Stube took a hit from a powerful IED, was shot numerous times, and was even on fire. He suffered wounds to his lower body and even nearly lost a leg. But after 17 surgeries in 18 months, Greg Stube miraculously recovered.

In that time, he learned that applying the way Green Berets are taught to accomplish a mission by any means necessary to his personal life he really could overcome any obstacle and any situation. His new book, Conquer Anything: A Green Beret’s Guide to Building Your A-Team, is a leadership book designed to help anyone use that mentality to achieve their personal and professional goals.

Stube’s newest mission is to share what he’s learned and to help make other people’s life a little better through his experiences.

“This is my attempt, from my life and career, to sum up the things I’ve done and witnessed in peace, conflict, and healing,” Stube says. “I just want people to know it’s not reserved for the military or a special forces team. Everything we learn and refine in those desperate situations can be used without all the pressure – without the life and death risk.”

Conquer Anything: A Green Beret’s Guide to Building Your A-Team is available on Amazon and will soon be available as an audiobook download on Audible, read by the author himself.

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Audible: For you, the listeners of the Mandatory Fun podcast, Audible is offering a free audiobook download with a free 30-day trial to give you the opportunity to check out some of the books and authors featured on Mandatory Fun. To download your free audiobook today go to audibletrial.com/MandatoryFun.

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