Security Halt!
The only Mental Health podcast that shares honest and authentic accounts of living with mental health issues, that's also hosted by individuals fighting the same fight you are!Providing information and resources for help with a heavy dose of humor and entertainment. Helping you find hope and the strength to fight on.
Security Halt!
Episode 192: Gordon Hurley, from Combat to Advocacy
How do soldiers navigate the extreme pressures of special operations while maintaining their mental and physical health? Join us for a riveting conversation with Gordon Hurley, a former Canadian Special Operations Forces operator, as he shares his journey from light infantry airborne reconnaissance to becoming a special operator and a Joint Terminal Attack Controller. Gordon recounts the rigorous training, grueling selection processes, and his deployment to Iraq during the Battle of Mosul, all while emphasizing the critical role humor and authenticity play in surviving the intense demands of military life.
Throughout our discussion, we shine a light on the importance of proactive health management for soldiers and veterans. Gordon shares personal anecdotes that underscore the necessity of addressing physical and emotional burdens head-on to avoid long-term damage. We talk about the impact of poor diets, the significance of maintaining a healthy weight, and the broader lessons learned from his military career. The conversation doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of transitioning to civilian life, especially with injuries and inadequate healthcare support, stressing the need for mental resilience and reframing experiences to avoid bitterness.
Finally, we delve into Gordon's post-military initiatives, particularly his involvement with Heroic Hearts Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and treating veterans. Gordon's passion for giving back and his efforts to create a comprehensive package of up-to-date veteran healthcare information are truly inspiring. This episode is a celebration of living fully through hardships, embracing discomfort, and the empowerment that comes from taking ownership of one's life and capabilities. Tune in for an episode filled with valuable insights, compelling stories, and a heartfelt look at the resilience of those who've served.
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Produced by Security Halt Media
security hot podcast let's go with a man who's the best with guns, with knives, with his bare hands, a man who's been trained to ignore, ignore weather, to live off the land. Job was disposed of enemy personnel to kill period and have a fun episode. Uh, you know life, life gets too fucking serious. Welcome back to another great episode of securepodcast. You thought I was going to stop using that as an intro, but I am not. It is back with me today is gordon hurley. Uh, former canadian soft operator. Salute, airborne recce, extraordinaire winner of the 12th annual best hair in soft competition and author of canada, the other place in north america yeah, and he has to watch me drink a blender full of protein.
Speaker 2:He wants to make this fun, so it was weird. Before we started, though, before he pressed, he pressed live. He was like I need you to arch your back like a dragon, and I was like what Do it? Do it now.
Speaker 1:It's the only way I can get off these days. Boy, we got a fun episode today, man, wow, oh man, the, so it's. It's. Look, we talk about mental health and stress and how to live your best life, but we got to be able to laugh and enjoy things. And I think what really really took me aback when our first conversations together through Instagram were just like team room conversations and I'm like, ok, this is awesome, this is what we got to do, because the reality is, when you get better, you still retain your humor, you still retain who you are, uh, so we can't forget that. We have to bring that up today. So, hurley, thank you for being here. Man, thank you, and, uh, let's dive into your journey.
Speaker 2:Man, tell us about yourself oh, man, I've been trying to refine it for the last while now because I talk so much. So, um, well, I did just shy of 15 years in the canine armed forces, half of which, uh, as you have said, was as a light infantry airborne reconnaissance patrolman. No big deal. And uh, then I made the jump to our special operations. So I went to, I first tried out for jtf2. Um, I passed my selection and I was told to come back, left you with like a pretty bitter taste in my mouth, um, but I was really immature and you don't realize that, even only until last couple years when I reflected back and been like, no, that is the right decision, uh, that they made. But that shit fired me up. So the next year I went to canadian special operations regiment.
Speaker 2:So they people don't like the tier system in canada because they think it's two different uh mandates and it's it is different um, but jtf2 holds, uh, the national uh alert. I guess like they're our first line of defense. And if shit pops off with uh police that they can't handle it, like in a rare circumstance, like a militia movement, then like, yeah, that would be their, their go-to. They shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot, they shoot. They're amazing shooters. That's the only difference between, in my opinion, like uh, operator from seesaw and jtf2 is that it's the same cut of man. It's just like you. It's just like when people oh, green brave versus navy, seal versus this, it's like, yeah, my dad would go hot and horny being like did you work with any seals?
Speaker 2:and it's like man it's, it's the cut, it's stop talking about the seals, stop talking about the seals.
Speaker 2:But yeah, so there's a. So there's, it's, I don't know a special forces guy. Is a special forces guy like, yeah, very, very small details as you move up? Um, so I tried out for canadian special operations regiment. I became a special operator. I did that for just shy about a year and a half. Two years. I was voluntold to become a JTAC.
Speaker 2:We don't have STS up here. We don't have combat controllers. There's no Air Force Special Forces, so it's organically created, which makes it unique. It also makes it really challenging, because you're taking meatheads and saying, hey, we need to make you do this extremely intricate and stressful job. Uh, so I did that, smashed it out. It was, yeah, it felt like I was doing uh like a timed ruck march, where it's like when you were in really good shape and you took it on as a competition and you like ran the whole thing and tried to get the best time. It was like that for my brain. It was like I felt like at the end of a mission or the end of a, even like a, an exercise and such it's like I felt like my nose was going to start bleeding. I'm like.
Speaker 1:Oh, my God.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, it was never. It was never I. People were like, oh, you were good, but I was. It was never comfortable with me. It was a lot of stress. What it did is it kind of gave me the keys to our special operations, because a G-TAC is a rare commodity and I was a nasty little recon honey badger for a long time. No, ask, no, get Better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission, etc, etc. And when I saw the value of what the position I held, then I kind of put pedal to the metal and I used it as leverage to be like yo, I should get that course, because like, if I'm working with those guys, then like I should probably have parity and like, yeah, that makes sense and etc, etc. So that continued.
Speaker 2:I did a deployment as a JTAC in Iraq during the Battle of Mosul. That was cool, just exposure to the other side of the military. So the S functions, like what that is. There was a big brain drain after Afghanistan within our military and it got worse and worse. And I found one of the big ones was was any type of uh, joint terminal attack controller? Knowledge still was guys, but very, very few, far in between. So when you have a soj attack, like, uh, that guy is the subject matter expert and he's the one liaising with like an american fires officer, uh, who has like 40 jtacs underneath them. You should probably be one of those 40 ones, probably near the bottom, and instead you're like what's up? I'm gordo, like don't, don't look at my rank, like look here, look here, I know what's going on.
Speaker 2:So it it really exposed me to the other side of the military where, um, sometimes I really wish I could have just been like the farting dick jokes cleaning the guns, like shooting at the range and stuff. And instead it's like okay, you're going to be briefing like the, the Jags on stuff and you're digging into policy and like government policy, like how can our government interact with NATO? How can they interact with America, and it's like there was no, there's no knowledge going on up there, like at those rank levels. So it's, I saw like it was on us to do and I took that is the ultimate why? Because I one, I was going on operations too. My best friends are going on operations, so like, yeah, this means a lot. And it sucked because, like, not only I wish I was back there just hanging out. It was a lot of responsibility to be like, have to grab yourself by the cojones and just like I need to say this to this major, you know what I mean and it's like it's not, he's probably not going to like it and then like, oh, he's a tier one squadron commander and it's just like. It's never rude or anything, but like you're the dude, you're the face of it and it's a lot of stress. So, as we get further in my career and you see operator syndrome, it's like that allostatic load is like I'm.
Speaker 2:I was a soldier. I chose to be a soldier. I chose to be like more soldiery. I was voluntold to be on the j-tac, so it that really accumulated. But I started to see the other side when I I knew I was going to exit the military around this time. So around 2017, I started coming up with my exit strategy and, uh, my, my spouse at the time was American. So, yeah, I was married to an American for seven years. I had a place in Virginia beach. It really confuses everybody, because whenever I talk to people, they're like why are you here and what did you do? Um, so after that deployment, when I was on break in Virginia beach. I went to the honor foundation. I don't know if you know about them. Shut went to the honor foundation.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you know about them oh yeah, I'll see the honor foundation so I'm a product of their making, same, same. So I owe them so much, so much. And uh, I walked into their office and I read tools of the titans on in in an op in iraq, and at the end of it he says like hey, if you're interested in like, just go ask for a cup of coffee and just go like go talk to them. And so I did that. And then I found out that, like that's a part of the program. It's like they want guys to get 50 cups of coffee because it opens them up. So I think I like schmoozed with my way in and that eventually I did it. When I released the military Um, a lot of injuries biggest one, I would say, is a partially detached retina went misdiagnosed for about six months. The guy said it was just old age and I needed glasses. It was like nearsightedness. And uh, I was like, yeah, dude, roger, that sounds good yeah, when can I go back to work?
Speaker 2:like, is this going to impede me? No, it's not so. Man, I did a full like readiness cycle, like six months of the most premier soldiering you can do, and uh, I did that all with a partially tied retina. So I would drive home to our base some night some days after jumping all day, and it was like an hour and a half two hour drive and like all of a sudden a lace curtain it would look like would go over my dominant eye and I was just like, well, that's trippy, okay, and then it would go away like later. And uh, yeah, that continued for six months.
Speaker 2:My medical guy, like it's not all their fault, it was like a month of me being like okay, yeah, the professional said to me that that it's just old age, so you just think that. And then it keeps progressing. So I talked to my doctor and he's like let me talk to my guy. Then all of a sudden it's two months and then it's like re-engage with the murder. Like, oh, yeah, right, let me talk to that guy. You're at three months, they can't. Then four months, they can't get me to see that guy. So now I'm gonna go see this guy over here.
Speaker 2:So now it's at five months and uh, beautiful summer day, parachuting all day, gonna go see uh, the ophthalmologist guy, uh, or optometrist, whatever the more advanced one is in town, jumped like five times that day, took the big work truck into town, go in there, uh, this little indian guy. He's just like backs away. He's like, uh, don't be afraid, but this is a medical emergency, I need to call the hospital right now. And I'm like, oh fuck, cool, cool, cool, cool. And uh, yeah, he came back in and he was like, okay, it's not, it's a partial dash retina, you're 0.3 microns, like super small measurement, unit of measure, away from having permanent, uh, vision loss. Because my retina that whole time was ripping off, because my the ocular pressure was three times as this one. So it's just pressure, pressure, pressure. And this entire time I'm doing like all this, like breaching, shooting heavy weapons, uh, jumping everything and working out like an animal, like dead left, like all that pressure. So he was like, what are you doing?
Speaker 1:and I was like, all right, close the door he was just like you are, so lucky you're not blind right now. Man, you know that that suspicious looking door in the stall at the local denny's yeah, you're just like he thought, he thinks he's gonna get a military answer this one time I ate 46 hot dogs at costco.
Speaker 2:That was it, sir. This is yeah this is a medical emergency. Like what a great day so yeah, dude that was serious.
Speaker 2:That took three surgeries to recover from. Uh, I made it back my first. The book I read on my recovery was, uh, fearless, the adam brown story. Just randomly, you know who I'm talking about. Yeah, maybe seal. Uh went to seal team six, lost his eye for everyone. He had a training accident and then he was like fuck it, take it, and then still banged it out. When he went to team six they were like you only have one eye and he said the standards, of standard. And uh, they were like okay and uh.
Speaker 2:So I read that book on my recovery and wow, like I think of that guy often. I've never met him, obviously, anything like that. But like that set it in stone for me to say, okay, man, like what are you going to do? Like you're going to back out and you're not going to go, you're not going to go do like you just read a book and a guy that did that and then like continue to deploy and unfortunately passed away. But like that makes it like more for me to be like nah, you should like honor that dude and like get back in the saddle.
Speaker 2:So I came back after three months off in Virginia beach and my doctor's like all right, like like process. I was like all right, get me back in there. And he's like what do you mean? I've had a lot of injuries. He was like what I told him? Told him same thing, man standards, the standard. If I can do it, then who cares? And I did it when I was back and I deployed like six, seven months later with the team and I would just make a joke like you guys got your one ig tag like this would be going to be sweet dude. Like uh, what so you?
Speaker 2:don't need two eyes to control. Yeah, it makes it way easier. Um, so that happened. I got my deployment and then, uh, covid was the year after that, in March, and I was, yeah, so I was married to an American and they shut the borders down. So that was like the end of that. And around the same time, I was like, okay, I'm enacting my release plan because I had all these injuries. It was like a golden ticket to get a medical release Cause I was so messed up and I didn't even know how messed up I was until, like, well, after it, Right, kate pate, all these like amazing human beings and uh, stuff's falling off, uh, stuff's like the, the wheels start coming off.
Speaker 2:I made it like a stupid promise to myself to like, not, the jtech cell had a really bad reputation for burning guys out because, yeah, you were one, you were one of one and you kind of had as much leash as you want and you can have as much as effect as you want and sometimes even going against a system, with logic, you're not going to achieve the effect that you want and that could sometimes still be like at the detriment to a ground force. So that's a lot to carry for for that amount of time with no, like, no, cool. Rank upgrade You're just like banging it out as a corporal, maybe a master corporal, sergeant, like. But rank upgrade You're just like banging it out as a corporal, maybe a master corporal, sergeant, like. But still the heavy lifting is done by these like young guys who are just like thrown into this position. So in my mind I'm like no, I'm not going to break. I can't like break in front of these dudes.
Speaker 2:Basically is, what is, I think, what I was thinking? And uh, that meant, like, when I put my medical release in, then I can like sit, I can like, okay, like I did it, I did it, I made it through, like not having an md or ad. Like I made it through my career. I didn't do that thing, that's fine, I didn't, I didn't take a knee and like, man, that was the probably the worst thing you could do. And uh, when you transition out of special operations I hear it from the american side too but, like you, when you get off that train, man, it's moving and it it doesn't stop. It doesn't stop for you, yeah, it's, it's the.
Speaker 1:It's a mentality while you're still in the team you think it's like, oh man, like I'll always be part of this. You know it's brotherhood, you earned your spot here that the wheel will continue to move without you. You have to understand that. If you're listening right now and you're identifying with anything that Gordo is sharing, understand there is a benefit to taking a knee. There is a benefit of getting better, of catching the issues that all of us have talked about and have shared with you over and over. You can't just go, go, go, go, go, go go.
Speaker 1:I will say that for both of us our careers we could have done 20 plus years if we would have stopped and maybe before we even enlisted, like taking a pause and address some health issues mentally and then, once we're in, maybe periodically stopped and actually got to surgeries because, like, we all have those stories of like, hey, I didn't want to come off a team, so I didn't say anything about that neck pain and it turned out to be an emergency surgery.
Speaker 1:Three years later Now you got a fused neck or the hip surgeries, the shoulder injuries that we see from our guys. Your career can flourish, you can still continue if you're willing to pause and I can. I can say that for even our civilian community members. Like, whatever you're doing in your life, whatever job you're into, whatever your profession is, don't just discount the bumps and bruises and pain you're going through. If you have an injury and they always tell us through training, right, is it pain or is it an injury? Pain, push through it. You know we're all we all have to go through that lesson. But if it's an injury, stop, address it, get help.
Speaker 2:It's hard, for I think about what I would say to me when I was like 24, 25. And it's just like man, I don't even I don't know if that guy would be like who are you dude? You know what I mean? Like I don't even know if that guy's gonna be like getting that. But this podcast, the like.
Speaker 2:There's a lot of of information out there and I heard it yesterday on the sean ryan podcast. Uh, shout out to him. And tom spooner yeah, he's a cool guest too and he was saying that like it's, there's so many treatment modalities now there's so many treatment modalities Now there's so many access ports for help and information that it's like it's like negligent on the soldier to to take the backseat and the victim thing. It's like damn dude, like there's no excuse anymore. This isn't. He said 20, 2006, for sure, there was definitely no resources back then, but, like, even for some of our younger dudes, like 2016, this information wasn't coming online either. So the more we spread it like, the more destigmatized it gets. And man, I would say, take the breaks. And for me, like I never watched my diet. I was always a big boy. I ran half marathons. I was like crushing dudes.
Speaker 1:It was very strange it like really messed people up.
Speaker 2:But uh, it's not good to carry the weight, it's not good what that does on your joints, cumulative over time. That 20 extra pounds next to the other, dude. So take care of your nutrition. I didn't. I just drank and ate whatever I want and worked out like a beast. But I think to myself like what would 20 pounds less over 15 years have done to my body? 20 pounds less forced, smashing into the ground every parachute, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah yep, dude, we grew up.
Speaker 1:We grew up and came up in the g-wad era and I idolized. I looked up to the fucking yoked out muscle dudes on the teams, like I was trying to figure out that fucking cheat code. I wanted to get fucking yoked out, I wanted to be the biggest dude. You chase it, you see those dudes and they look invisible. And then then it really shifted when you saw like those guys and the muscle injuries, the reoccurring problems, and then the mentality shifted and you straight, it all came out with fucking supple leopard. When you started seeing these crossfit dudes, the real hybrid athletes, then you're like wait a second, you're not getting the injuries that we're getting. You're you're over there doing this thor 3 plan and you're fucking crushing life like you're. You're doing marathons on the fucking weekend, like right.
Speaker 1:So the culture is shifting. I've seen that that's a true model of an athlete and in a warfighter profession that's a reality of it. You want to be the ultimate fucking dude on a team. Stop trying to chase the fucking weights like you're a bodybuilder. Bodybuilders aren't made to go and to do what you're a bodybuilder. Bodybuilders aren't made to go in to do what you're doing. Stop idolizing that.
Speaker 1:I think a lot of guys are finally keen into that, and when I look at the true soft professionals that I ended up working with and seeing the shift, it's like, oh, the young men idea, the young men mentality, oh I need to be jacked and tan and do all this stuff. No, no, no, you got to take into account nutrition. You got to take into account, like, what your body's going to be demanded to do in combat run, move. All those come like complex movements that we weren't thinking about like and nowadays you're seeing it a lot more. So I think the culture shifted. But yeah, for 100, for what we come up with, what we saw was like, yeah, I'm, yeah, I'm going to be floating jack to 10.
Speaker 1:80% of my muscle mass is in my chest. Yes, because you're going to be doing chest benching in combat.
Speaker 1:Oh, we're so dumb, that's all right, but you live and learn, man, and I think you brought up the other like a little bit ago. What would your younger self say if you like traveled through time? And I think mine would probably fucking double tap me two to the chest and one to the head for bringing up any of this information. It's like you're fucking weak. We're not going to be talking about this stuff.
Speaker 1:So I'm hoping that the younger generation, the guys, the younger audience members, are listening and understanding like dude, take this advice and take this understanding that they this will make you better in all spheres of your life. Like don't wait till you're in your late 30s and 40s to address all these issues. Then you're fucking having to go through the same shit we went through take advantage of our knowledge and and start thriving. Man like survival like we got, like I know I got used to it. It's like fuck, come home, drink repeat, drink, repeat. And just like you're just surviving. It's like fuck that. Like when you have time to actually live your life like ah yeah, yeah, it's the, it's, it's.
Speaker 2:you don't realize. I know a lot of guys who medically released uh, not by choice, and that's usually the guys that have the a really hard time with it. And I guarantee, if you could have offered them five extra years, even for me, like yeah, I was like okay, I have enough injuries and I'm feeling pretty messed up and I think it's time to go like disgruntled blah, blah, blah and uh, if I didn't have those physical injuries or mental injuries, then, like you said, it'd be another five, 10 years, maybe it would be completing a full career. And then for the guys that do get medically released, you have a hard time because it was not by choice, I guarantee you they would want those extra five 10 years. They would want those extra five ten years. So it's extremely important to take care of yourself and, for the love of god, man like I. So I released, I guess at 36 and 15 years and, uh, I had shoulder surgery, knee surgery, back to back, uh, I had like two surgery, but that's not the same.
Speaker 2:And I just signed paperwork for uh, elbow surgery about two weeks ago. I can't like and yeah, and they've been treating that as tennis elbow for two years. I don't have a family doctor, like, welcome to Canada, we don't have a VA hospital, so everyone like physiotherapy, all these people are like, yeah, it's tennis elbow, let's massage it, and it's like, no, it was loose bone fragments and it's been like cutting my elbow the whole time. But no one knew that for two years. And uh, oh god, I'm not losing the start. Let me oh when you just break.
Speaker 1:This break is brought to you by tbi if I knew.
Speaker 2:When I signed that paperwork I was so upset that day Like I was extremely triggered. My wife's like damn, I didn't even like know what to say. Because it's like I've never felt regret with the things I did, because I feel it's fair exchange. I got to do the coolest stuff ever and I volunteer for it. Everything Do I believe in like equal compensation for things breaking, like yes, but I've never felt like damn dude, like what the f? Like yeah, I can't. I have a hard time picking up my daughter and holding her. I have to.
Speaker 2:I got I it's not I put in for tennis elbow to veterans affairs denied, it's not uh, not uh, associated to my service so I have have no funding so I bought a $150 cast off of Amazon. So like when I do stuff, uh, cause it's four to six months for the surgery they don't know when, like Canadian healthcare systems, bad dude, four to six months. And I'm like graphic design is like my new shtick and like video. So like it hurts a lot, it hurts all day long. It feels like pins and needles and I'm I know injuries and it's like in the last three weeks it's like went from. It would hurt after if I did a chest or if I did any hard motion and to now it hurts all the time and it's very sensitive to touch. So I'm like, okay, this is going downhill and like I need to figure out how to last four to six months until my surgery to make sure that I can do graphic design at least, so at least, cause I'm afraid it's going to get too messed up that when I'm like doing this it's going to I'm not going to be able to do computer stuff. So I'm out of my own pocket buying a arm cast so I hold it in place so I can pick up my daughter and blah, blah, blah.
Speaker 2:And it's just like if I that stuff isn't on, you know, I mean like I've been out of the military for almost three years and like I've been in recovery for like a lot of it and that we're not even and what does that do mentally to a dude who was like a stud? You know I mean who was, who, maybe being a big boy, but would like crush it with the guys, and now you're just like buying cast off of amazon man, like uh, yeah it, it sent me for a little bit of a, a spiral, just to like wrap my mind around and I've, I've reframed it and it is what it is. But uh, damn man, take care of your bodies. Guys, like fuck, take care of your bodies.
Speaker 1:But it's important to also like pause in this moment, because I know there's, like thousands of veterans with the same experience and if you don't stop and understand and reframe it, it turns into bitterness, it turns into resentment, turns into anger, hate, and then you're taking it out on your spouse, your friends, your kids.
Speaker 2:Dude, I understand the same organization that you're so angry about, that has failed. You is actually controlling you with your, with you letting it override your life. Did I have a rough couple days? Did I drink? Yeah, and like that's normal life, guys, that's normal life. But when I like calmed down and I knew I had to get my frequency right, was meant that, like I needed to get this right. And just like victor frankel, like my homie from my homie, the psychologist and world war ii concentration camp survivor, yeah, your mind is the most powerful thing you have and you have complete control over how you want to feel or how you want to respond to something, and no one wants to hear that shit. I'm tracking that, guys. But like you are giving the organizations or whatever thing you're angry about, the power right back and it's just gonna be a cycle, so take the power back absolutely.
Speaker 1:And and man, another great, great, amazing author I I found um his book through getting help, man's search for meaning. And we'll go on this little tangent, because there's so much knowledge in that book that speaks to us veterans. To speak to anybody that's suffering, suffering for the sake of just suffering is not good for us. Take that pain, understand that like, okay, I'm limited in my my mobility, but I don't want to sit here in the suffering. I can give back, I can do something, I can be of service to somebody. And that sounds crazy, right? You're telling me that I'm suffering, in my pain, I can't move without back pain and knee pain and you want me to help and be of service to others. Fuck you, denny. No, here's why. Here's why it's proven to work.
Speaker 1:Stop looking inward, stop focusing on your own fucking journey and the pain and the bitterness and resentment, and turn that outward and look for good. Look for something you can do for somebody else. And here's the thing when you do something for others, when you're helping your family, your friends or even a stranger, that gratitude, that compassion, that hey, man, thank you for helping me that little bit of connection with somebody else is going to help you through your suffering. Don't believe me. Why do you think that I do peer-to-peer support? Why do you think I sit here and I bring these awesome peoples and have these conversations? Because I know it matters to somebody. It's going to help connect somebody that's, in that moment, lost and in pain.
Speaker 1:And if what Gordon is sharing right now, if what I'm saying or what any of the past guests say, to bring them a moment of relief, then fuck yeah, dude, we get so connected with our own suffering, with our own pain, that we forget that others have it worse or just as bad and they need somebody there. If you can do something good, of service to somebody else in a dire situation, man, it'll help you feel connected to the world. To help you put a reference of what you're dealing with. For the longest time, I couldn't walk without constant fucking pain and that script became something that was infinitely more powerful than anything I ever experienced. I'm constantly in fucking pain. Fuck this world. I'm always in pain.
Speaker 1:It became my fucking identity, the wounded soldier and the and the va and everybody you talk to that doesn't really understand. Veterans will continue. The wounded soldier. Some pain dissipates quickly some doesn't.
Speaker 1:And that's okay too. Life is about being able to go through your life, go through the suffering and understand that this is a part of the journey. I don't want to numb out, I don't want to just take medication to numb the pain. I would rather have pain and discomfort than live in a state of comfort, and that's what a lot of people are being told to do. Smoke yourself to a fucking point where you're numb, drink yourself to a point of oh hey, baby, pop all these fucking medications and just quietly fucking drool all over yourself. I don't want to live that life. Unfortunately, I've seen friends die from that life and I don't want to see anybody else go through that.
Speaker 1:And I'm telling you right now, as Gordon has shared, we all live with pain. It's normal. Abnormal amounts of pain are out there and you can get help for chronic pain that just doesn't go away, so it dials back. But trust me, there is a way to approach life and understand that pain is a part of it. Whether it's emotional pain or physical pain, it's okay. Choose discomfort, treat it to the point where it's livable. Treat it to the point where you can get up and be like, yeah, I might not be able to run a fucking marathon, but I can walk for 40 minutes, I can work out and do yoga.
Speaker 1:Man, there's nothing more powerful than seeing people take ownership of their life and be able to say you know what? I don't want to just numb out. Numbing out is for fucking quitters, it's for people that just want to survive, and I want everybody out there listening, especially our veterans and first responders and our civilian brothers and sisters choose to thrive, and thrive sometimes means embracing the hard fucking work. That is life, man, and it's beautiful. We don't want a life of comfort. What does a life of comfort mean? Mean? People on social welfare and on programs that don't do anything that's exactly real.
Speaker 2:It's like you said like man, bad shit happens. That's that's life you should, I want you should. I want my life when I die. I want to be tired. I want to be tired from living, and that includes the highs and lows.
Speaker 2:I want to be like grandpa's old baseball mitt, just soft, supple leather for hundreds of years of of failing and getting up and failing and getting up and failing and getting up, and every time you fail it's not the same level as it was before. Every time you get up it's at a higher level from before. And a big thing you don't realize is like when you're so focused on everything else is like you've actually climbed a huge hill or a huge ladder and your resilience and and the love of life of it, all of the beauty, because a good drama movie, like good scary movie, it's the same thing. That's life. Everyone wants it. So they're on their phone, they're getting their catered little like instagram. This is it. These are my ideas. All my friends have the same ideas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, life don't work like that. It doesn't work like that. And when it comes to uh, injuries and doing stuff like my company's called all the way uh, shameless plug, but no, please do it really. It really is about a lifestyle. It doesn't matter what your injuries are, it doesn't matter what state you are, as long as you're still pursuing 100% of that capability, as long as you are doing all the way as much as you can within your own capacity, that's it. That's it. So buy my t-shirts.
Speaker 1:Do it, do it now. I love that man. Uh, we we forget how much we've overcome resilience that we developed in the military and it is a gift. And and people hear that, like what the fuck are you talking about? Like basic training was a kick in the dick. Fucking. Going to freaking. 82nd airborne was a kick in the fucking dick. Going to selection was a kick in the dick. Deployments a kick in the fucking dick. Going to selection was a kick in the dick.
Speaker 1:Deployment's a kick in the dick, yeah, but it also brought you the greatest moments in your life. You met fucking your best friends. You met teammates. You were able to go on stage at different schools and graduate and receive freaking admiration from individuals within your organization. And you graduated hard courses and you learn to do hard things and when you get a chance to do those things or show preparedness to your family and friends, like you get excited because it's a part of you that you wish you could always tap into and you can't don't just focus on the hard, painful things you went through and just discount them as being like, oh, there's just horrible parts, no, there's greatness and all those hard things you did. Like I look back funnily.
Speaker 2:All that shit the soul and we'll jump to the transition is that, like, soldiers are the worst at being able to uh apply their skills to uh how they want to sell themselves to organizations and businesses. And it's like I had a guy in africa tell me, uh, on a trip to the airport. He was like like well, what are you going to do? And I already had my plan, I was already talking with honor foundation and I'm like, yeah, I'm going to use the skills here that the S functions of the military are the C suite of the business class. So, like you just put two and two together and I worked that angle for it. But I remember this guy being like what do you know about soldiering? And like, how is that going to be applicable? And I think about it even more and more and more these days, especially with being a father of like a young, a young daughter.
Speaker 2:Is that being a good soldier means you're a good human being. It means you know the correct and you know the the incorrect it it. There are so many times where I would never think of that thing I did when I was a basic reconnaissance patrolman or an infant here, of doing the right thing, never pass a fault. All these like stupid things you think are stupid. But when you become a normal, a regular human being and you go out there, it's like that's not how the real world works. It's very, very different. So you being able to apply those things as as as stupid as you think they are is like light years beyond what's happening out here within the normal society. So the guys don't realize how powerful.
Speaker 2:If you were a shit pump, that's one thing. But if you were a good soldier like you have so much value and especially, especially if you want to go in and make some disruption and disturbance within the business sector. Everybody can learn. Everybody can learn the stuff you like. Everybody can read a book and go to school and learn. I mean the things you learn as a soldier. Then the hardships and the resiliency and all that sucks, but you still stuck it out. That's the things that like separate you and you will think it's normal. The business side might be hard, but when it comes to leadership, teamwork, integration, communication, problem solving, conflict resolution, man, that's going to be your bread and butter no-transcript.
Speaker 1:I had done up to that point, like all the things I had done my entire military career. They really did prepare me like you just have to understand that fear is a part of the process. Just factor that in and then do everything you've done for a deployment backwards planning. Looking at like all the things, like okay, there is a certain amount of money that you will be getting, whether you're military, uh, medically retired, or you're retiring at 20 or you ets. Factor in all the knowns and then look at all the unknowns and start plugging in factors.
Speaker 2:Right, and it's yeah, it's mission plane like a type, a typology, typography, typology I don't know, it's an exhaustive list in the business world right, where it's like you just go through everything and you risk mitigate um, that is especially in soft, super bread and butter and you will crush anything you want to do in the regular life. Basic things like, oh, the government needs three quotes from from whatever vendors. Yeah, that that is like not a normal thing, it's taught in business schools and stuff. But it's like not just like known, but for us we're like, oh, like, why are they making me do this course?
Speaker 2:and it's like no that is really good business practice, yeah and same with like a small team did a small team deployment and the prep for it was like gordo, you're in charge of, uh, the food meat plan for the next six months. Like what does that mean? It's like a young, young operator, like okay, it's like that means you're gonna figure out everything that we need to eat and you're gonna have to plan for that for six months and you're gonna need to go lincoln with these people and come up with a with a six-month feeding plan for your group in africa, like in an austere place.
Speaker 2:How are you gonna get it? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. It sounds so mundane, you know. I mean you're just like like what, no, dude, that is serious planning. Like you tell that to someone in a city side, they're gonna be like, whoa, that's some competent stuff. And we just like when's the next range? And it's like, yeah, roger, that. But like you shoot your guns on the weekend, like you're gonna have to get a job after this and life doesn't stop.
Speaker 2:And I like business. I like kind of that environment because it's still competitive. It kind of gives me the vibe of like I like it because the success is more on my shoulders and not like it was about the team before, but now you're off your solo. So it's like, hmm, can I do this? Like how can I do it on our foundation? Like, insert them. And you start seeing it and just like, uh, if you need help, there are so many organizations willing to help you with transition that like guys, there's no excuse anymore. Go on YouTube, reach out. You're're not worthless, you have a lot of skills yeah, or reach out to us the security podcast.
Speaker 1:You just go to set go to open up your email and type this in oh wait, we're telling you ready, everybody, okay, set call. Podcast at gmailcom. That's s e c podcast at gmailcom. Hit us up. You're transitioning. Need some pointers on what organizations to reach out to? Let us know and we will send you a list of organization to go to. And here's a cheat code for you. We will. We're going to recommend the honor foundation. That's what helped me in my journey. That's what's helped gordon, that's what's helped a vast majority of our guests get that understanding of what to do.
Speaker 1:For the next step, let me tell you what's one thing that you're going to have to figure out for yourself, and that is your passion. That is what you are really truly passionate about. Everybody wants to focus on the money, and I get it. You have kids to feed. You have a wife to take care of. You've got two dogs to take care of and a cat if you're in the Navy.
Speaker 1:But I will tell you this none of that is going to prepare you for that seven month freaking. Come to Jesus moment where you're like I fucking hate finances and I hate working at a bank. Don't go into that If you're not passionate about it. What is your passion. I am asking you right now whether you're driving or you're at home listening to this with your family. I hope to God you're not doing that, because we are not rated for kids. But let me tell you this Take a full weekend that's right, a full weekend and just meditate and think about what you're passionate about, and it's not. Don't think of anything being too funny or too impossible. Really think and write out what you're passionate about, because I will tell you this from my own experience, seeing my own friends are prepared for this and they went into what they were actually passionate about.
Speaker 1:Individuals are thriving in things like working for NASCAR, working for Fox working at ESPN, working for Apple, for Google all these things that you think are impossible are actually very much possible If you sit down and you think about what you're passionate about, if you think about what you really want to do yeah, I think the passion part, too, is what gets people all messed up.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm passionate about like, oh, like, uh, agendas, books. I'm passionate about books. Fine, fine, denny, that's what I'm passionate about, right, because that's what guys are going to do, like, what does that even mean? What does that?
Speaker 1:even mean. How am I supposed to mean? How am I supposed to make?
Speaker 2:money. Pump the brakes, check this out. I like books, I want to be an author. I want to be an author Not saying I can't be an author, but let's just put that out there. Or, yes, let's keep it with that. I am not going to get published anytime soon and I'm exiting the military and I need a job. Okay, I love books. So, mega goal I want to become an author. Small time goal I want to work in that industry. So then you're surrounded by it and you're working with books and it's that's what you're passionate about. If you want to become an astronaut you want to hit me up with that.
Speaker 2:Okay, maybe you're 39 years old, exiting the military after 17 years, pretty broken, and are not going to become an astronaut, but you could probably go work for nasa in some way, or you start your own business that, like, has a small portion of the suit that the astronauts use. And then you are engaged, and that's what denny's trying to say is that you have to be. That passion is engagement, and I can say I moved to my location here for real estate because it was cheap, but it's cheap because their social infrastructure is cheap. You know, I mean, and I didn't think about this. And I'm landlocked I'm not close to the water so I can't go paddleboarding all the time, but I was so focused on money and that like and that's fine, because that's a big part of of being secure as a human being, like money, so it was a good decision.
Speaker 2:But, like now that I'm here and I'm settled and guys, it will take you a long time to get. I'm still in the transition and I'm two and a half years through it and only now that's why you're seeing me on podcasts is that I'm feeling comfortable enough to talk about it. So it's not like just like he got out and things are good, man, it's two years, two and a half years so. But think about it, it's not just about money, like when, when the frequency calms down and that spring gets uncoiled, that's your brain and your emotions. Then the dust is going to settle and you're really going to see what's most important and I would probably think money is not one of them a lot of the time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you have to look at the other thing too. That I didn't even factor in were all the benefits and resources that you have available to you, because nonprofit work is out there and you never know what you could use as that stepping stone to that real endeavor that you want to do. So if you want to work at a business but need to have to, you have to get a certain degree. You have college benefits. Go back to school. I always tell people if you have a passion for something like going into law or becoming a doctor, don't discount that, because there are resources to get you there. There are resources that will get you. You know you would get paid while you go to school.
Speaker 1:You'll be able to study what you're passionate about and at the end of that road and it's a journey, I get it it's like frigging Frodo and Sam going to Mordor, becoming a doctor, becoming a lawyer, becoming any of these certifiable skills. That take a lot. It takes a lot. It takes a lot of dedication, commitment, but it will get you there. You will be able to get there to that journey. And the other thing that not sleep on is trades, journeymen, friggin hvac, anything. If you want to do construction. You want to go home inspection?
Speaker 1:we got people that are doing that right now and all it takes money yeah, and all it takes is figuring out that, like I, have a passion for this right, we got people.
Speaker 2:It doesn't need to be the astronaut thing or anything. It could be whittling wooden spoons, that's fine, but like, uh, you can structure it so that you can still get money, which everyone needs, but still be passionate. Work is work, right. Sometimes I guess that's maybe not the nicest thing to say, but truly I wish I could just make graphic design and do cool stuff. I guess I'm on my way, I know my why, but there's still going to be some stuff that you're going to have to sacrifice and it's still going to be work. It's like rucksacking. People are like what's the best rucksack man? Put 100 pounds in anything. It's going to feel like shit on your back.
Speaker 1:So, like you, just got to do it. Yeah, and it's. It's exactly what you said. Like I structured my, my next step methodically, doing what I love to do, like I love audio production and podcasting. And when I finally put myself out there, when I finally was willing to see, like, hey, I can produce shows and get paid to do it, that first contract, with that first frigging for that first year of production work, was the greatest success I had, understanding that, like there's value in what I do. I can produce something and everybody can get there.
Speaker 1:You just have to be willing to bet on yourself. And that's the thing that people people look at the journey and people say like, oh man, I fuck you. You, you got lucky. No, I didn't. I didn't get fucking lucky. I worked my ass off and I made three to four seasons of shitty podcast. That was lucky. And I put myself out there and I said, hey, I can do this for you. Like, here's my proof. And the stories are out there Individuals that bet on themselves, there's entrepreneurial courses that are for free. There are people willing to teach you how to do what you're passionate about. You just have to say I'm going to bet on myself and I didn't want, want to I didn't want to at first and I'm sure you didn't want to at first.
Speaker 2:I say it's uh, you're jump qualified. You said you're 82nd, you're worn. Yeah, I was gonna wear a worn shirt today. So we have a thing called airborne fridays at the unit. But, um, when the light goes green, yeah, you're jumping, dude you, when you're about to breach, you're not standing in the door. This is the same thing. You have to commit, and it's the biggest, scariest thing. Is that unknown? But guess what? You're an airborne soldier, you've done anything like it's. You just have to commit, just commit, turn it off and commit. It's gonna, it's gonna be fine.
Speaker 2:I had a buddy tell me because he's doing well and, uh, I have like my little clothing thing and I have a good, good batch of like ideas, like the roll-on's gonna come, don't worry guys. But I was like why? There's something else. I'm like why are? Why are people doing this? Like what do you mean? And he's like man, the difference between successful people and unsuccessful people are the successful people. Do it. Yeah, that's it, that's it Just do it. Do it, it's not. And, like you said, you're going to produce, you're going to. You're never going to be probably fully happy with the quality if you are a perfectionist, but nonetheless, like the process is there and it turns out like look at you, a beautiful man running his own podcast.
Speaker 1:You got a nose ring, dude. I'm living my best life, yeah, and people and people. You have to be ready when you put yourself out there, especially in this space where you're creating something like don't let somebody else's fear and opinions deter you from your fucking dream and move in silence if you don't have people that are going to back you and you don't have support structure, like a family, a wife, kids move in fucking silence like everybody sees security hall. Nobody knows like very few times. People know the other podcasts I produce and that's fine, and people don't know what I'm doing on the on the other side, because real g is moving silence and I'm not going to give away my dream. I'm not going to give away everything.
Speaker 1:I'm working on the back side because, right, motherfucking critics love to fucking and you see it everywhere and I talked about this a while ago crab mentality. There's a lot of motherfuckers that slide and that will be there in the background hoping you fucking fail. Absolutely don't give them this, don't give them the fucking info. Keep moving if you don't have people listening to you that you can vent and share about what your passion and dream is. Fucking, slide in our fucking inbox, talk to us share with us Right the community resources.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the community is doing it right. Yeah, deeds, deeds, not words, as like. Like you, the last couple years, that's really. If I could go back and tell myself something when I was a young soldier, it would be to shut the fuck up um two years. Two years, one mouth, you know, I mean. And uh, when you go into the real world, one, if you network properly, you're gonna be surrounding yourself with people that are way better than you. So immediately you're going to be like okay, and you're going to listen and you're going to understand to listen and it's way way better when you listen than talk, and you'll hear, you'll pick up on things.
Speaker 2:And it's like I think Tim Ferriss had another I saw he quoted that like a couple months ago, I think where he was just like don't tell people your goals. And I used to talk about it all the time to people. Yes, I love talking man, I love it and I have this goal and that goal. It's like we're like where's the follow through? It's like more.
Speaker 2:It's like, if anything, you're wasting time of your life trying to explain this idea when you're not actually doing the idea and it's not worth it and and things might change. So then all of a sudden you might sound like a person who's just doing this and doing that and doing this and doing that. What's the alligator closest to you? What's the alligator closest to the boat? Focus, build your plan and then execute on that and don't get distracted by everything else that's coming in. Just what's in front of you Piecemeal, piecemeal, piecemeal. And next thing you know you're running your podcast, et cetera. And you and next thing you know you're running your podcast, etc. And you don't need to tell people it and it will be way cooler when you drop that shit on them yeah, it's the.
Speaker 1:I heard the same thing. And, from a psychological standpoint, when you're constantly talking about things, it normalizes the idea and you get comfortable. And then you're, then you don't do it. Then you've met these individuals before. I'm going to go to range school. I'm going to go to selection. I want to be this, I'm going to be this. They talk about it, talk about it, talk about it, talk about it. They don't fucking do it. Right, then there's no-transcript. This fucking country boy like that's the motherfucking attitude you need, like people gonna bet against you. Don't give them the ability to fucking talk shit to you yum, yum, yum.
Speaker 2:Yeah, bring that down, only keep it in your brain. But you don't need that negativity in your life. And it's man people, real g's too, will respect the walk more than the talk. So whatever you need to tell yourself for me, like a big, I think it was that tim ferris post, it was like maybe six months ago, but it really I knew just uh. There's a book, j sh. I think it was that Tim Ferriss post, it was like maybe six months ago, but it really I knew just uh. There's a book, jay Shetty, I think it's called think like a monk. That book helped me a lot because like thief is the comparison of joy.
Speaker 2:I don't know if he said that, but it comparison is the thief of joy whatever when you're comparing people and when you're jealous of people, that's actually like you're holding a mirror up to yourself and that is a reflection of how you are doing it, and like you don't need that shit. You don't need that stuff, so let it go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which is another thing that I've seen in our community to the soft operations. We talk about community and being fucking supportive of everybody. But there's a perfect example. There's a gentleman out there I'm not going to say his out there, I'm not going to say his name, I'm not going to say the company, but he's facing allegations of something really bad and immediately, immediately, 50 000 fucking pages show up and all these individuals talking shit about the dude oh, now he's going to jail for this. X, y and Z. I'm like dude.
Speaker 1:Just 24 hours ago you were on this dude's nuts talking about his company, how great his products are, and now you're fucking shitting on him because he's a human being. He made a mistake. If he did, I don't know. All I know is the amount of hate that come towards somebody when they're successful is fucking ridiculous. And it's exactly what you said. It's a refluxion of your jealousy and everything that you feel inadequate about. It's none of your business or concern how somebody is struggling with life, what they get in trouble for with the law. It's none of your fucking concern. Focus inward in your own journey. Try to be a better person. And why do we always chat like and and that mentality of like yeah, fuck, yeah you failed, you're in trouble.
Speaker 2:It's like fuck, dude, just I love it. I see I see this weird hate now, man, and I see people buried in their phones looking down and I have changed my attitude. Like to the right people, I'll be like, hey, man, maybe there's like a different way to view life, other than that. Keep doing that shit, man, because I know the more people that aren't focused inwards and like pursuing the betterment in their life, like I don't even want near me. You're not like getting it, dude. That like life, life is, is bigger, is bigger than this.
Speaker 1:And championing for somebody's downfall. That's just crazy.
Speaker 2:It's you're so many people's eyes are off the ball and that is the society's issue right now, like we'll see all of North America, all the woke stuff, everything. It's like, guys, there's some serious, serious issues that we could be like trying to figure out right now. And I get it. And it's like you can be whatever you want and do whatever you want, like in in a re, in, like as long as you're not breaking the law, but like there's some bigger things at play right now and no one, no one cares, no one cares. It's just like. No, we're going to keep doing that, we're going to keep going this way and it's like man, you guys, but I is off the ball.
Speaker 2:I feel society now is so spicy. Like I think about protecting my family, not in a weird way of like oh, I need lots of guns and stuff, but like I, who's that guy from out west, like 30 seconds out? No one's coming. It's up to you like yo for real, dude, if you think you can like rely on services, sure, but that shouldn't be. You're like it should be self-aid, uh, buddy aid from there, and you're relying on the stuff and we're seeing like a deconstruction of of it and people are still just keyboard warrior.
Speaker 1:look at this guy did look at this guy did it's like dude man like do you have a?
Speaker 2:do you have a first aid kit in your house? Do you have have things that are important to you for your survivability? I don't know.
Speaker 1:It's crazy. You're right.
Speaker 2:I used to say I want to make a sticker because I used to get angry at my dog and then I finally, probably around the same time I'm having a lot of more self-reflection and meditation and stuff and I just realized I'm getting angry at the dog, not like real angry, but like why are you doing that? It's like he's a dog man. Like what do you mean? Dog's going to dog, human is going to human.
Speaker 1:Alligator's going to alligator Right, Right, Dude, real quick man. In this second chapter of your life, what are some things that you're excited about? What's the creativeness Cause? This is a whole different endeavor. This is just like myself going into the creative space Like what energizes, energizes you and gets you excited when you wake up. What are some things in the on the horizon that you're working towards?
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, graphic design wise it's. I wish I could just do the illustrations and and I think when I'm retired, like really retired, I'll be like in the programs more. But I see that there's a space to grow all the way into something bigger and so I'm going to lean on like my business, uh, like experience, like leverage of talking to people, to be able to grow this to to be something bigger. I think there's a gap in the canadian market for, uh, cool looking apparel, no shade to anyone else um, and I think I can fill it from the veteran health care space. Man, uh, I am, I am a person of service.
Speaker 2:I hated that shit when I left the military, where they're like your servant leader, blah, blah, blah, I was so angry at the military and so angry at the institution. I never want to be serve in servitude to anybody ever again. Yeah, and I'm a big fan of working with people. I don't want to work for people like I don't care what company you are, how big you are, like that might change if you offer me a million bucks, but like you get it. Like I feel like the military kind of burned that, uh, that bridge for me where I have such distrust of like of that. So I found out, though, that I am a little bit of a servant.
Speaker 2:Um, I spent a year just over a year volunteering with at-risk youth. That really grounded me. When you were talking about volunteering All y'all medical release dudes feeling sorry for yourself, for real. Shut the F up, man. Go down to homeless shelter, go somewhere, go work with people that are a true need, and then let's have a checkup in two months and see if you have some more gratitude in your self-pity puddle. Yeah, wow, uh, hope you don't get hate for that, um, so that's okay, you can refer all hate mail to Gordo Gordo Gordo at hotmailcom.
Speaker 2:So I've kind of embraced it a little bit. I started seeing the non-profit space. Uh, I had a buddy in distress, I helped him get in touch with, or I ended up getting in touch with, royal cards canada. So there's an american version, royal cards project, usa, massive non-profit leading the charge down the states. Uh, we're not set up in canada. They have no money. They have no money, so we have no money. So we need money. Everyone's ghosted, our executive director, all the big money people. So I've been helping him behind the scenes and now I'm going to use my graphic design to help lead their head of engagement for Roller Karts Canada and kind of get the social media going and deliver to the community to say, hey, man, we got no money, but we have the information. The moment we have money, we can start running clinics and getting people treatment.
Speaker 2:The unique thing about Canada is that it's legal, above board and it'll all be in partnership with a clinical research study through universities. So all of this data that we get from it will be like used above it. We're not just. We can't just send a dude to go do ayahuasca in Peru from a dirty water bottle and like enchilada and like everything's good Well, there's nothing wrong with that. But like legally, as like what we're doing with heroic arts, canada is trying to make sure that the government is accepting this and veterans affairs is accepting this and then start to cover it. And we can't do that. And it pisses a lot of people off because, like I know, other organizations work and they do amazing work and it breaks our heart that we can't just like send a dude to get that. But we have to turn around to health Canada and say our hand on our heart, not our hand or heart paperwork, medical, real paperwork. I'd be like, yeah, man, this is as if you went to a hospital in Canada or a nurse practitioner's clinic, whatever. So I'm taking over that position and that kind of goes hand in hand with the webinars I'm doing monthly right now.
Speaker 2:Came from a place of hate and anger, from looking down seeing America. I heard yesterday there's like 80 something nonprofits for your special operations alone. So much advancement, so much money, so much support. It's truly a reflection of uh, the Canadian, the national, uh opinion on the military. So I think, face to face, when I talk to people, they are truly supportive of our military and I think there are a lot of them. But because it's not talked about, it's not like a, it's not put into, like, oh, our military needs x amount of money. They just don't talk about it. So then there's more money to other resources.
Speaker 2:Obviously this is fucking gordo, talking to you not like a political strategist, but from my perspective, the the view on the military is just like they don't know and they don't know and it's like not their fault. Because when you talk to them they're like we love the military, like so many old people, like go kill the taliban. Like, as you walk away, they're like go get them, I hope you kill a bunch of them. You're just like jesus sweet, go canada. Like you, that's. That's not, this is america.
Speaker 2:But, um, I realized nothing was getting done about it. I started having connections within the community, down the down the States, with, like Dr Kate Pate shout out, and I was like dude, do you want to do a podcast or you want to do a webinar? And I'm going to put it on for the community. I don't care, I'll do it all myself. And she was like yeah, absolutely. I went to my executive director for heroic arts and I was like I'm going to do this thing and he's like nice, where are you going to get the money for it? I was like what do you mean? What money? Like it's zoom, it's free, it's free, nah nah, nah nah, so it.
Speaker 2:Uh, yeah, it's like 17, 1800 bucks, which I knew it's not that much money and I was willing to pay for it myself, but I thought it would have a lot more weight that if I incorporated all the businesses across Canada that were soft owned software operated, that this would carry more weight to the community and they would see like, wow, everybody's on board with it. Um, I had another guy particularly step up and donate another like 3,500 bucks on that original one to get the large format webinar and, uh, one person has led to the next person has led to the next person and it's like what you said earlier. I have a saying like uh, luck breeds luck. My buddy didn't like that because he doesn't believe in luck. So I said good breeds good If you push good energy man.
Speaker 1:Does that work? Can I go with this?
Speaker 2:It's so true though it's so messed up, it's so backwards. Guys, if you push good energy and you push, you just push good, the opportunities and just opportunities will come back to you tenfold and how you feel is a million fold. So push good energy and what's happening is that I've been pushed, the one person who's then give me to the next expert, who's giving me the next expert? Give me the next expert. So it's working out very well.
Speaker 2:At first I didn't know what the point of it all was going to be, but I think, uh, at the end of the series, at the end of the year, we're going to have a cumulative package of the most up-to-date veteran healthcare, not just soft specific. That was just the first angle. As of 2024, here you go, and it's like I'm about end of the month. We just did sclake, dangling block. Shout out to Dr Sean Mulvaney. We're going to do the legal realm of psychedelics. So I'm kicking off the psychedelic series and it's going to be. I have one of the top lawyers of Canada for psychedelics. He's going to lay the legal landscape for everyone. After that I have one of the top professors in Canada for the history of psychedelics and then after that we're going to get into every single major psychedelic with, like a world expert and so at the end of it, everyone's kind of tracking what's going on and from there I got a bunch of other stuff.
Speaker 2:Hell yeah, man, I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants, but it's got to get done. And if that means gordo's got to do it, it's kind of the same same kind of the same angle that it was as a as a jtech, as a corporal jtech, like doing the stuff I was doing at such a high level. You can do it, guys. You can do it. If gordo can do it, you can do it. Just put, you can do it. If Gordo can do it, you can do it. Just put your mind to it, damn straight Airborne.
Speaker 1:Yeah, gordon, thank you so much for being here today. Man, one more time, what are your social media handles so people can follow you?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Look for uh all the way. And uh, yeah, just look for all the way. Man, I don't know. I should have had that canned you the first time someone's asked me that. Don't worry, I don't know if it's like atwest, I'm just like.
Speaker 1:That's okay. Gordon may have shit to bet on this. I learned.
Speaker 2:I did Honor Foundation. Look what it did for me At the end, post-production.
Speaker 1:In post-production, I will add all his handles in this episode description. So pause right here. Go to description. Okay, now that you're looking at it, click on all those links, follow Gordon, follow his webinars, because they're going to bring greatness. It doesn't just apply to Canadians, it applies to us as well. Right, and we're going to talk after this. Figure out how we can generate more traffic to Heroic Hearts, canada. To all you out there listening, I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please take care of yourself and your families and remember we get through this together. Until next time, take care and we'll see you all. If you like what we're doing and you're enjoying the show, don't forget to share us. Like us, subscribe and head on over to our Patreon, where you can be part of our community and get access to all of our episodes as soon as they drop. And remember we get through this together. Take care you, thank you.
