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!
#199 Rejuvenation and Resilience in Utah: The Best Defense Foundation Experience
Ever wondered how camaraderie and brotherhood can transform lives? Join us as we sit down with an incredible group of veterans and retired NFL players gathered at Range Valley Ranch in Utah, hosted by the Best Defense Foundation. This episode unveils how special operations professionals and athletes come together through unique activities like three-gun competitions, archery, and even bulldozer driving. Led by Mike Siaperas and Donnie Edwards, this retreat serves as a beacon of support and understanding, highlighted by a moving flag-raising ceremony atop a 10,000-foot mountain.
Tune in for heartfelt moments and deep, late-night conversations that reveal the rejuvenating power of shared experiences. From invigorating morning ice baths to exploring archaeological sites, we dive into the bonds formed during this transformative retreat. Rediscover the importance of maintaining meaningful connections and the profound impact of community support on emotional well-being. The episode underscores the therapeutic power of opening up, sharing personal stories, and the joy of reconnecting with those who truly understand.
Discover how Donnie Edwards and The Best Defense Foundation, along with Mike Siaperas, the owner and founder of Range Valley Ranch, came together to create a truly unique and one of a kind experience for our SOF professionals.
This episode also delves into the importance of setting boundaries, cutting negative anchors, and surrounding oneself with positivity for a fulfilling life after service. Get ready for an episode filled with resilience, determination, and the power of storytelling.
Your support means the world to us, so please remember to LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to stay updated with our latest episodes and join our growing community!
Instagram: @securityhalt
Tik Tok: @security.halt.pod
The Best Defense Foundation needs your support! Please head on over to their website and DONATE TODAY! Make sure you follow them on all of their social media channels too!
Website: bestdefensefoundation.org
Facebook: Best Defense Foundation
Instagram: bestdefensefoundation
YouTube: @BestDefenseFoundation
Produced by Security Halt Media
security hot podcast.
Speaker 2:Let's go, you're dealing with an expert in guerrilla warfare, 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, with my attrition all right, awesome.
Speaker 1:Welcome back to another great security podcast. As always, I am your host in a caballero. Today I am recording from utah, from range valley Ranch. Some good friends, gentlemen, introduce yourself please.
Speaker 2:I'm Brandon Andrews. I'm from Seattle, Washington and former Navy SEAL.
Speaker 3:Got out in 2014. Right now, I run a fencing business in Seattle. Hi everyone, my name is.
Speaker 1:Damone, I'm from formerly at 7th Group, combat Diver and Green Beret. Oh yeah, so we're all part of this awesome experience here at Range Valley Ranch. It's put on by Best Defense Foundation, which is the brainchild of Mike Siaparis Siaparis I always mess it up, I am sorry, mike and Donnie Edwards, an amazing football player turned nonprofit leader, and what they're doing is nothing short of amazing. An amazing football player turned nonprofit leader, and what they're doing is nothing short of amazing. They're bringing together soft professionals and NFL players that have transitioned because, as we know, transition is the hardest thing to frigging.
Speaker 1:Do Like we always tend to think that soft professionals can go out into the world and do whatever they want, whatever the nation asks of them, and then they'll do everything expertly and with precision. But the one thing we can't do is handle that last little bit, which is a transition, like when we finally hit the brick wall or even when we like retire, like it's still a process. And what the best defense foundation is doing is nothing short than working miracles, because they're bringing guys like us and nfl players together to like break bread, bond and then get these awesome classes from medical professionals, nutritionists, like integrated practitioners. But then we're also doing amazing things like going off and shooting three gun competitions, shooting skeet archery.
Speaker 2:I mean guys, we've done a lot this week driving giant bulldozers basically being back in the sandbox playing tonka, but man style like a giant freaking bulldozer.
Speaker 1:Oh, this has been a legendary experience yeah, and then we really have to hand it over to, uh, you know, give a lot of thanks and a big shout out to mike. Um, yeah, this man is nothing short of just a passionate patriot who wants to do everything he can to ensure that our soft professionals make that next step into their chapter two with support and an understanding that their nation is grateful for what they've done. I mean, one of the coolest things we've done out here is Mike's got a lot of property out here on the mountain in Utah and, gentlemen, I mean, like what was that flag raising ceremony, like up on the mountain?
Speaker 3:It was absolutely just amazing. I've never seen a flag that big in my life. But just to be a part of that where you've had both NFL players Navy SEALs and Green Berets just come together and be a part of something great. So just the process of putting the flag up, but also I think it was important to step back and then just give respect to the flag as a group and then just paying homage to it and then just to stand back and look at it. Wave is just beautiful at 10,000 feet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I wasn't there for that, but I did hear that it's one of the highest flying American flags in the entire United States of America and I think that getting into Mike a little bit, that summarizes this guy. He's America and I think that, you know, getting to know Mike a little bit like that summarizes this guy. He's letting us use a place where you know we were talking about the other day. We wouldn't be able to be here if we didn't do what we did for the country. But he just wants to show his love for us because he's a man who loves America. I'm just thankful for the opportunity.
Speaker 1:Dude, I don't if you haven't met Mike, if you don't know who he is and certainly I didn't know him before I came out here but it's like meeting a real life Tony Stark. It's somebody that's passionate and just smart, just a brainiac, but at the same time he's one of us. That's the crazy thing. Mike is literally one of us. In an alternate universe, Mike would not have ventured into being of service and building a business and continuing to grow and prosper and help others in industrial endeavors. No, he would have gone into an SF team or become a CEO.
Speaker 3:But, as smart as he is, he's taken feedback all week long. He's asked for feedback from us and that's been remarkable. Just to see his leadership, um, and he's, and his heart for wanting to do things right and build something great. So that's been amazing dude, the.
Speaker 1:The other thing is that other half of the equation of best defense. Uh, donnie edwards like growing up you watch these guys play football, do amazing things for the sport, for all of us. Uh, we all enjoy it. We've all participated in cheering on our teams. But then getting to meet this gentleman, getting to meet this life, larger than life personality and seeing how humble, like there's no, there's never been a moment in this event, this is awesome. We can't or we get away where donnie doesn't make time to get to know you sit down and learn more about what you're going through.
Speaker 2:It was strange at first you know, because these guys are, one of them has a Super Bowl ring and it's polarizing, because you're like hi, high five, you know, and they're like, they're like praising us for especially Donnie. Donnie's just such a humble dude and he's just, he's another man that just loves his country and wants to give back because he feels, you know, he said, he said the other day, he said I am, I am the definition of the american story. You know, like he went, I know he hasn't shared his story yet, his story's wild, I'm familiar with it and uh, to be around these guys and then to bond with them and then to have them praising us for, like what are you talking about, man, like tell me what your life is like, and uh, but they're truly just some of the most like, kind, kind individuals that I've ever met it, how.
Speaker 1:How we got this opportunity is also like amazing too, because it's truly built by soft professionals. Or soft professionals like being able to get that phone call from you know for me it was from Flo, like our SOCOM Care Coalition advocate from Seventh Group, somebody that's plugged into the network, that's reaching out, which is something that you know. Flo's a very humble guy. He doesn't talk about what he does and all the work that he does, but a huge shout out to flow. We wouldn't be here without our seal brothers, our ranger, our green beret brothers are out here, you know, working in a non-profit space, and then reaching back and saying like hey, I think this could be a good opportunity for you like yeah, for me, I uh.
Speaker 2:One of the guys that works out here is part of the seal future foundation yeah, this is probably the fourth retreat that I've been on and I was going through a dark time.
Speaker 2:Man, to be honest with you, and Justin Hoagland is the guy that reached out to me Hoagie, everyone knows him as Hoagie. His professional name is Hoagie. I'm pretty sure his wife, his kids and his grandma calls him Hoagie. Actually, I don't think they do Call him Justin, but no, he reached out to me. And the thing about that foundation is I didn't reach out to them other than the first time and they've continuously reached out, and so if you're a veteran out there I'm sure you are if you listen to this guy's stuff and you get a chance to go to one of his retreats, it's like being back with the guys who, being a part of the Warriors, is a part of us. Yeah, and that's what that foundation has done for me. They bring me a place like this and I'm just eternally grateful to the seal future foundation and to hoagie everything that he does and what these guys do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely talk about your experience. What was it like, like getting connected to this?
Speaker 3:yeah, I mean, I'm still trying to put it into words, you know, uh, today is day three, but um one, it's just amazing to be back with brothers, to make new acquaintances and just immediately fall in love and just in the respect and the there goes one of those NFL ladies right there.
Speaker 3:Just just fall in love with the, with the being back on a team, being back with like minded people, so I feel empowered, right. I think from all the activities, but mainly the conversations that we've had. I think from all the activities, but mainly the conversations that we've had we've been able to just refresh, from the ice bath to the sauna. But really what has been helpful to me is just to sit around and allow everyone to tell their story and not just tell it, but then to get feedback and just be reminded that we're not alone. So that's been. It's been amazing, it's been amazing.
Speaker 1:Yeah that those morning cold tub sessions and sauna sessions like those are great, but like the thing that makes it so much better is all of us could be doing this at home. All of us could be going to a gym doing the hot sauna thing, but doing it here amongst brothers, with other people that are seeking to find new, alternative ways to heal. That's more powerful, Like you're able to see the impact that something as as small as a two minute soak in an ice will do for you.
Speaker 2:You know, and on that, and you're right, you hit on the head, man. That's what it's all about. And I and I was thinking about this as we talked about this last night about how one of the most special things to be out here with you guys, and I realized I this last night, about how one of the most special things to be out here with you guys, and I realized I'm like you know, that's what I have such big takeaways from that. But we talked about how soft we kind of only trust other stuff and, like you said, as soon as I met you guys, best friends for life, best friends for life. But when we sit around and you get to bond and talk like last night, what you said, man, and what um chava was saying, some of these guys are saying to us I realized it's while we're bonding, we're sharing our coping mechanisms, our healthy ones, and our strategies. You know prayer reading and all this stuff and I realized that those are the things that I take home. I'd learn from how you're winning, where I'm losing, and I'm able to bring that back. So, while it is just being with the boys and it feels so refreshing to be able to be proud of my combat experience and what we've done and be able to talk about it with other guys who've been there, done that and just joke around. It's the moments at night and later where we're sitting there talking about broken marriages and relationships and stuff and hearing how you guys handle things because there's that mutual trust. That to me is like the most special thing. It's just that, guys. But you know we also got to go see those archaeological sites today, the freaking hieroglyphics. The experience for me too is it's been legendary man. It's hard to put into words everything because it's been so much you know, so like processing.
Speaker 3:Denny, I'm sorry In the airport I just remembered. As you were talking, we showed up in the airport and there was this couple that were sitting kind of beside us while we're eating and they, just before they left, they walked up to us and said I'm sorry, we just have to know, like there's so much camaraderie with you guys, who are you? Like we have to know what's going on. And we just said, hey, we're veterans, blah, blah, blah. And they just were amazed. But that comment from that lady showed me that what we displayed in that 30 minute lunch is something that very few people have in america.
Speaker 1:You know and we get to experience that absolutely dude that we we never served together. None of us have ever, except for a few of the guys. But it's been years, right, right and but the fact that navy seals can come together, green berets can come together, nfl players can come together and have like an instant bond where it's like dude, like we're cut from the same cloth I met chemo.
Speaker 2:We picked him up from the airport. I met him at the airport and I don't think I've laughed hard and told more personal stories to anyone in my life. And we are dying laughing, telling stories about what it was like in the teams and he's telling us stories about what it's like in the nfl and hoagie's doing hoagie thing. He's teaching us and telling stories and you know, we're up in the mountains, we're in the middle of nowhere, we pull over, we jump out, we're all like in the woods and there's like nothing out here.
Speaker 2:Going to the bathroom and kemo's like there are bears out here like it was just such a fun atmosphere and it's amazing how quickly that instant bond is connected and you guys giving us trash for being nob navy seals and not saying nothing because we're the winners. That's been like so much fun for me? No, not at all. You guys have actually way more common experience than I do in this group, for sure. So I mean it was, uh, the mutual respect, the admiration, the bonding, the friendships that'll last a lifetime. Wow, you know, I mean they really, they really know how to put a great group together. Yeah, you know, and it's been consistent in all my experiences with this foundation, with Hoagie's other foundations still, future Foundation and and I'm not going to stop going to these retreats because for me in Seattle, I'm all up there alone and and this is like my chance to like go back to something that is, is and always will be a part of me yeah, you know, we're warriors and that's that's who we are.
Speaker 1:Absolutely man, and to go off that like we can. We can feel so isolated and so alone, but here's the beauty of it, like the things that we're learning here and the things that others are reiterating and sharing from their journeys just reinforce that the answers to our community are going to come from us. Yeah, like, and we proved that concept by sitting around the fire every night and and sharing, like you know, I really wanted to punch that guy when he did this and like hey, man, there's repercussions, there's right reactions, equal bothered reactions like hey, maybe you want to do that, but take a few moments and let that anger dissipate. Everybody has a lesson to pass off to everybody, even the individual that might feel like they're the most vulnerable, the most weak. It's like dude, we're all the same, we've all struggled.
Speaker 1:Transition is not a clear-cut process for anyone, from the highest serving officer to the lowest enlisted individual. We're all going to go through that and feel like I'm alone, no one loves me, no one cares about me, the team's gone, I'm all alone. But we've proven like, even if we're separated, once we do events like this, we can reach out to each other and be like do you remember? Like doing the walks up here on those inclines. You remember freaking flow almost falling out like? Do you remember marty?
Speaker 1:every day like cheering us on with this freaking beautiful. Like sermon, like these are things that will last and allow us to reconnect. Like we, we may not have gotten the chance to serve with each other, but now, after this experience, we have this common bond that we can revisit every single time, if we just continue to reach out because, like what we learned today, like peer to peer support is viable thing, yeah, and it's a therapy in itself.
Speaker 2:You know, just it's therapy itself. I think that's the instant connection. Yeah, you know, like I look in your eyes and I'm like warrior, what's up, guys? You want to get away from the crowd?
Speaker 1:and the talk, so they can't hear us.
Speaker 2:But it's like you said, man, it's the camar camaraderie. I think that's the biggest thing I come away from these things with and while we're joking around, I'm learning ways to handle my stress. You know ways to be a better dad to my kids. You know ways to teach my son to be a good man, but I want my son to be a hard man. You know, in a society where I don't really think we're raising a lot of men, I want him to be a hard man. But that's also like what you were talking about the other night. You can't just hit people who are being inappropriate in public or smash it into an article. That's not how you teach a kid.
Speaker 2:I got a lot of knowledge last night. Chavo talked to me about how he tells his kids to pray. I've done breathing exercises with my kids, which I learned the breathing exercises at these retreats from Pogi, who's a breathing expert the strategies that I come out of here with. I've always seen that these retreats and this is what I can tell you, man, because we've been talking I've got a year-long plan now from this retreat. I've got some big, big wins from this one. A lot of thanks to you, brother. But I find that every part of my life, from professional to fatherhood, to financial, to dealing with stress, my relationship with God it all marginally improves or significantly improves in every way from these experiences and I really think that comes from just the camaraderie, the bond and also knowing that I'm not in this alone. We're all dealing with the same stuff.
Speaker 3:So one of the takeaways that I I think we all came around way with yesterday was that, um, speaking of transition, was that what made us successful? Um, being in that 1% of the seals or the green berets, was that? Um, we take those lessons. So we have to think, really think back into what was it that made us great? What made us good at our jobs, what is successful? And we don't just hang that up when we retire, when we're done, we keep those things and we use those to transition into the next phase. And so I think we challenge ourselves. You know, I said, do things hard, do something hard every day, but we don't just randomly do things hard. We take those strategies that we've learned to be successful and then I think it seems easily to accomplish because we take those lessons that we've already had. Yeah right, Absolutely, man.
Speaker 1:And I wouldn't do it justice if I didn't highlight some of the personal, because people will say you can't have personal growth in such a short amount of time. And I say bullshit, this if I didn't highlight, like, some of the personal, like because people will say, like you can't have personal growth in such short amount of time, and I say bullshit, like, especially for our demographic, like you can change, like that you want to change your life, change your mind again, and that's that's something that I'm seeing, because everybody has had a moment in this where they're like hey, wait a second, you know that makes more sense to me for a better way of living than what I've been doing with this.
Speaker 1:Like this makes more sense and me for a better way of living than what I've been doing with this. Like this makes more sense. And like the ability to build this, like when you said it the other day, like finding mentorship, like micro. This, like in this, literally is micro mentorship. As one moment or another in this entire week, we've all experienced a moment where we're reaching out to a brother for more information on one thing or like, yeah, wow, that's a different way of looking at. Yeah, like, especially like at night, like a lot of us are doubling up and you're sitting here talking and it's like man, like I'm about to be a dad and I don't have any experience I'm a beginner at this but I'm hearing guys talk about fatherhood and how to be a better like.
Speaker 1:This entire morning, this whole breakfast period today, I was just listening to guys talking about how they raised their boys, how they raised their boys to be good men, honest people, good, hard-working individuals, and you don't get that when you stay at home and you stay plugged in and you just focus at work, like if you want to be better, you have to be willing like look, I get it. This is a very, very, very unique experience and we're blessed to be here. But you can still have this at home, just be willing to plug in with your friends and connect and be able to revisit what they're doing in their lives. Like I think all of us said at one point. Like I disconnected from my buddies, I haven't talked to my friends in a long time. We get so busy or we just think that you know what maybe they don't want to hear from.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah you know, you know we lie to ourselves and say that because I've never, you know, I've never experienced that when you finally do connect with them and I'm personally always happy to hear from you, know, hear their voices too um, but I think you just let life take control and you imagine he must be as busy as me I'm sure he's doing good, I'll throw a prayer out there for him, but I'm not going to give him a call.
Speaker 2:And yeah, man, it bears being said.
Speaker 2:You know, getting us all together and stuff and that connection and then the relationships.
Speaker 2:You know, I think that we're just I hate to say this, but that's like the one part that we haven't really figured out is the follow through to keep us connected.
Speaker 2:I know a lot of nonprofits are working on that, trying to figure out ways to get guys plugged in. But you, to get guys plugged in, but most of us we're not used to social media. We're learning how to do it now because it's important, but we don't do a lot of that stuff. We don't do a lot of staying in contact, and we don't have to, because I could not see you for 10 years and I would be as pumped to see you in 10 years as I am today to see you. That's team guys though I was just talking about this yesterday how the relationship management is a little different, but I always find that when we leave these places, we stay in touch, yeah, but the people that we make good connections with and you know when we were doing projects and stuff together and sometimes that dies away, but the relationship remains even if we're not communicating and like.
Speaker 1:Even for me, in my experience, I realized the importance of like. It's so easy to get that narrow focus on what you're doing. Like, oh man, like I'm moving, I'm going to this, I'm starting this new. And then you're doing Like, oh man, like I'm moving, I'm going to this, I'm starting this new, and then you're not focused on all the other people that have been there for you. So it's like it's all your pride. Like, if you think people don't love you, people aren't there for you, maybe you have to revisit.
Speaker 1:Have I been reaching out? Have I been reconnected? But the thing, other people have lives too. Have you been checking in on your friends? Have you been calling Mike? Have you been texting Mike, greg, paul, all these people that have been there for you? Have you been doing this? God you know what? Like I only sent a meme, I only sent Tim a message the other day. Like, and you get so busy doing work, doing school, make time, write it out in the calendar, it out in the calendar, and life happens. So give yourself some grace. At the same time, give yourself the ability to say hey, man, I've been working nonstop, I've been helping other people. In your case, you're emotionally available to so many people and as a chaplain, damone, how has this been for you?
Speaker 3:I love it, man. I mean my life. At this point in my life I want to serve right, and so there's lots of ways we can serve. There's lots of ways we can grow. We can grow physically, emotionally, mentally. But I think one thing we all like leave out is spiritually. And so for me you know, even you know I have a strong faith, but even still I get lax in my faith, and so if I can use my faith and and where I'm at now, to encourage others, it's a privilege to me. So I really just enjoy that, and not that you're beating people in the head with faith, but whatever spirituality means to someone, you encourage them in that and just to work on that and exploring that realm of growth.
Speaker 3:There is a verse in the Bible that talks about being fit, physically fit, but it says like you're physically fit, you train for physical fitness. But how much more should we train for godliness or spirituality? Same thing. And so I think that's so important that we've spent most of our adult lives training to be physically fit. I think now, especially coming from those experiences of war, it's so important to um to have meaning in our lives that we should train our minds spiritually as well, and in our hearts, like you said earlier, um, our minds are deceitful, right, and they trick us and they lie to us, and so the only way to navigate through that realm is to have a strong spiritual base, and so I think it's, I think it's crucial.
Speaker 3:One thing that you said to me and then, I think, reminded all of us this week is just being thinking about sharing our story, and so not just here. We've all shared our story, which has been great, but also you've encouraged us to do it when we connect with our brothers, and that's so important, and we talked about today that, as we share our stories and connect and check in with people, they're often apt to share their story back with us, and that's how we can kind of connect here if there is an issue, and how we can relate. We've been trained not to share our story and not to talk about it, and at this point in our lives, in our careers, it's so important to share what we're going through. It's not a weakness, I think it's an empowerment to be able to share what's on our heart and share the areas where we need help.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right, man. The testimony, your testimony, inspires another testimony, and first trip that I went on I shared my testimony of just the darkness that you can go throughout the outside.
Speaker 3:And every guy there turns out was going through the same stuff.
Speaker 2:And they were, they were, they shared it before. So they just were like, oh man, you know, you don't have to feel alone because, hey, this, this and this, and dude, you're a good dad and this, this, and I'm like, oh, so I'm not unique at all. Thank you, I thought maybe you were always supposed to be.
Speaker 3:I was like no.
Speaker 1:I'm joking.
Speaker 2:But truly you're right, man, the testimony shared and I think it's like what we were talking about, which is, you know, um, a good friend of mine, um, says this and he says your mind can be a wonderful servant or a horrible master, and when you're thinking I can't talk about this with my best friends, who I went to war with, it's being a horrible master. Yeah, and what it needs to be doing is helping you figure out how to talk about this with your friends and reach out guys. Reach out and talk to your, talk to your boys, I mean, and to your point earlier, you know you're dude, I have not. There's guys that I went to war with in my platoon that I have not spoken to since we went to war and my relationship. I love them. If I taught some today be just like yesterday, but that's, that's almost 14 years ago, you know. Or 13 years ago, 13 some change, and I love these guys, you know. Or 13 years ago, 13, some change and I love these guys.
Speaker 2:But you know, life happens. You just, you just hit the ground running and you know we don't really look back very often and when you finally do you realize like I should have done this earlier because you guys and my friends, all of us, we've got answers for each other If we can just open up and share our testimony. It's hard to do, but the first time I did it, man, it was really hard and then I realized it's not that hard. You know, once you do it once, then it's easier and you, in a lot of the words that I say, affect the other guys, just like a lot of things you guys say I come up later. I'm like man that really spoke to me. Stuff you said about god last night really spoke. I didn't know you were chatting. By the way, we're gonna have a long conversation after this. Man. That's awesome, that's. I have all kinds of questions that's so cool, dude.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, I think that's perfect. This is perfect. Segue the moment I um a. This is gonna lead into another episode down the road where it will be just damone's journey, but I do want to acknowledge the fact that you're publishing a book. It's almost out there, like we are. We are counting down before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, please throw it up that's my guy, and I want to, I want to like acknowledge this journey, like just how impactful this could have been earlier on with your transition, like, yeah, because your transition wasn't typical, like a lot. Like a lot of people think, like I said before, people think that you like it's a hollywood movie. You go in, you salute for the last time, like all right, sergeant, you're out of here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's not like that, yeah yeah, when I got out, I mean, I had a lot of invisible wounds that, um, at that time you know 2009 time frame people just didn't have answers to tbi, ptsd and things like that, and so, um, I had a strong network of people just to care for me and wrap their arms around me, but there was a lot of things that weren't answered, that I just struggled with memory loss and things like that and frustration and irritability and things like that. So that was hard, that was hard. But I think, through the last 14 years, getting to this point, that's the reason why I wrote the book. You know, it's really just a. It's my story, but it's a small part of my story. It's not about me, it's not meant to be about me, but I'm sharing a little bit of my story.
Speaker 3:What is it that you're supposed to do? What have you been called by God to do that you haven't been able to do because you told yourself you couldn't do it, or someone else told you you couldn't do it and you're lacking kind of that motivation and that faith and um, and and there's, there's things along the way. So my story wasn't perfect. I failed, you know. I was humbled, um, but those are all important lessons for me and, um, I think that we can also be on islands. You know sometimes that we're alone in our failures, but one thing I talk about in the book is our failure is not final Right, and so failure is good. I think it can launch us into the next step. But a lot of times there's also a different level of failure, because people are afraid to fail. They don't even start, so they just sit there, and so I would say the book is probably the hardest thing I've ever done. They don't even start, so they just sit there, and so I would say the book is probably the hardest thing I've ever done, just because Wait, a second Harder than dive school. I think it is, man, I think it is One. Just because, you know, I remember going through the E5 board and some starting major because I had a master's degree.
Speaker 3:He's like why do you even? Why do you even want to go to selection? Or why do you want to become a Green Beret? I was in the Q course and I'm like I want to be a Green Beret. I want to, you know, and he's like I think it's just because you want to write a book. And I don't remember this guy's name and I probably shouldn't be saying this, but he was like if I find out you write a book, I'm going to kill you, I'm going to come Back of my head. But yeah, it was a privilege to write. I really hope it serves people. It's, you know, it's not about me, but I. It's something that I get to do and I'm encouraged. I was encouraged through it, you know, and yeah, I'm excited to share it. I'm really excited to share it. So it should be out this week, available on Amazon, stuff like that.
Speaker 1:Thank you, we'll put it on the episode description and, with my editing, editing skills, there should be a qr code that drops right about now. Scan it and, uh, go buy the book. Uh, I always advocate and I get. I don't always engage in comments. Um, if you've ever liked, shared something of mine on instagram, you know that I always reply the same way salute, crown emoji, gracias, primo. Uh, but I always engage with people that respond back to any, any, any post that I say share your story.
Speaker 1:People always say, well, veterans need to shut up, I don't want to hear another story is stupid, self-serving and and, no, I'm sorry, you know politely. No, the reason why all of us are here and we're hearing so many people say, well, I didn't know that, I didn't hear about that, I didn't know anything about that, it's because people aren't sharing their stories, the things that we're going through, it's not unique to us. There's an artillery man in El Paso, texas, going through it. There's a young MP in Westminster, colorado, going through it. It's all fictitious stuff, I'm just throwing names out there. There's a guy named Billy Bob in El Paso, texas, is also going through it. The reality is by sharing our stories and being vulnerable, sharing the good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent. We're giving others a glimpse into our experience or common humanity. It connects all of us. Every veteran has some overlap in what we've experienced, except for the guys that did mail call in Kuwait Like you did nothing, and I will always say that.
Speaker 2:I'm just joking. I'm just joking.
Speaker 1:What I'm saying is share your story. You have no idea how it's going to impact the world. You have no idea how it's going to resonate with somebody. You might be able to influence the next kid that decides to go become an airborne ranger, a paratrooper, a SEAL, a Green Beret. You never know. Your story could have a massive impact in the veteran community. If you're out there and you're listening to this, please, if you don't listen to anything else, just remember that your story matters, being able to share it with other people, if not the world, with your family, because that's the other component that I realized. So many of us keep everything inside, and then our wives or kids, don't know what's going on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, one of the biggest things.
Speaker 2:When I started doing some of this and I work with broadcasters and stuff and I told my story, I looked at it as like, well, maybe no one will care and that's fine, because one day I'll have a grandkid who I'll be able to hear about his Navy SEAL grandfather's experience from my mouth. My, you know, when I'm not all old and lost my mind, I'm like maybe see the square, you know, like. So I think that's cool, just get that, you know, get that on paper for them. But also to me, man, it's a continuation of your service when you share your story with others and it resonates. It doesn't matter if you're a military or civilian. It's a continuation of us serving our country and guys, that's who's who we are and, like I can't stop helping my brothers, I'd rather help you and I'd rather help you and anyone else around me than help myself, which which can be bad. But I think sharing your story is pretty easy to do and it can really provide a lot of service to the country and to your fellow teammates and stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, if we don't share our story, our shared story dies with us. And I think also someone else gets to tell our story for us and, um, you know, nobody knows is in our head and I don't think that's, that's uh, I don't want anyone else telling my story you know, yeah, so I want my family and friends to hear from my mouth.
Speaker 2:Tell us about your project.
Speaker 1:Tell us about your podcast. Yeah, your chronicles it stories.
Speaker 2:It's a newer thing. Mentor of mine that I've known. He's one of the second longest I've known known for 19 years, I'm 34. He's the one that told me about Seal Stuff in high school. I was standing in his garage he's kind of a good friend, my mentor, and he was like talking to me all about Seal Stuff and I'm just like a basketball player, but I'm six foot two. I'm stuff and I'm just like a basketball player, but I'm six foot two. I'm never going pro. So, you know, I'm like looking at junior colleges, basketball and I'm just like thinking about my future. I'm like, okay, two years of that. Then I go into school and do I don't know, and then he's telling me about this. It sounds like this great challenge and I've always had tons of admiration for the military. To be honest with you guys, it's you guys. It's great. Black hawk down. When I watched that when I was a kid I was like that is a man's job. That is awesome, that is badass dude.
Speaker 1:Just to clarify that's Delta Force and Rangers. Whoops. But continue, continue. So, anyways, so y'all. I like to say it like that, it's all I'm saying.
Speaker 3:It's hoot man.
Speaker 2:Hey, he played Navy SE seal too. Uh so but anyways, fast forward. You know, later that was kid stuff. When I'm older he tells me about this the next day I'd be, you know, walk to the neighbor crew's office. Wow, I took a pst. The next day, I had a contract and I was done. That was it. And so we reconnected and he's an incredible dude, went to Stanford, went to Yale, paid for his college by working for NASA as a mathematician Genius, dude, like literal genius, super cool Bodybuilder at 72.
Speaker 2:It's really interesting if you ever see him up close. He's got a nice, good looking old man head and then like a jack freaking, insane, freaking like power lifter body down, like his arms are just ridiculous. I just am always like touching him and I'm like, how do you do this? But he's such a cool guy and he's lived such a great life. He started tech companies, he's invented the machines that do the US mail sorting system for us in 17 countries, like endless stories. And so he comes up to me and he's just like hey, man, I want to inspire others to live a life of adventure and to go after things the way I've gone after things my whole life. And you've done that, brandon. You've gone a completely irregular route.
Speaker 2:You know, I graduated high school in 2008, joined the military at 18. I was a Navy SEAL. Before I could legally buy a beer, I had them tried on my chest at team seven. I was 20 years old, I turned 21 and two weeks later I went to Afghanistan. You know. So when all my friends are out partying and you know, send me videos like you know, like dude, we're finally in the bars. I'm like, okay, I got to hit three targets, you know, and, but I wouldn't change it for the world man, I had the greatest leadership, the greatest mentors. And so he comes up to me and he's like I want you to tell your story because you've never told it and it's time you tell it. And uh, and I, I know what he's doing, for I didn't realize the time. He's like I want to help you tell other stories too and I want to work with you guys and I love the military. He's military, his kids are military, his son's in air space force, his daughter's nato, um and like their whole family's just big, awesome, pro-american.
Speaker 2:So we started this podcast, started with my interview. It's a newer thing, but it's called Blue Steel Adventures, if you guys want to look it up. That's me and Dave Ross. We're up in Seattle. We're going to do some more stuff. This guy's going to help us out. So if you like this show, you'll probably like our show. But you know, because we've been doing some kind again, cause I really had no one to hang out with bro, like I was up in Seattle and I was doing this shit, we talked about it, I wasn't talking to no one going through this nasty divorce, darkness man, dark times, and he goes. You know he need to have a little bit of fun. Like you know you like to have fun, you're a funny guy, whatever. And I'm like all right. So we said come play airsoft with me. And he's like I think it'll be pretty good and it is fun.
Speaker 2:Dude, I go and play airsoft, I destroy you nerds dude I just, oh, it's fun and they love and we talk and, you know, have a good time. And then it developed into this podcast and I realized now what he did for me, because for the first time I was able to tell my story from high school to the end of it. And that's what we're trying to do for guys, because it's a therapy, you know, and you get choked up at parts, you know, and he asked he's a really good interviewer, so he asked questions at the right time where it's like, if you could tell your son one day this, you know, what could you say to the guys that didn't make it back and you just man the heavy one, okay, and you're able to, you know, tell your whole story. And yeah, you know, I mean there's a few hours of it online, but we did a dozen hours that I've got the raw footage of and we're doing that for guys and going around and I'm realizing, wow, every guy has that same experience being able to talk about your experience, what you've done that you're so proud of, even though it's causing so much detrimental stuff in your life.
Speaker 2:I don't sleep. None of us sleep. I don't even know what sleep is. But I chose this path. I don't regret it. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and I just got to deal with some of that stuff and I think that therapy of it, um, was just just awesome. So, yeah, check us out, uh, and we'll be doing some cool stuff and I'm gonna definitely lean on you, brother. Oh yeah, dude, that's uh love you, man, I love you.
Speaker 1:Thank you, brother's got a hug, but it's it's stuff like this that I miss, like it, and it really shows that we're all the same organization truly. Um, if we were been on on the same oda like we would have been best of buds, because like we jive, like a person is jive, and even though we didn't get to have that experience of serving together, now we have a better experience. We get to help each other achieve success on this in this chapter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, chapter two you know, like back then we're winning and our lives are on the trajectory of like I guess maybe I'll be the president united states of america at some point. I can do whatever the heck I want. All right, maybe the president of the world who knows? You know, like you think you're invincible, dude. Now you and I both know fuck no, or frick sorry, frick no, you're good, you cuss, fuck, you get pissed, I get it, get cum, part cuss. But you know you're not invincible. And I met you the first morning. I came in late, I missed the first day, I missed the flag. I meet do Because it would have been freaking fun. You guys are awesome. But I love meeting you guys now because now we're like, we're going to. We would have won then because we really didn't lose very often, but we're gonna win now for ourselves, our family, our community, our country. Still dude.
Speaker 3:So you know it's a rarity to meet, like I was thinking about this today. There's like 20 of us or whatever. But you know, if you think about it, how many times you met an nfl player right in your life? Um, how many times with like, remove yourself from the military. But prior to the military and after the military, how many do you walk down the street and like, oh yeah, what, yeah, what do you do for a living? Well, I'm a Navy SEAL or I'm a Green Beret. So it's just, it's a rarity to meet people that have gone through our experiences. But to be able to just chop it up and meet new people within this realm is incredible. It's an incredible opportunity, absolutely, man.
Speaker 1:Like, you walk in and you meet Donnie Edwards pearly beautiful, white teeth, eight feet tall.
Speaker 3:I'm like.
Speaker 1:God made one of these there better only be one.
Speaker 2:He's just the sweetest man. He's so nice.
Speaker 1:You look at his eyes and it's like the first time you heard the Beatles. It's just wonderful. But you see this person that you think is larger than life, and then you sit down and you're talking and you're like I came from fucking dirt bottom of the barrel and he's like, yeah, dude, same here, man yeah, loving siblings, bro, I was in hell dude, like that common bond and it's not true, it's not just trauma bonding if you're able to say like, yeah, man, I worked so hard to get to where I'm at, went to college, I did this.
Speaker 1:and it's like, yeah, dude, like I couldn't made it if I didn't go in the military, and then go to the 82nd and go to selection and try to get to that next level. Yeah, and then when it was over for me, fucking felt alone, felt betrayed, felt like nobody's there. It's like holy fucking shit, that's what I felt like, and then you realize that it's because we've been at these high performance levels.
Speaker 2:That's trajectory yeah.
Speaker 1:Can't be stopped, I'm invincible. And then like and the importance of protecting that brand right? Like, oh dude, when it's your turn to go, hey dog, I don't care what's wrong with you, just go. Yeah, yeah, like and it's the most horrible thing like I'm watching your friends go through it. You're like, oh man, that sucks. I hate seeing my buddy feel fall off to the freaking wayside and nobody's there going through a med wayside and nobody's there going through a med board process and nobody's talking to him. This is bullshit. He deserves to have support. And then it's you. Then you're going through it. And then you're like, oh fuck, this really does suck yeah, yeah it's.
Speaker 2:I was dude, I don't know how you get ready for transition, but I was not ready, man, I was not ready. And and I think that part of it is, you know, you're told, as you're leaving, all right, man, combat navy, seal 400, combat to or combat operations. You guys have more than that. You're told, dude, you can do anything. That's not what I wanted to hear, because then I'm like, okay, I do anything. Uh, what the hell, what the fuck am I supposed to do? You know, like and like, and then you realize maybe I can't do anything, maybe I'm the one exception to the rule of everyone with this background could just go do whatever they want. And I really don't want to do anything but be a gunslinger man, like I just want to go back to that world. And I got out to have kids and a family, and I absolutely regret it, you know, and I don't regret it because I do have my kids. But, dude, yeah it's. It's like you are told everything's going to be just fine, and then you find out you.
Speaker 1:Everything is just fucked. There's a conveyor system bringing you in, meaning everything. You're going to go through all this process to be the very best soft professional, but on the backside it's a slap in the ass and get the fuck out. It's a ball off the cliff. Yeah, oh my.
Speaker 2:God In the civilian world, man, it's a little different than our, than our, than those military. It's a lot different than the special forces community you know in the South. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So, but this kind of stuff, these type of organizations, man, they make it better. You know, cause the reality. The thing that I've really loved to see is for those of you who are out there that have a little bit of money or have a cabin or resources you could change, you could save lives Because, like you were saying, to be here, to be able to hang out with NFL players being a property like this. I was just telling the guys last night we were all talking, it's like guys, I'm so glad I was able to see you and I hope one day I can make enough money to give this opportunity for my kids, because I'm so blessed to have these chances just because you know, and we have those because of what we did and we're lucky, we're really lucky. So, even all the stuff, that's hard. I'm not complaining, man, I wouldn't change it for the world and I can't believe the experiences and opportunities I've had.
Speaker 2:But it took a guy like mike saying you can use my house. It took a guy like donnie, you know, and talking to the other guys he's working with and saying what can we do about this, those fireside chats that you're talking about? And then the guy mike shows up. He's like well, you can use my property. And then okay, well, then this. And you start piecing it together and pretty soon you got guys out here who are opening up about being suicidal and they're saying I just want you guys to know when I go home I'm not going to be that way. You know and you had no idea. So it takes. It takes the community of america and us coming together, working together to figure these problems out, because the military is just not getting it done and again we have to acknowledge, mike, like you don't get this without somebody that's willing to put money down and built.
Speaker 1:There was nothing here. There was literally nothing on the top of this mountain and Mike doesn't know any of it. He didn't know any soft professionals, he just had one chance encounter and it's like you know what. No, this is happening. I am building this for veterans, soft professionals.
Speaker 2:Like seeing him speak about it was like dude, like you instantly feel like holy shit, like he humbles you yeah, because he is thanking you while giving you the experience your life and and he genuinely is just happy to do it for us and go ahead no, I was gonna say, one of the most amazing things that I saw this week was we.
Speaker 3:Yesterday we watched the Normandy video and I was in tears. But you know, donnie was there, he's seen that video before but just reliving it for probably the hundredth time, seeing that video again, he was in tears, right, and so that just speaks of that compassion. Yeah, that compassion and that thankfulness for that service is amazing.
Speaker 1:Guys, please Like, even if you have to pause this like, go look up best defense foundation to go see the Normandy video, do it, pause it. Come back to this and watch what Donnie's done. Yeah, best defense foundation, you won't regret it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's an eight minute video in there about it. And you know, I don't know if you knew you had grandfathers to serve World War II, but dad makes it worth it enough to go watch this and I thought about my grandfathers. I'm getting chills right now talking about it, yeah, and what Donnie does, and so you know again, if you think you could help, you might really enjoy helping out. It's like you, like you said man a hundred times and he was Brian again and it's powerful for everyone. I think everyone gets a little bit of a win out of it. Yeah, that's what Mike says. Mike says he's happy, he's just glad this is happening.
Speaker 1:And we're like well, so are we? Find somebody that just simply veterans to get away to just relax and be at peace and have access to the doctors. With insight to what you're dealing with, because I don't know if you've dealt with a VA, but let me tell you right now it is not worth it. It's not cash money, as the kids would say.
Speaker 2:And if you're a veteran out there and you think, well, I don't have the opportunity, you need to go online and Google it. There are places like this for pretty much all of us and you just got to find that nonprofit. Get plugged in and go out to one of these retreats, especially if you're going through a hard time.
Speaker 2:You know, seek out your friends, seek out some of these nonprofits. They're here to help and some of them have a lot of resources available. Some of them don't. Some available, some of them don't, some longer wait listed but you'd be shocked. There's 45 000 non-profits that support veterans in this country and they're out there I don't think we just received.
Speaker 3:We received a lot. Right, we did receive a lot, but what I've, what I'm taking away, is that we're all like leaving with something and we're going to give back, we're going to serve ourselves, and so that's beautiful. So we did receive, but I think we entered at one level, we're leaving at a higher level and we're going to give back as well.
Speaker 2:It's exciting. Yeah, I mean I hope one day you know, and I know guys are already doing this Some of the guys in our era are starting. You know we're getting I'm 34. We're going to have our thirties, forties. We're starting to make a little bit of money. They're starting to do this too up. America's stepping up because we're good. Like you said, it's gonna this is gonna be solved. It's gonna be solved by us because, no, we don't have any quit inside of our bodies. But you know not, there's not a lot of billionaire. You know guys out there like us yet and uh, and just really, all they do is facilitate, they bring us together and then they let us heal together yeah, it's so true, man and I wanted to vote a little bit of time for us to talk about some of the pro tips.
Speaker 1:I like to say, from this experience alone, I've gained a lot of insight. Dude, I always advocate for every resource in every single thing, but some of the main takeaways that we've all received if you guys just want to share three or four, even, like how many takeaways you want to give back and share with the audience from this experience- Gosh, there's so many as I started to think if you've got one, go for it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, one of the things I was just encouraged by was just the thought that having you know a mentor and then having a mentee right and then having a peer. So for me I've always been, if I didn't have those three relationships, I've always been felt unbalanced. And you know unbalanced can lead to you spiraling down the tube and so, yeah, just being mentored at all times for that growth that we've talked about. But then if you're just filling your own cup all the time, then you're going to get puffed up and proud and and things like that. But I think, as we are cups filled, we give it back to other people and then we need someone that we can just chit chat with and really challenge us and have some accountability and give permission to ask us those hard questions so we can get better.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'd say the biggest thing and I think this applies to anyone listening, doesn't matter who you are is community. Do you have it? Because if you don't, it's going to be tough. And I don't have a lot of that in seattle, as you know, and I'm really seeing the value of just having community, especially with people who do similar stuff to you. Like you know, we can bond and there's an endless amount of knowledge and wisdom. You know, uh, teaching my kids how to prayer chavo gave me a lot of advice on that. You, fatherhood stuff I've got a whole bag of fatherhood stuff that I'm going to go home and try just to make things more fun for my kids. Teaching my kid math we were talking about teaching my kid math with one of the other guys earlier.
Speaker 2:He's like this is what I did to help do it, to work on it with my kid. Having a community is so important and if you don't have one it's because you're not putting in the effort to be a part of one. Go to a church, uh, talk to people. I know it's awkward, I personally probably couldn't do that. Honestly, I'm just really quiet in church and you know. But in these places I create that community.
Speaker 2:I have some community of some brothers. You know brotherhood, sisterhood, la familia, and I think that is what those people saw. They saw the camaraderie and they saw brotherhood, community, love, and it's just a rare thing, you know. I think that if you, it's just, it's just, it's a, it's what we have, that's special. It's probably why a lot of you guys think we're cool, why you see us and they're like man. Look at these guys. They're on top of the world. Their energy and their confidence, my confidence, confidence, my energy, my love, all those things. It comes from my knowledge how I carry myself as a man. It comes from the community that I've been a part of, and it's so easy to step back from these communities and then just keep, put your head down and march through life, and so what I've really taken away, the main thing is focus on maintaining that community.
Speaker 2:Brandon, like I'm telling myself that in my mind that and, um and um and and and be aware of how you're thinking. You know, like what, uh, the doctor said today about how you need to stop and assess if the what you're thinking about in this moment when you're stressed, whatever it is, is this serving you and or is your mind in control? Is your mind being the master or are you the, you know, or is it being a servant? And you're the master. And so you know, I noticed that I was thinking about that last night.
Speaker 2:I was thinking about stressful things and I just kept thinking about it because sometimes it's enjoyable to think about your problems, but you got to break that mental stuff up. So you have to be aware, don't give yourself hate. You know like, just, and if you don't believe it, start lying to yourself, start going in the mirror in the morning and telling yourself you love yourself whatever it takes. Get your mind out of that. Yeah, and you know she said go outside, go outside, go on a run, just. And she's like just change your environment. And if you don't run, that's fine. Just go outside and stand in this weather and keep see how long that bad thought lasts because of mind and maintenance of a community. And I got to put more effort in maintaining that community, yeah, you know. So that's those two, those two big takeaways for me this week.
Speaker 3:Just one more. That from today was we were talking about suicide and as we talked about suicide, you know, some of the questions were like, well, I don't know what to say, I'm not a professional and how do I handle this? And it's a scary thing, if I mess up and I say the wrong thing, then maybe it's literally. You know, it's a life lesson, right? Someone dies because I said the wrong thing. And one of the things that we came across that was a solution was we're not that important, right, it doesn't depend on me, but I think just being available to listen and allow people to tell their story, because I think sometimes internally, people have not told their story, they haven't even thought through their whole story, all they can see is the bad stuff. So, just showing up, listening, being present, and as they share their story, sometimes they'll solve their own problems and realize like, hey, you know what I am important, you know what I do have things to live for, and they rationalize that way and they kind of pull themselves out of that ditch. No.
Speaker 2:And I got one more too, and you are the one, I think, that gave me this Cutting anchors Cutting get rid of the people, the relationships and the things in your life that are no longer serving you. And I think that's so important because I think about how a lot of those lies that we believe about ourself are in, you know, are people Sometimes in my case, case my ex-wife holding a mirror right to my face like look at the worst of you, look at the worst of you, you're horrible or horrible? And then I can come here and remind them like I'm not horrible, yeah, yeah I, I I'm actually a good guy, like you know, and like and and I uh, but I'm going through hell. And when you surround yourself around people that are making you difficult, and if you don't have anyone encouraging you and and just maybe listening to what's going on, it may be bad, but they're just not judging you then think about surrounding yourself with some other people, and so I think for me it's cutting anchors and do it, you know, stop.
Speaker 2:I get stressed out. Don't go get a drink, go on a run, stop, um, engaging in the practices that are not serving me and focus on engaging in the practices that are serving me Fitness, talking, doing podcasts, this engaging in my community, clarity of mind, mentalness, breathing I mean ice baths, gosh. We've learned so much out here. But I'm going to focus on engaging in the things that are serving me and, it's very clear, the things that are not serving me, but those are usually the things that we want to engage in Drinking and smoking, weed or drugs or whatever you're into Nightlife, nightlife.
Speaker 1:Chasing random girls.
Speaker 2:And also sometimes it's chasing an ex-wife who's not good for you, or chasing an ex-girlfriend or trying to make a relationship work that it's just not serving you. You're learning out of money, you're not focusing on your career, you're not doing anything and sometimes those people your brothers, your sisters, your parents, your blood you got to help yourself. I'm learning that. I'm learning that I need to be right before I can help others. I got to help myself before I can go back to these relationships, maybe, and be more present in them. So we talk about our year plan. There's going to be some people that I'm close to that are just going to be nixed out of my life for a year, and in a year I might contact them again. But I'm going to focus on being in a really good place before I engage with these people, because I can't abandon blood. But there are certain people who are not serving me at all and really dragging me down, and I don't need to be reminded of my failures. I need to be focused on my future.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you can fast in life, not just for nutrition, like doing an intermittent fasting, but fasting from the things that you'll probably aren't serving you for right now. Yeah, like, you really don't need, like it's it's okay to have boundaries with individuals that aren't doing so good, it's okay to have boundaries with family members that you love, but you, you need to set that hard line Like hey, but you, you need to set that hard line like, hey, you want to be part of my life. That's how you can be a part of my life, like, and you can revisit it. You don't have to, you don't have to cut people off completely, but you do have to find that healthy way to set a boundary with somebody. That's a habitual line step and that's, and there's nothing wrong with that right. And then I want to like.
Speaker 1:Last couple things I will share is the importance of common humanity, like understanding that you're not alone in this experience, you're not alone in this suffering.
Speaker 1:And when you realize that, you can say like okay, I'm not alone in this experience, this problematic experience will dissipate, I will win, I will succeed again. Our creed says it live to succeed again, like that's one of the most important things that I found when I was struggling and I'm looking and searching for meaning and everything from Viktor Frankl to like finding it in our own green beret creed. Because you don't lose that beret, you don't lose that long tab, like it's still part of you. So look to that creed that says, like I will live to succeed again. I will live to be able to stand up proud and say you know what I did it. You just have to take a breath and give yourself some grace and realize, hey, I might not be where I want to be today, but tomorrow's a new day and I will continue to move forward to where I want to be beautiful yeah, you're absolutely right, you know.
Speaker 2:and if you don't have a creed, pick one. Yeah, you want to change your life, change your, your mind. You can do it right now. And if you're not a Green Beret, read the Green Beret creed. See how it speaks to you. Read the Bible. There's a ton of good stuff in the Bible. But if you're like, well, I don't have anything, I don't believe in anything, then figure out something to believe in. Maybe surround yourself around people who believe in, and it might be inspiring. Yep.
Speaker 3:Contact one of us. I'm around. Contact me, reach out, I'd love to talk to you.
Speaker 2:Hit us up Direct message. On Blue Steel Adventures, dave Ross can communicate with you. I suck on computers.
Speaker 1:You can find me on LinkedIn, denny Cavaliero, or sickhaltpodcast at gmailcom. I will always, always check my messages. Hit us up on Instagram, on YouTube, or go to the website at securityhallcom and message us out there. I always check the inbox there. In fact, what's up, larry? I haven't talked to you in a minute. I know the coffee fair in Columbia is doing well. I'm proud of you for continuing to live your best life. So shout out to a great, awesome brother who hits me up on the website and now it's like. I look forward to those messages coming through. So if you need somebody, hit us up LinkedIn or Damone. How can we get ahold?
Speaker 3:of you At the Benbow, at the Benbow. At the Benbowcom or Instagram or LinkedIn at the Benbow.
Speaker 2:Hey, one more thing. I will throw this out there, Guys, my Instagram handle. I'm pretty new to all of it.
Speaker 3:You're gonna see my instagram.
Speaker 2:It's a bunch of photos of guys blacked out facing me like hi, but uh, direct message me, man, and and if you don't need you know, if anything I said spoke to you, I want to know about it. And even if it's like, wow, you know, I've gone through a similar experience and I've also healed in that way, I want to hear that. I want to know. I want to know your story too. So sit me up. It's b andrew Andrews two seven seven. I was buzz class two seven seven. So B Andrews two seven seven. On Instagram, hit me up, find me up directly, or check out blue steel adventures and buy this guy's book, because I'm pretty pumped to freaking read. I'm excited.
Speaker 3:I hope it serves you. I really do. And one last time again.
Speaker 1:If you want to know more about best defense foundation, just look here Again. I want to do that awesome thing. It's going to pop right there. Go to the website, check it out. Figure out how you can get involved. If you're a professional in the medical field, if you're a powerful veteran advocate, get involved. Hit them up Again. Thank you for being here, Thank you for tuning in and I will see you all next time. Until then, take care. If you like what we're doing and you 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.
