Ep 117 | Matthew Longanacre – AH-64D Apache Pilot Overhead Mark in Afghanistan
May 27, 2024
Show notes
CW4 Matthew Longanacre (Matthew on Facebook) was an AH-64D Apache Pilot with 1-101 Aviation Regiment “Expect No Mercy”. He was the Pilot-In-Command of one of the two Apaches that were overhead when Mark and Calvin were killed on 29 September 2010.
Printed in Mark’s book, My Brother in Arms, Matthew wrote to our family: “We pride ourselves on doing whatever it takes to protect these gifted warriors on the battlefield. This is why the loss of Mark has hit me harder than any in the past. I was overhead that day and unable to prevent this tragedy. I just hope that his family and friends can find some small measure of comfort in knowing that he took the fight to the enemy right until the end. Very few in this world can say the same…”
Longanacre joined me today while we walked 28 miles for the Mark Forester JAG 28 Memorial Birthday Walk/Ruck. Therefore, the audio isn’t stellar, but the best this low-tech guy can do. We were moving the entire time in mist rain.
My family and I appreciate Matthew keeping in touch, making the effort to visit and support. He developed a friendship with Mark, all over the radio, while they slew the enemy!
Enjoy the outro music, “Sons of War Veteran“. This short clip was written by former AF CCT, and 2-time PTC guest, Dan Schilling. You can hear the full version here:
Freedom Blends, supplements and vitamins for men and women: use discount code PATRIOT at checkout.
Copyright 2024 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com
Ep 116 | Eric Moutsos – Freedom, Liberty, and Non-Essential
May 06, 2024
Show notes
Eric Moutsos (@ericmoutsos) is a small business owner and creator of Freedom Blends, a supplement company based on the principles of Freedom and Liberty.
A former Salt Lake City Police Officer, Moutsos loved the job but quickly started being outspoken about disturbing practices (aka quotas) and discrimination within the department. In the end, Eric lost his badge and gun when, for religious reasons, he asked to trade into a security assignment instead of being in the celebration of the Utah Pride Parade for the LGBTQ community. When the story made national news, Eric decided to resign from the department and go into the private sector.
Today Eric tells us why he’s no longer a police officer and how he created the Utah Business Revival during Covid to help save small businesses. Part of this was organizing what was probably the first music concert in America during the lockdown.
If you want to try Freedom Blends, go to: https://freedomblends.myshopify.com/?ref=patriot and use code PATRIOT at checkout to get 10% off. I’ve been taking Freedom Fuel w/ energy and 1st Amendment Men’s multivitamin since mid-April. So far, I approve. I get up early to work and/or workout almost every day. I have 3 active young boys and we are always playing sports, in the woods, rucking…. just staying active. I used to be very tired every day. I feel much better while taking these vitamins and supplements.
Use code PUT6 at Mudgear.com for a discount, compliments of Brian.
Enjoy the outro music. This short song clip was written by former Air Force CCT, and 2-time PTC guest, Dan Schilling. You can learn the history of this song here. Dan’s goal is for it to be something that urges people to turn up the volume when they play the track!
Copyright 2024 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com
Ep 114 | Joe O’Keefe – Hunting Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora in 2001
Jan 22, 2024
Show notes
Within weeks of the 9/11 attacks, Air Force Combat Controller Joe O’Keefe was in Afghanistan working with the CIA and other special operations units.
Joe and his small team made their way into the mountains of Tora Bora with the help of the Northern Alliance. Armed with the element of surprise, he was able to start calling in close air support against hundreds, if not a thousand enemy fighters.
What was initially thought to be an overnight observance, turned into 5 days with only 1 hour of sleep the entire period. The CIA station chief told his team to drop bombs for as long as possible because the President was getting sit-reps on it minute by minute.
He and his team ended up killing hundreds of people. “They had chosen their course, we had chosen ours, that’s the nature of it.”
You can read an excellent article about this mission in Task and Purpose here:
Copyright 2024 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com
Ep 113 | Hershel “Woody” Williams – Medal of Honor Recipient from Iwo Jima
Jan 01, 2024
Show notes
The late Woody Williams will never forget the odor of burning human remains.
“There are some things about that 4 hours that have bothered me my whole life… I can’t remember going back and getting the other 5 flamethrowers. It was so horrific, I didn’t want to remember.”
I was introduced to death by flamethrower after learning of Mr. Williams. He went thru 5 – 70 lb flamethrowers in a 4-hour battle on Iwo Jima. Two of the Marines assigned to him were killed that day protecting his life. At the time of this interview in 2017, he was the last surviving recipient of the Medal of Honor from that battle, and the last surviving Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in World War II. Mr. Williams died in 2022.
I asked Woody, “What did you know about Iwo Jima before you got there?” His response, “Not a thing!” Later he saw the flag raised on Mount Suribachi, but didn’t consider the significance at that time. He had a job to do and wasn’t reveling in the moment.
His story is remarkable. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by Pres. Truman, but admits being more nervous to meet the Commandant of the Marine Corp than the President. He shares with us what both these men told him regarding the medal. He didn’t know anything about the MOH beforehand. Even the day he received it he didn’t know what it was about.
Awesome interview. You should read his medal citation below and learn more about him at these links:
Copyright 2024 Thad Forester http://www.patriottothecore.com email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com
Ep 112 | Mark Schmitz – Disaster at Abbey Gate
Dec 11, 2023
Show notes
Mark Schmitz’s son, LCpl Jared Schmitz, was one of the 13 Americans murdered at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, on 26 August 2021 during the evacuation from Afghanistan.
He was just 20 years old. He was there on a humanitarian mission working the infamous Abbey Gate. When Afghans made it past the Taliban checkpoints, they were desperate to get on a flight out of Afghanistan. Jared and his fellow Marines, and others, were there among crowds so large and compact that he said if your arms were at your side, you couldn’t raise the above your head.
We discuss how this suicide bomber made it to the bottlenecked gate and was able to kill so many. Why the sniper wasn’t given permission to kill him beforehand. And, what has been the government’s response since. Note: this bomb also killed over 100 Afghan civilians.
He has also created The Freedom 13.org that supports the veterans still with us. They have big plans for retreats in each state so that Veteran’s and their families can stay for free, much like and Airbnb, but with land, shooting, fishing, riding, etc. Learn about their upcoming events, including how to donate or volunteer, by visiting here: https://thefreedom13.org/pages/events
If you’re listening on Apple Music or Spotify, please rate the podcast with 5-stars and subscribe or follow. I’m tired of average podcasts with lame topics getting more listens than mine. Please help spread the word!
I’m a proud affiliate of GORUCK. Please use this link if you want to check out their workout, rucking, running, apparel and other equipment. It doesn’t cost you any add’l money, but allows me to get a small commission to help this podcast reach larger audiences:
Ep 111 | Don Stevens – Security Forces, Combat Control, Burn the Ships, PTSD
Nov 06, 2023
Show notes
Don Stevens is one of those rare operators who retrained into the Air Force combat control (CCT) pipeline at the age of 32, after being in security forces. This required uncommon humility since leadership said, “What are we gonna do with a MSgt. who doesn’t know squat (many different strong words could be inserted here)?”
Even though I’ve had several CCT’s on this show, we haven’t talked much about their humanitarian roles. Don tells us how he got a team ready to deploy to Haiti in less than 4 hours, when the earthquake in 2010 happened.
Stevens provides advice to new guys entering the CCT pipeline, why PTSD doesn’t have to be a big deal, and shared the scariest thing he’s ever done. Hint, it wasn’t in Afghanistan or Africa.
If you’re listening on Apple Music or Spotify, please rate the podcast with 5-stars and subscribe or follow. I’m tired of average podcasts with lame topics getting more listens than this one. Please help spread the word!
I’m a proud affiliate of GORUCK. Please use this link if you want to check out their workout, rucking, running, apparel and other equipment. It doesn’t cost you any add’l money, but allows me to get a small commission to help this podcast reach larger audiences:
Ep 110 | Special: Kenny Alicea & Mark Forester – Beautiful Symphony of Death and Destruction
Sep 29, 2023
Show notes
On this 13th anniversary of the death of my brother, SrA Mark Forester, I have the opportunity to talk with Kenny Alicea who was the Senior Weapons Sergeant for his Army Special Forces team (ODA 7212) where Mark was attached.
Kenny contacted me a few weeks ago and told me he was on that final mission when Mark and Calvin were killed. He was a few hundred meters away with the mounted element, but he heard the radio calls and helped clear the area after their deaths. He helps piece together a few more details about Mark’s final moments.
In addition, Alicea told me about some initial disagreements and arguments he and Mark had and how they resolved those and worked together to bring destruction to terrorists and protect their teams. Hint: both of them said they own the airspace. Once they started working together, he said Mark was phenomenal at his job.
You can connect with Kenny on his YouTube Channel that helps vets in the private security contracting field: https://www.youtube.com/@VetsToPSC
For those watching the YouTube version, I hope you enjoy the slideshow at the very end of the interview.
Ep 109 | Nic McKinley - Fighting a War on Human Trafficking
Sep 04, 2023
Show notes
Nic McKinley is an entrepreneur, former Air Force Pararescueman, and ex-CIA operative who founded DeliverFund, the only donor-funded solution to human trafficking that delivers proprietary data and technology to law enforcement, allowing them to take down human traffickers effectively.
With 30 combat deployments under his belt in both Special Operations and the CIA, Nic experienced the power of technology during the Global War on Terror and set out to use his skills and training with that experience to combat modern slavery.
On September 1, 2023, DeliverFund launched an app to combat human trafficking. Nic discusses this in-depth and drives home how effective and life saving this app can be. You can download it here.
By gaining access to DeliverFund’s immense digital database of potential human trafficking activity, we all have the ability to take proactive measures to ensure our safety. We can work collectively to build safer, stronger communities.
I loved talking with Nic. He also gave unique perspective how his life as an Air Force PJ prepared him for the CIA and for launching DeliverFund. He also shares some thoughts on “til Valhalla” meaning and why we should seek for something better.
We cover many areas of his life: fighting as a boy, the Gulf War, sleeping with one eye open, interacting with prisoners as a corrections officer while safeguarding his family, marriage trials, combatives, Highway of Death, 80’s music, dominating at Police Academy, pepper spray, and so much more.
An excerpt from his book states: “At the moment of cease-fire, I emerged from the metal-skinned C-7 changed. I looked at my hands and the hands of the men around me. During the last several days, I had brought death, yet I had emerged from the land of the dead. I was reborn, transformed from the Rich Brown that began the assault to a man ready to take his place in the tribe.”
Brown would give anything to have journals from his ancestors. Since he kept good records while deployed and beyond, he wanted to leave this record for his posterity; at least this is one reason he wrote the book.
Rich is almost a jack of all trades, and holds belts in Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kinami Ryu Aiki Jujutsu, Judo, MCMAP, and Okinawan Freestyle Karate.
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