Collegiate wrestling record holder, Team USA Olympian, professional mixed martial artist, and UFC championship fighter. That’s Marcus’ guest – Ben Askren - on this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast. Marcus and Ben discuss how his unorthodox style earned him the nickname “Funky”, as he puts his opponents in scramble situations. Ben credits his dad for introducing him to the sport, and he really got serious when he joined a wrestling club in 6th grade. The combination of natural talent and a relentless workout regimen made him one of the most successful athletes in collegiate history, setting several records, as well as experiencing great success as an MMA fighter as well. In this episode you will hear: I get to work with kids who want to work really hard. They come in the gym and bust their ass. I hated team sports because I really wanted to win and others on my team didn’t share that sentiment. In wrestling, it was just me and the other person. I could always determine my destiny. We don’t want to force kids. We want them to love the sport and know what it’s gonna take to be special. We want to put great coaches in front of kids to give them a good opportunity to succeed in wrestling. There are kids that don’t have a strong role model, so I have such an important role to play. Great things take a long time. The Olympics suck because once you lose, you don’t get another shot for 4 years. Having a high-level background in something is important. You need to find a compliment. Who can impose their will more significantly, is important when skill levels are equivalent. Innovation – learning how to scramble. What I was doing was not working. I had to think outside myself for other options. I wasn’t having the success I wanted, so it was like “Shit, how can I do this?”

Marcus has a great conversation with Nelly Attar, a Lebanese national born in Saudi Arabia, who became the first Arab woman to summit K2, the world's second-highest mountain. As if that weren't enough, Nelly also successfully reached the top of Mount Everest and has scaled 14 other peaks across the world, completed 2 Ironman 70.3 races, ran 6 global marathons/ultramarathons, and has completed about 100 scuba dives in a span of four years. Nelly is also a psychologist, life-coach, and held dance-fitness classes for females in her studio - Move - Saudi Arabia’s first dance studio, and one of the first studios of its kind across the Middle East. Even with such an impressive resume, Nelly states "I still don't know what I want to do in life. I’m still figuring it out." In this episode you will hear:  Sports changed my life, and I strive to change the lives of many through movement and sports. In Saudi Arabia, women can drive now. 5 to 7 years ago, everything was still segregated between males and females – even in weddings. Now everything is mixed. Not long ago, women couldn’t even own a gym, and it was taboo for women to train on the streets. Saudi was listed as the least active country in the world. My mindset is: if it works out – amazing. If it doesn’t – come back home. I’m grateful for the kingdom and the king for all the opportunities I have today. In climbing, there’s a fitness component, altitude, and weather. If it’s not a challenge, then why am I there? Why would I train so hard if I knew I could do it? While climbing K2, I got a panic attack on the blue ice just a few hundred meters away from the summit. It took five weeks to climb. If there’s one thing I do consistently right is that I take risks. If you’re curious about something, just do it. You don’t stop training because you age, you age because you stop training. Just move. You’ll be helping yourself. Support Nelly https://www.instagram.com/nellyattar/ http://nellyattar.com/ Support TNQ https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

From a paddle boarding coaching career to becoming physically and mentally unbalanced. That’s the life-changing call for this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Mike Shoreman. Marcus and Mike discuss the affliction of the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, and Mike’s relentless never quit the pursuit of a “normal” life. His mission to prove everyone wrong not only resulted in walking again, but getting back on the paddle board despite his vertigo, and becoming the first person with a disability to cross from one country to another by paddle board while raising funds and awareness for youth mental health programs and services. He crossed all 5 Great Lakes. Mike encourages all people to change their personal struggles into their greatest weapons and develop confident versions of themselves. In this episode you will hear: My Chicken Pox from when I was a kid re-activated as Shingles. My symptoms developed over five days, and all the nerves in my face shattered and it looks like I had a stroke. I lost my independence, my business, and my identity. I had a significant mental crisis and breakdown. It was so easy to say “I’m fine.” I did that for months but I wasn’t fine. As my physical recovery improved, so did my mental state. I was forced into mental health treatment. I wasn’t eager to go and get it. Mental health is the most underfunded of all healthcare systems. That first crossing set everything in place that we needed to know. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan gave me the most fight. It took me 28 hours to cross. My feet “pruned” and I couldn’t stand. The Canadian Coast Guard and paramedics came to be sure I was okay. The thing that set in was - Who this is for? I was going 2 1/2mph to 3mph for 28 hours. I was literally going to the bathroom on myself every 10 minutes. I had to say to myself “You’ve been through tougher than this and this isn’t going to last forever. Men & women of service are deeply inspirational. Nothing in life is permanent. Life is a series of peaks and valleys. Resilience is built. Support Mike Mike's Book https://www.instagram.com/mike_shoreman/ Support TNQ https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

In this week's Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus has 11-year combat veteran and Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient, Benjamin Sledge in the studio. Benjamin served in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning 2 Army Commendation Medals. He lost his best friend in combat. These days, Benjamin is a viral writer, graphic designer, and author of Where Cowards Go to Die where he reveals a brutal portrait of war and the cost of returning to a country that no longer feels like home. He travels around the country educating businesses, non-profits, and churches about veterans’ mental health issues. In this episode you will hear: I got to see the best and worst parts of war. Often times we were the first ones in the door, so we either made friends or got shot. I was 21 when I first got to the battle, thinking “I literally have no idea what I’m doing.” There’s a very distinct smell to death. It’s like rotting meat dabbed with knockoff CK1 cologne. Many combat veterans don’t necessarily come home with PTSD; it’s moral injury. It’s the physiological damage that occurs when you violate your sense of right and wrong. Seeing death from that close does something to the mind. It became a real struggle point for me. When I first got home, they didn’t know how to handle me, because I didn’t know how to handle myself. I was drinking myself silly, so I could get the images out of my head. The strangest thing happened to me – I found myself missing war.  My wife left me while I was in Iraq. War really is a spiritual experience. What does it look like to live a courageous life and carry that into career and family relationships – Never give up, never accept defeat, and never leave a fallen comrade behind. Inside every man, there’s both a warrior and a poet. Support Benjamin Website: https://benjaminsledge.com Book (Where Cowards Go to Die): https://amz.run/5GAb Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.sledge/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benjamincsledge/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/benjamincsledge Support TNQ https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

The ultimate tour de force of human strength, endurance, mental toughness, and unyielding perseverance. That's what this week's Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Mike McCastle is. Listen in as Mike and Marcus engage in a discussion about Mike's seemingly unbelievable feats he refers to as "labors". Endurance athlete - yes; Multiple world record holder - you know it; In-demand performance coach - for sure; Motivational speaker - of course. After serving 11 years in the U. S. Navy, he founded Twelve Labors Project, a charitable initiative driven by a mission to redefine the limits of human potential while inspiring others to elevate beyond their perceived capacity for greatness. Mike is perennially challenging his own physical and mental limits, and he's not anywhere near done yet. In this podcast, he reveals his upcoming 9th labor, and it will blow you away when you hear it. Mike's 8 charitable labors he has accomplished so far include: A 50k run while wearing a 40lb vest for Cancer Research. A 13-mile, 250-pound tire flip for wounded veterans. A Rope Climb that equaled the height of Mount Everest - 29,029 feet in 27 hours for Parkinson's Disease Research. Breaking the Guinness World Record for 'Most Pull-ups in 24 hours after completing 5,804 pull-ups, while wearing a 30-pound pack to represent the heavy burden of the wounded warrior. Pulled a Ford F-150 pickup truck for 22 miles in 19 hours across Death Valley to raise awareness for Veteran Suicide. Ran 20 miles per day for 100 consecutive days to heighten awareness of the Veteran Suicide epidemic. Pulled a full-size pickup truck for 10 miles through the Arctic Circle. Broke the world record for the longest full-body submersion in ice (2 hours and 40 minutes). In this episode you will hear: I basically grew up in a cornfield. I went to BUDS (Navy SEAL Training) and blew my knees out. Then I needed to re-find my purpose because my one-man pity party wasn’t working for me. My dad’s Parkinson’s started to progress, and one day I came home and he was on the floor. He had had a stroke.  I decided to take care of my dad and stop the pursuit of sports. But in my mind, I quit. You can fool other people, but you can never fool yourself. Things that pull you away from your purpose are those are things behind the doors in your hallway of life. You’re tested, dragged through the fire, and you feel like you're cursed but you still have a choice.  If you put all your eggs in one basket and when it gets taken away from you, you’re left with nothing. Then who the hell am I? I needed to find my purpose again. That’s how The Twelve Labors Project got started. I wanted to create a physical manifestation of the message I wanted to deliver. It’s not a weakness to be vulnerable. Finding your purpose in life requires risk. I don’t give a shit about records. What I care about is “Is this going to deliver my message?” “Are people gonna remember WHY I did it?” Reality isn’t what happens to us, it’s our interpretation of what happens to us. We're all writing our own stories. You cannot only come back after failure, but you can come back stronger after failure. My father always said, "You suffer more in imagination than you do in reality." Finish what you started. If you're gonna do it, go all the way. We're all the heroes of our own story. You go through the crucible you come back, and you share the lessons learned. The reward for finishing a labor is the next labor. The internet is undefeated. Our time on this planet is very limited. The things we do echoes through eternity from the lens of your loved one. The only goal for my son is to leave this world a better place than he found it, like I hope I am doing and I hope that everyone who hears my message does. Follow Mike www.MikeMccastle.com https://www.instagram.com/mikemccastle/ Follow TNQ: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

This week, the Team Never Quit Podcast presents an extraordinary man with an extraordinary military resume. Travis Osborn served as both an Airborne Ranger and a Green Beret in 17 tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic and meritorious service 15 times. Travis played an integral part in the rescue of Navy SEAL "Lone Survivor" Marcus Luttrell. As an 18Delta Special Forces Medic, he treated Marcus while awaiting extraction from an Afghan village. Listen in as Travis chronicles Marcus’ rescue, and the horrific conditions they had to endure to achieve it.  In this episode you will hear: • When we got the call, we knew it was abnormal, and something was up – out of the norm. • In the briefing, we were told that we had four SEALs on the run, a helicopter down, and we’re going in. • We decided to put boots on the ground – whatever it takes. So our guys came up with a plan, and we stole some trucks from the marines.  • By the time we left, we had 120 people and 50 donkeys headed up the side of the mountain. • None of us had ever worked together before. • [Marcus]: “That’s what showed up to get me out of there.” • We walked almost straight up a mountain for the next 3 days. • We climbed 5,000 feet the first day and only walked a distance of 2 kilometers. • It’s the most ass kick I’ve had in a long time. • It was walking straight up shale, and every type of boots were cut. • There’s a lot of ridiculousness in these situations. • About halfway thru the village and from within a crowd of people, I looked and saw a really tall Afghani and saw that he he had tattoos. • “You must be Marcus.” “Fuck yes, I am…” • “We’re here to get you home.” And he said “Yeah, I’m just ready to go home.” • [Marcus] “When they showed up, the literally looked like death.” • We just recued a fuckin’ American. We walked in with a bunch of donkeys on foot, & found this guy in the middle of nowhere. • To treat him, I threw him into the first thing I could find – it turned out to be a donkey pen with 10,000 years of donkey shit in it. • The next time I see you is gonna be on Oprah. • When you’re in mission mode, you don’t mentally unpack. You put all that shit in the deep freeze, then it takes a while to unpack it because it’s all at the bottom of the freezer.

This week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guests, Mike Sarraille and Rey Baviera bring a gut-wrenching, firsthand account of their collective 35 years of military service as Navy SEALs - most notably witnessing the valor and heroism of fellow SEAL Michael A Monsoor, who willingly jumped on a grenade to save those around him. While the story is heart-wrenching, it is equally heart-warming to know the source of “Mikey's" character and moral fabric. Michael A. Monsoor When US Navy SEAL Michael Monsoor sacrificed his life by throwing his body on a live grenade to save his comrades during Operation Iraqi Freedom, he inspired thousands around the world and reminded us that freedom is never free. On September 29, 2006, Michael Monsoor and three SEAL snipers watched vigilantly for enemy activity from their rooftop post in Ar Ramadi, Iraq. When a grenade thrown from insurgents bounced off Michael's chest, he could have escaped. Instead, he threw himself onto the live grenade, shielding his fellow soldiers from the immediate explosion. Michael died thirty minutes later, having made the ultimate sacrifice. Defend Us in Battle is cowritten by Michael’s father George Monsoor, who is himself a Marine veteran, and Rose Rea. It also includes a foreword by Dr. Donald C. Winter, former Secretary of the Navy. Through interviews, military documents, and eyewitness accounts, the authors detail Michael’s remarkable military career and devotion to God and others. The book highlights how Michael prepared for this selfless act all his life—a life that will inspire readers to have a similar generosity of heart. Michael grew up a quiet boy in California, but his childhood of asthma and being bullied made him a staunch defender of justice and passionate about never quitting. It was because of that passion that he achieved his dream of becoming a Navy SEAL and saved numerous lives throughout his deployment. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Michael received a Silver Star, a Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart for his years serving his country. But his greatest legacy is in the hearts of those he inspired to live, and even die, for the sake of brotherly love. “Michael Monsoor was an exemplary SEAL—a man of great integrity, a skilled warrior, and a loyal teammate. That loyalty led to his willingness to sacrifice his life for his teammates.” —Dr. Donald C. Winter (Secretary of the Navy, 2006–2009) Mike Sarraille  During his 20-year military career, Mike Sarraille served as a Recon Marine, Scout-Sniper, and U.S. Navy SEAL Officer. Much of his career was in the Special Operations community, including the elite Joint Special Operations Command. He now works with small businesses and Fortune 500 companies on the principles of leadership, teamwork, entrepreneurship, and living a life of balance and purpose. Rey Baviera  Rey Baviera served almost 15 years in the SEAL Teams, with multiple deployments and operations in violent urban environments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also worked as an intelligence and targeting officer at the Special Operations Command Pacific. He co-founded VTH Consulting, with the intent of bridging the gap between medical providers and veterans, helping veterans fight for the VA disability claims they morally, ethically, and legally deserve. May the memory of Michael Monsoor never die. Purchase the book honoring “Mike” - Defend Us in Battle, wherever books are sold: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0785290591/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&ref_=tmm_hrd_swatch_0&sr=&asin=0785290591&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1 In this episode you will hear: Not all Marines are equal, just like not all SEALS are equal. Performance comes into play. Rey: I had no direction, and I joined the military because I had made a promise to my brother. Mike: I’m standing in for Rose Ray who wrote the book Defend Us in Battle alongside George Monsoor, Mikey’s father. My second time in Ramadi, I fired my weapon for the first time. You don’t really know what you’re walking into until guys start getting wounded,. Shark base [one of the places we slept] was once of Saddam’s vacation palaces. We had tents in there. We had to take bottled water showers. Mikey spoke thru actions, not words. It’s highly competitive in the SEAL teams in a good way. With each mission, we learned more lessons. When you step into combat, there’s an inter-service rivalry. But eventually you get past the butt-sniffing phase. But when we mesh together, it’s amazing what we can do as a team. The longer you sit in a position, you lose relative superiority, and the momentum shifts, because you’re static. It’s different than training when you know it’s a live grenade in front of you. Mike did not hesitate. He went right down on it. What came next was brutal. While the SEAL teams may have trained Mike, his character and moral fabric who he was was given to him by his family. His family is like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

From 15+ years as an Army Ranger to deploying in Iraq and Afghanistan 15 times, to becoming a film military advisor, and now Senior Content Production Manager at Black Rifle Coffee Company, this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Jariko Denman, has lived a very interesting life. After 54 months of combat experience as part of a Joint Special Operations Task Force, Jariko speaks with Marcus about what it was like to be on the ground at HKIA during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. While he has retired from active duty, Jariko still leads quite an adventure, such as joining with a team of guys who will be skydiving in each of the seven continents over seven days. In this episode you will hear: Wherever something’s happening, I just don’t want to miss out. As a retired guy, I have a lot of freedom. My dad talked to me like a drill sergeant would talk to you, so I had a certain amount of bandwidth. Ranger school sucks, but it’s kind of a speed bump – you just gotta do this to move to the next level. In a 90-day rotation, we’d do 120 raids. We’re locusts. We just come in and destroy. When I got out, I never really decided to do anything. I just rode the wave. As a technical advisor for film, I have the freedom to say, “Screw your movie. I’m not gonna be a part of it.” If there were 2 job offers and 1 was a rad action movie and 1 was a true story, I’d do the rad action movie because it’s more fun. A true story takes the creativity out of it. I didn’t plan on going to Afghanistan for the shit show withdrawal. My function turned into me getting to the gate and plucking as many people out as I could. I had to ask myself: What am I doing here?” Being there in a whole different context was so weird. Coming up soon, me and a team of guys are skydiving in each of the seven continents in seven days. www.BlackRifleCoffee.com www.LegacyExpeditions.net

This week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Colin O’Brady, could be classified as an over-achiever by most standards. As a passionate outdoorsman, his adventurous life took a turn for a worse when he suffered a tragic incident in Thailand. While he was fire jump roping (yes, a rope on fire), the rope got caught around his legs, causing severe burns on over 25% of his body. The burn wounds were so critical that doctors told Colin that he would probably never walk normally again. But Colin was too full of ambition to let his trauma slow him down. His mother challenged him to set a goal for himself and he decided that he would compete in a triathlon. After a year and a half of intense rehabilitation and training, Colin competed in the Chicago Triathlon. He not only competed, but he won. Since then, O’Brady has raced in 25 countries on six continents over six years. As if that weren’t enough, Colin’s biggest claim to fame is that he became the first human being to walk across Antarctica solo entirely on human power. No sled dogs, kites, or powered machines. He consumed 8,000 calories a day while burning off 10,000 calories a day. Colin gained 20 pounds of muscle to prepare for the trip. Colin O’Brady became The Impossible First, which was the name of his amazing attempt to achieve the unachievable. In this episode you will hear: While I like being around people, there’s something beautiful about solitude. I had parents who always gave me positive reinforcement. When we don’t know exactly how we’re going to get where we’re going, you’ve got to create your own reality over time. We’re the net product of the 5 or 10 people we spend the most time with. I started out with a curiosity for nature and adventure in my own back yard. Fun Scale: Type 1 Fun:  Laughing, watching a great movie, dancing, drinking a cocktail on a beach while watching the sunset. Type 2 Fun: Is not fun when it’s happening, but a week later you’re telling your friends that it was epic. Type 3 Fun: Is not fun when it’s happening and it’s not fun afterwards. For me, Type 2 Fun is most gratifying. In Thailand, I saw these guys jumping a flaming jump rope, and because I’m 22 years old, I had to try it. I tripped, the rope wrapped around my leg, and I caught on fire. I jumped in the ocean to extinguish the flames, but not before 25% of my body was severely burned. My Doctor said “You’ll probably never walk again.” The emotional trauma was intense, but my mom would come into my room with positivity, and have me set life goals & accomplishments. I call it “a possible mindset.” My mom was a positive influence on me throughout my entire life. All of us as humans have reservoirs of untapped potential to achieve extraordinary things. My body can always handle more. My mind is stronger because of my previous traumas. I’m lit up. I have this aliveness inside of me. Sometimes, you make decisions when you’re 22 years old – Then you wake up and you’re 65 years old and still on that same path. My childhood dream was to climb Mount Everest. What is your Everest? If you’re not on the path that YOU’RE meant to be on, then you’re not living with integrity with yourself. What I was really fascinated about crossing Antarctica is that it had never been done; it was a world first. I couldn’t call up anyone to ask how did you make it? Most people are stuck in what I call the zone of comfortable complacency.

Understanding war and the never-ending effects it has on veterans coming home from it is what this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Ben Kesling, lives to convey. After having joined and served in the Marine Corps as an officer in Iraq and Afghanistan, Ben went back to school to become a journalist and put his war experience to use reporting for the Wall Street Journal as a foreign and combat correspondent. Because of his experiences, Ben has a unique perspective on the effects of war and spends his time focusing on veteran n affairs and domestic security issues. Ben also authored the book, Bravo Company, telling the inside story of the war in Afghanistan through the eyes of the men of one particular unit, whose war didn't end for those soldiers when they came home. Bravo Company follows the men from their initial enlistment and training, through their deployment, and on to what has happened to them in the decade since. An interesting side note: Ben Kesling is a two-day Jeopardy! champion. In this episode you will hear: To know that you’re talking to someone who’s been there and understands what you’re dealing with opens up a whole world. Being in Iraq and Afghanistan helped me immensely because I was able to see those things and understand what soldiers were dealing with. In my book, Bravo Company, I wanted to tell their story. I didn’t want to tell my story. When you go to the VA, you’re treated as an individual, and we almost forget that we were part of a unit. The reunion that Bravo Company did brought them all together to remind them that they are members of a team. Strength to the group brings strength to the individuals. One thing we can do for each other is to have graciousness and empathy. We all carry the same weight, though some are more publicly known. There’s the trauma we go through just by living our lives. [Melanie]: That’s why we started Team Never Quit. It’s persevering through hard times. No man is an island. We’re not doing this on our own. You need people around you who love and care for you and to call you out on your bullshit. A burden is not a curse. It’s what life gives you. It can be a curse and a blessing. Anytime we try to do something by ourselves, we must remember we’re members of a team. [Marcus]: The irony of life: Some people will have a skillset that you won’t possess. Thru my book, I hope that people who have never served can understand what it’s like to be in combat.

ATV riding on the family farm sounds like a lot of fun - until you strike a live, fallen power line. This week's Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Jason Koger, shares his unbelievable account of the near-fatal injuries he suffered as a result of such an accident. Waking up after 3 days in a coma, Jason's life was forever different, as both of his arms had been amputated below the elbow to save his life, and the first thing he wanted to do was to hold his two daughters in his arms again. In short order, Jason taught himself how to drive again, and went on a turkey hunt and deep-sea fishing. Within a year, he was fitted with prosthetic arms and relearned the essentials of life, including how to feed, dress and bathe himself.  These days, life is back to “normal” for Jason and his family. He has a new son and has taken on the mission of encouraging other amputees. Jason’s goal in life to use his story to help others. In this episode you will hear: My arms are body-powered. They basically work off of a cable. When you move your opposite shoulder from your amputation, you’re basically pulling a cable to the opposite hand.  My cousin said it looked like the Fourth of July was coming off of me. He thought I was dead. It basically blew my left thumb off. In the helicopter, they cathed me, and my urine looked like Dr. Pepper. By the time I made it to the hospital, they had to immediately amputate to save my life because my kidneys were shutting down. The surgeon said it looked like a shotgun had gone off inside of my arm. The electricity pulled all my tendons off. We’ve always had faith. When I woke up from a three-day coma, I had no idea they had amputated. When my dad says it’s gonna be possible to get through it, it’s gonna be possible. I told the doctor, “I gotta be able to hold my kids. That’s all I care about.” He said he’d make that happen. I’ve always been a strong-willed person. I want to do things myself. I don’t want someone doing things for me. Eventually, my insurance company said yes to two bionic hands. My goal was to be the best prosthetic user in the world. I got a call from CNN, asking if they could run my story. Then amputees all over the world started reaching out to me.  I told my wife I think this is my calling - to help others. I want veterans and non-veterans to know there’s a way to live. 95% of being a successful amputee is mental attitude. The hands have an Apple app. My hands know where they are in space at all times. The hardest day I ever had was the first day I was home, because one of my girls laid on my lap. My brother-in-law bought me a shirt that read: “Look Ma, No Hands.” I wrote my first book: Handed a Greater Purpose. You can live life to the fullest, no matter what you go through. 

When a rare genetic disorder hits home, it takes someone like this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Stephanie Herzog, to help find strategies to cure it. The Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) diagnosis of her son, Max, was the driving force to connect her with Cure Rare Disease, who is currently developing life-saving therapeutics in collaboration with the world’s leading academics, clinicians, regulatory experts, translational experts, and manufacturing experts. Stephanie serves as a board member. The organization’s ground-breaking research is bringing to fruition the potential for permanent muscular regeneration, which was, at one time, science fiction. In this episode you will hear: When we learned about our son’s condition, we put together a golf tournament to raise funds because it was A: Our only option, and B: Our best option to cure our kid.  80% of boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy have a gene deletion in the dystrophin gene. Max has a duplication of the dystrophin gene. In what should be the best time ever with your child, that’s when we find out he has this horrible disease. We had like a funeral in our house for like a month.  The weight of his future was heavy. Our team, through Crispr technology, hope to edit Max’s gene mutation. 6 years ago, this was science fiction. Boys usually get diagnosed between the ages of 4-6. They lose their ability to walk between the ages of 10 and 12. They usually lose their battle in their early 20s. They’re literally knocking out the gene duplication along a string in his DNA on the cellular level. Using the Crispr technology, the muscle cells are auto-correcting, producing dystrophin on their own. You wonder: “How am I going to live with this? And you do.” Faith is everything. You need somebody to pray to. When the going gets tough they have prayer.

What’s the difference between a professor of Criminal Justice and an undercover CIA, and FBI counterintelligence agent? In the case of this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Tracy Walder, the answer is Nothing. They‘re the same person. Listen in as Marcus & Melanie Luttrell discuss Tracy’s first-hand accounts as a CIA officer and FBI field operative – fascinating stories. She successfully hunted down terrorists around the world using aliases and had face-to-face discussions with President Bush and General Colin Powell. Yet, she shares her experiences in a genuine, unexaggerated, and engaging manner. Tracy is the author of The Unexpected Spy, and has appeared on numerous national programs, and has written several national security pieces. In this episode you will hear: I was born with a developmental disability called Hypotonia. (Low muscle tone). It has no cure. I didn’t roll over until I was 1. I didn’t walk until I was 3. I attended USC for free since my dad was a professor there. The CIA polygraph process was annoying. All the questions were very frustrating. One session was 8 hours long and another was 3 hours. My job was to try to get as much information as possible on terrorist training camps. I served in 13 countries. I once had a meeting in the trunk of a car. Having Bin Laden in our sights at one time and not being able to do anything about it was really upsetting. My boss at the CIA was the best boss I have ever had in my life. My target was a guy named Zarqawi who founded ISIS. Zarqawi became enemy number one. That meant going overseas. My job was to manipulate people to give me information. It worked well for me. I worked with SEAL Team 6 a lot. I left the CIA because I didn’t want to live overseas anymore. I was totally burned out. As part of the CIA, you are not entitled to the same benefits as veterans, like mental health care.I love the counter-terrorism mission.

"Navy SEAL Down!" Those are words no soldier in battle ever wants to hear. In the case of this week's Team Never Quit guest, Jeff "Spanky" Peterson, the mission he had trained for as an HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter pilot finally came into play in the mountains of Afghanistan. His mission: to rescue this podcast's host - Navy SEAL 10's Marcus Luttrell (code name: "Spider-Man") - after a dramatic & horrific ending to Operation Red Wings. Listen in to Jeff's detailed description of the events leading up to that harrowing rescue, and learn firsthand the degree of risk taken by U.S. soldiers on a day-in-day-out basis. The average American has no idea of the degree of "badassery" occurring in the theater of war by the U.S military around the world. In this episode you will hear: People call us heroes, but I don't think of it that way. “Pack a three-day bag. You’re going up north.” A rocket-propelled grenade brought a Chinook chopper down, killing 16 men. Command picks up a clicking sound on a rescue radio frequency. My crew included a 57-year-old flight engineer, a gunner - a nervous University of Arizona student. My co-pilot was “Skinny”, 40-year-old seasoned by thousands of hours flying a Blackhawk. Are we looking for Americans, survivors, or is this a trap by the Taliban to draw in another chopper and blow it out of the sky? An elderly Afghani man arrives at a small Marine camp, with a note written by Luttrell. We have to fly into hostile Taliban territory to get him out. “It was dark and the weather was bad. It was a black abyss.” Except for the green glow of the rooftop position lights, we were flying black. "It was the Fourth of July out there." “We didn’t even know where we were going and which strobe light was the right one. It was just like a flashlight from God.” Within 10 feet from the ground, the rotors kicked up a storm of dust, sending us into a total brownout. I couldn’t see the wall, the ground, or the cliff. Both of ‘em were wearing Afghani man jammies. Before taking him aboard, we had to authenticate Marcus by asking him to say his dog's name and his favorite superhero. For the record, the answers are Emma and Spider-Man. When we got back, the only thing I wanted to do was talk to my wife, but we couldn't talk openly. All I could say was "Everything is good, "Everything is really, really good." "We stick our butts on the line to save people." "That's our combat mission.”

Excellence, Leadership, and Mentorship. Those words exemplify the life of this week's Team Never Quit guest, Aaron Walker. Aaron and Marcus kick around the adventures of entrepreneurship, a spectacular marriage, and how he applies that which he learns from his experiences – good and bad - to propel him to new heights. After learning tough lessons from a horrific life event, and then being guided by the finest financial and spiritual leaders, Aaron now plays it forward by mentoring others. In this episode you will hear: I didn’t have anything at 18, and I was able to retire at 27. I played golf every day, I fished every day, and you can’t do that but so much, because you gotta have a purpose. While driving, I watched an older man walk across two lanes, he got to the median, and stopped. As soon as I got to him, he took off running to catch a bus, and I ran over him. It was literally like my life came to a standstill. One day I made the decision: I’ve been chasing money since I was 8 years old. I’m 40 now and I’m retiring – I’m through. Through a series of events, I spent 21 years sponsoring Dave Ramsey’s show, and we became best of friends. The Mastermind radically changed my life. We can’t quit. People need you. You can’t sit on the sidelines. We have to get up because nobody can live your life but you. I had great success financially, but I had no significance. I want my legacy to be that those I come in contact with are different as a result of having interacted with me. I want to leave a legacy of helping, giving, supporting, encouraging, lifting people up and helping them accomplish their dreams and goals. God is always working in the background. The thing that I thought was taking me out was the catalyst for transforming the lives of other people. We all need trusted advisors. Don’t do what I did and have a pocketful of money only to come home to a house full of strangers. You can go faster alone, but you can go much further together. Failure is in not trying, not in not succeeding. Go out there today. Go for it. Never quit. 

It's hard to imagine how life could possibly go on when someone who has everything to live for commits suicide. How do you respond to such a tragedy? In this week's Team Never Quit Podcast, our guest, Sara Wilkinson, Gold Star wife of Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, speaks candidly about her military family life, her love for Chad, and raising their children on her own. Sara is determined to reduce the stigma surrounding the silent epidemic of Veteran suicide and bring awareness to its warning signs and triggers. She brings honor to Chad's legacy, and discusses the importance of fitness, and living large, despite what life brings. In this episode you will hear: My whole life I moved around. I attended 15 schools before I graduated. [For the military guys] it’s really hard to hop off the hamster wheel unless someone tells you to hop off. And no one tells you to hop off. I was a Crossfit trainer and I opened a Crossfit gym in Virginia Beach. Men and women can all suffer from Blast Waves, PTS, PTSD, etc. It’s really important to educate spouses and first responders on the ways that little things may be signs of something way bigger happening. In a partnership, it’s our job to care for one another. If someone is exhibiting symptoms of PTS, PTSD, etc. the only thing you can do is manage the symptoms. It comes down to focusing on sleep. Everybody’s mind is affected by the life they’ve lived. Ask yourself - What are the things you need to function optimally? How do we transition veterans from an operative status to living life independently, regardless of their history? I want my kids to know that this is a chapter in their story, and they have their whole life ahead of them. It’s a backpack they carry that they’ll never put down. But they’ll do some amazing things in their life. Your kids are always watching you. The way they watch you and observe you is the biggest responsibility you have. My motto: Live big. Support Sara: CHAD 1000X website: https://chad1000x.com Sara Wilkinson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarawilkinson7/?hl=en The Step Up Foundation: https://www.instagram.com/thestepupfoundation/?hl=en Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/ DraftKings Disclaimers If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/LA/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit http://ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA). 21+ (18+ NH/WY). Physically present in AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA(select parishes)/MI/NH/NJ/ NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. New customer offer void in NH/OR/ONT-CA. $200 in Free bets: New customers only. 

Can you say “One of the first of two female graduates of the US Army Ranger School and Apache attack helicopter pilot?” Meet this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Shaye Haver. From being a cross country runner and soccer player in high school, to Army brat, to following in her dad’s footsteps as an Apache helicopter pilot, Shaye and Marcus share an engaging conversation about her influences and accomplishments. In 2016, Shaye and Kristen Griest, who also graduated from the US Army Ranger School were ranked 34th on Fortune magazine's list of the World's Greatest Leaders. In this episode you will hear: I grew up as an Army brat which put me in an environment of serving and sacrifice. My dad always said, “Go do something better than me.” ROTC was the beginning of my understanding that the military was about opportunity. You can make it what you want it to be. Good, better, best – Never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better best. I absolutely don’t take no for an answer – especially for myself. I did not go to West Point because of my intellectual prowess. I went on my leadership and physical fitness abilities. Ranger School reminded me that the mission is about the people to the left and right of you. Crisis provides opportunity. The tactic for success I use is to visualize success. The first day one, there was 19 of us; the second day 1, there were 8 of us; the third day one, there were 3 of us. I have had my tab ripped off my shoulder two times. Once by another Ranger. I choose to walk in the responsibility of bearing this thing that I have earned for the duration of my life. You can let it weigh you down, or you can let it inspire you. There’s not a quitting bone in my body. The warrior culture is not just for men. Heroes come in the most unlikely boxes. They’re all around us and everybody has a story.

Unapologetically American, and an all-around badass - That’s who and what Tim Kennedy is – a true patriot. In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus and Tim have a fascinating conversation about Tim’s military service as an active Special Forces master sergeant and sniper and his role in the most elite counter-terrorism and hostage rescue unit within the U.S. Army Green Berets. Tim holds a black belt in Brazilian jujitsu and is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter and two-time title challenger. He authored the book, Scars and Stripes, an inspirational memoir offering lessons on how to embrace failure and weather storms to unlock the strongest version of yourself. These days, he lives a remarkable life as a serial entrepreneur owning multiple companies. However, Tim’s most personal accomplishments are that of a husband, father, and lover of this country. In this episode you will hear: When I grew up, all I did was fix the barbed wire and throw Bahia bales. You have to be an involved parent and mentor to your child. Now, every high school graduate has had every decision made for them. And when they arrive at college, they have been force-fed everything to this point, and now they get fed something much more dangerous – ideas. They’re given the freedom to make their own decisions with those dangerous ideas, and what you have is a petri dish for disaster. I want little kids to make all their decisions and learn the consequence of bad decisions, so when they hear someone say something stupid, they’re like, “that doesn’t work.”In Afghanistan they’d “beach ball” babies to the gate with the hopes that some marine would pick them up. It’s not rocket science that you don’t move tactical elements before you get your people out. You don’t give up strategic and tactical positions until you’re ready for a proper withdrawal. There’s nothing more dangerous than a broken man. Jesus didn’t go into the holiest of places. He went to where the prostitutes and tax collectors were. I stepped away from God for almost two decades. I became a narcissist. It wasn’t until my marriage was on the rocks that I was convinced to talk to God about all the horrific things I saw & experienced. They were throwing money at me to get people out of Afghanistan. That was so wrong in my heart to go back there for the money. In ten days we evacuated 12,000 people with our own planes. Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

“Life is a gift, that is why they call it the present. Cherish it always.” That’s the mantra of this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Kevin Hines. Kevin attempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Miraculously, a sea lion kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. He is one of only thirty-six (less than 1%) to survive that fall. He shares his compelling story of hope, healing, and his will to live with Marcus. His story was featured in the 2006 film The Bridge by film director and producer, Eric Steel. Kevin has inspired millions worldwide in the art of wellness and the ability to survive pain with true resilience. “Be here tomorrow...” In this episode you will hear: My biological parents had me on a diet of Kool-Aid, Coca-Cola, and sour milk. My parents would leave me and my brother unattended to go score and sell drugs. Then Child Protective Services picked us up and put us in foster care. The only time I ever lost faith was when I stood atop the Golden Gate Bridge looking down. I found it on my way down. There’s a high number of suicidal teens who went through foster care. Many were abused and neglected by the ones in place to protect them. [Marcus] “I think the kids that go through it, are the ones who can fix it.” I finally ended up with foster parents who saved my life. They gave me a beautiful childhood. At 17 my brain broke. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and then things got completely out of control. I had auditory hallucinations telling me I had to die. If somebody would have just asked me, I would’ve just told them the truth of my situation. I left a suicide note in my backpack because I wanted my family knows I loved them. When I was still underwater, I thought, “I’m gonna die here and no one's gonna know I don’t want to. No one's gonna know I made a mistake.” On that [Coast Guard] boat, I made a cognitive decision: I would never again attempt to take my life as long as I should live, no matter the pain I’m in. When you encounter a suicidal person, it’s about being with them in the moment. “What do you need from me to say here? How can I help keep you on this planet?” My new motto is: I’m gonna be here tomorrow, and every day after that, no matter the pain I’m in. Every moment of every day is a good moment. It’s a privilege to exist. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Support Kevin: https://www.instagram.com/kevinhinesstory/ https://www.kevinhinesstory.com/ Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

In one devastating blow, dreams are shattered. Although this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Cesar Perez, went from rising Hollywood star to miraculously surviving a head-on collision with a drunk driver, he shines brightly with the resilience of the human spirit. Cesar starred alongside Daniel Ratcliff (Harry Potter) in the action thriller Beast of Burden for which he also did graphic design work. He was also cast as a major lead character Javier in the action thriller Blind Trust. Despite his severe brain injury, having his face shattered, and learning how to breathe, walk, and talk again, Cesar lives a life of courage and shows us firsthand that even in the darkest of moments, life has meaning. In this episode you will hear: I did a video tape audition that got me a role with Daniel Ratcliff {Harry Potter}. My life was really on the rise. I was driving to see my girlfriend when a drunk driver hit me head-on going over 70mph. He spun me around and then a big rig hit me – also going 70mph, and then I don’t remember anything for the next 2 weeks. If life had a reset button, I must have pressed it. I was making a statement with my life and then it got cut abruptly. I thought if I can get out of this, there’s nothing I can’t do. The first thing I said to the guy that hit me was “the last thing I ever wanted to see is someone from my country behind bars.” I wanted my life back and no one could give me that back. Talking and facing that demon helped me put the period at the end. My family never left me – they showed me what true love actually is. That was the love that got me through it. My family’s sacrifice gave my life meaning when my life felt meaningless. Once I could finally run, I thought “I’m gonna do more”, and that’s what got me back to where I am. The drive I had as a kid is more intense now. It was running hot, but now it’s running with a different fire. Putting my experience down in words helped me heal. As long as there’s breath in me, it’s still possible to live a beautiful life. If, in the end, I helped save a life, it was worth it. 

Using the grief of a husband killed in action to fill a void in estate planning for fellow widows. That’s the mantra of this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Keri Mills. Her transparent story of being a lackluster student to attending law school is inspiring, as she strives to educate other Gold Star families and service members in planning ahead in the event tragedy should strike. Keri’s husband, Special Operations Chief Stephen “Matt” Mills was killed in action along with 29 other Americans and a working dog when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. With one knock on the door and one sentence, Keri went from being a married woman to a widow. Unprepared as she was for that life-changing event, it sparked her decision to help others be better prepared than she was. In this episode you will hear: Standardized tests are not my forte. What I realized about who I am is that I’m a person that does what I say I’m gonna do. I have worked for 8 ½ years to solve this problem. If I can keep someone from having to figure things out – the way I did – it’s worth it to me. The stigma that comes with estate planning is that people think you have to have a pot full of money in the bank. That’s not what it’s about at all. It’s about setting up your legacy. I don’t have any stories to tell about Matt because they’re not my stories to tell. I’m trying to carry on Matt’s legacy. There are 300,000 veterans in Houston. The part that I see myself playing is education for the special operators and our community. [Marcus] “There needs to be a way to teach you how to get out.” 

“A government-trained predator.” That’s one description of this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Jay Dobyns. While he participated in hundreds of undercover operations as a federal agent, he is best known for getting past multiple layers of security and becoming a member of the Hells Angels. Jay's book about that investigation - No Angel, My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels - is a New York Times and international bestseller. Dobyns served as a federal agent for twenty-seven years and was driven to succeed at any cost without regard for himself. These days, Jay has gone from a life of daring, undercover operations to becoming a High School football coach in Tucson, Arizona. Listen in as Jay and Marcus share an engaging conversation about Jay’s encounters and adventures. In this episode you will hear: The entertainment industry gets second takes.  If they miss a line, they can try again. In real life, there are no second chances. I feel very blessed to have entered undercover work. Nothing really prepares you until you get out there and get your feet wet. I’ve bought pea shooters, rocket launchers, bombs, homemade PVC pipe bombs, and servo-activated C4. I infiltrated home invasion crews. That’s where I got my training to take on the Hells Angels. I didn’t always succeed at things, but I always tried. My undercover persona eventually became who I was. I made a million mistakes in my life, and my wife and family have given me one million and one second chances. We fabricated the murder of a Hells Angels rival, and that is when I was welcomed into the organization. I ruined everything for the mission. It was heartbreaking to see what I had done to get there. God does not build us to intentionally betray people. My agency failed to react to threats against me. I was told “You’re on your own.” When no one cares who gets credit for success, we’re on to something. Want someone to remember your name? You’re gonna have to do something they will never forget. If you want something you’ve never had before, you’re gonna have to do things you’ve never done before. Life is about making mistakes, but don’t remake mine - I can tell you how they turn out. It’s not good. 

A path to healing from invisible wounds. That’s the mantra for today’s Team Never Quit guests, Retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant John “Spike” Garcia and Marine Clayton "Clay" Cook from The Lone Survivor Foundation. Their sole purpose is to support veterans after their service to this great country. They’re teaching strategies to manage Post-traumatic Stress, Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, and chronic pain – taking back your life. The Lone Survivor Foundation offers both Face-to-Face & Virtual Programs, at no cost. All it takes is for you to be ready to take the next step on your journey. Once the Service Member has attended an Individual Program, couples and their families can qualify for the program as well. Service Members (both active duty and Veterans) from all military branches and service eras, experiencing symptoms as a result of service are eligible. In this episode you will hear: How the Lone Survivor Foundation and Team Never Quit go hand-in-hand The Lone Survivor Foundation provides a holistic approach to treatment and addresses the entire family. It’s the only program that does Accelerated Resolution Therapy. "I got more out of it in three hours than I had in 18 years." The spouse is the first one that is affected by what the veteran is going through, followed by family members and friends, and the ripple effect can affect businesses and coworkers as well. Once the vet goes through the treatment, the spouse & family can assist in their recovery.  Q: How do you know if you’re a good fit for the program? A: Go to LoneSurvivorFoundation.org and take a self-assessment. You don’t have to be diagnosed, you only need to be suffering from symptoms.  Support Lone Survivor Foundation: Donate to the LSF Follow LSF on Instagram Take the Self Assessment Follow Us on Social: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

Still in the fight of his life – for his life. That’s the real-life story of this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Chris Cathers, a former US Army Green Beret and CIA paramilitary Global Response Staff (GRS) contractor with 12 deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and North Africa. And if Chris’ PTS struggles weren’t enough, Chris speaks openly about the stage 4 bone cancer he has had for over a year. Struggling to find adequate medical care opened his eyes to the difficulty of finding the right team for any aspect of medicine, and he has dedicated himself to encouraging his military brothers and sisters to seek help immediately and not downplay the signs. Chris and his business partner Daniel also aim to raise awareness of the veteran suicide epidemic via a documentary, “Brother’s Keeper”, currently in production. Chris has established a nonprofit organization to help raise funds for a small number of other nonprofit and for-profit businesses, committed to giving our veterans a hand in their fight. In this episode you will hear: At one time, I was feeling really good. I was doing protection for celebrities for 5 years, as well as Jiu-Jitsu, MMA, and lifting a lot. My femur was compromised to the point that I was close to snapping it. I always prepare myself for the worst and hope for the best. You have to advocate for yourself, or you won’t have a good success rate. Unfortunately with what I’ve got, radiation & chemo doesn’t work. It’s more of a Hail Mary. My wife calls me a cockroach. “Man, this guy’s stubborn.” Sports is what kept me on the right path. I feel like a sheepdog – I like to keep the wolves at bay. I really enjoy protecting people. If I would redline my body, all the “noise” would settle down. Doing something bigger than you has always been a calling for me. Initially, my outlook wasn’t great - 29% and the 5-year survival rate wasn’t good. I’m a patriot and I love our country, I think we’re the best country on the planet, but we’re doing our damnedest to fuck it up. That’s not acceptable to me. We didn’t think we could have children, 1 - I’m old as dirt and I’m stage 4. So we were not planning on having a child, but… Comparison is the thief of joy.  Support the Mission:  https://www.wearebrotherskeeper.com/ Follow Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chris_cathers/ Follow Us on Social: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus brings in a real “Top Gun” – A badass Navy fighter pilot and an incredible investment powerhouse – both the same guy – Matthew “Whiz” Buckley. You’ll have to hang on to your seat when you hear him share his real, firsthand experiences and record-setting flights in Navy fighter jets. Buckley has harnessed the principles of military strategies and applied them to investments and trading success. “Buckle up, buttercup…” In this episode you will hear: I was raised with the belief that the American Dream was real and I could achieve anything I wanted to be as long as I applied myself, worked hard, and cared for others. I loved my country, the ocean and flying so I set out to become a navy fighter pilot. Every landing aboard the ship is graded. The mission is secondary to coming back because you’ve got 5,000 people watching you. I flew an acceptance flight in a new Hornet, and I did some unbelievable things with it, although I didn’t have too much time to enjoy it because all of a sudden the engines were gasping for air. When you’re moving that fast, all your wrinkles go away. At Mach 1.7 I thought, “I should be pulling out of this dive.” At that speed, I can’t eject. I’d be vaporized. When you make a decision, the computers go “If he does that, we’re gonna disintegrate, and we don’t want to do that.” We put our dog tags in our boots because in aviation accidents, that’s usually all that’s left. The jet’s a tattletale. It’s all electronic. Your superiors know how hard you pushed it. You can teach people a lot of stuff, but you can’t teach ‘em leadership. In a debrief, there ain’t no ”we” or ”us”. There’s only “I”. If you sat in a fighter pilot debrief, you’d think we hated each other. It not who’s right, it’s what’s right. Save the apple polishing for the bar – we’re in a debrief. A big leadership moment is when I was told “I could be friendly with you, but we’re not friends.” The Navy does a great job of teaching us to compartmentalize. If Marcus gets smoked, I’ll mourn him later, and guess what? I don’t get to mourn him later, ‘cause it’s on to the next thing. On the medicine, my dad & my sister, who was killed by a drunk driver, were both there. They looked incredible. In that moment, I healed. Forgiveness doesn’t exist in heaven, because there’s no need for it. Support Whiz:  https://www.instagram.com/official_ematthewbuckley/ https://nofallenheroes.com/ Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

In this week's episode, we're joined by Dr. Martín Polanco and Marine Ryan Roberts to discuss the clinical psychedelic program specializing in the use of Ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT, and Psilocybin that is being used to treat veterans and their family members. Dr. Martín Polanco has been successfully treating people with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and addiction using psychedelic medicines for over a decade. He is the founder of The Mission Within, a clinical program in Mexico and Costa Rica helping veterans with issues resulting from military service experiences. His mission is to conduct research to prove its effectiveness – with the end goal of its legalization. Marcus speaks from his first-hand experience with Dr. Polanco’s treatment, in an effort to educate and make psychedelic therapy available to every veteran that needs it.  In this episode you will hear: We do psychic surgery. [Melanie] “It’s like a car wash for your brain.” So many people come out of the medicine and we wanna get on the biggest mountain and yell: “C’mon, we can help.” My dad was a hippie and involved with some peyote circles. At 21, I had an experience with mushrooms, and everything I saw was infused with source energy. There is a delusional mindset where people can justify their drug use. [Marcus] “The best joy you’ll ever have is in gratitude.” [Melanie] “The medicine took a lot of walls down.” [Melanie] “We were unbreakable before, but now we’re an unstoppable force.” If we can heal the veteran, we can heal the home. Support their Mission:  TMW Website: https://www.missionwithin.org Sponsor a veteran's treatment: https://missionwithin.org/sponsor-a-vet/ Donate to Research: https://bit.ly/psychedelicsDellMed Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus has an entertaining conversation with Caleb Francis, a hilariously funny content creator on TikTok who has over 1.5 million fans and over 36 million likes. Caleb has built a brand reaching the globe via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Cameo. He has a blast doing what he does – speaking his mind with a humorous perspective. Caleb also shares valuable information on getting started in that arena and tells the listener how anyone can get their voice out there, regardless of who they are or where they live. In this episode you will hear: I got my first computer at 9 or 10, although I was never much of a computer person. Watching your favorite personality is like someone watching Netflix, but it’s someone you can interact with. [Marcus] “There’s only a few people that can get away with talking smack: Comedians and the Military.” My favorite parts of childhood were technology, treehouses, and camping, but we were still nerds, too. We did both. My videos are usually brought on by something I’m doing in life. If you want to get started, make the TikTok and post whatever you’re doing. It will be recycled onto every other platform there is. We would do stupid stuff like getting hurt and film it. Then we’d do skits. I just kept doing it after everyone moved away. I’d get inspiration from delivering parts for Advance Auto Parts. I’d get ideas just by talking to myself. I would observe everyday stuff and imagine what was being said and thought, and develop that. Videos are endless. They just keep coming, like recommendation videos. When my friends and I watched Talladega Nights, we were losing our minds laughing so hard.

In this week’s riveting episode, Marcus has a fascinating discussion with Eric O’Neill, former FBI counter-terrorism and counterintelligence operative. Eric played a major role in the arrest, conviction, and imprisonment of one of the most notorious spies in U.S. history - FBI agent Robert Hanssen - who was spying on behalf of the Soviet Union and Russia. Eric’s first-hand accounts of some of his day-to-day activities are events that movies are made of. He has written about his experiences in Gray Day: My Undercover Mission to Expose America's First Cyber Spy. Eric is also a public speaker and security expert who lectures internationally about espionage and national security, cybersecurity, fraud, corporate diligence and defense, hacking, and other topics.   In this episode you will hear: My job at the FBI was to go undercover. I never came out of cover. There were foreign intelligence officers (spies) who sometimes were some of our own who were spying for other countries. My father told me “You have to chase your dreams, whatever they might be.” I’m going to stop spies & terrorists before they kill our citizens. I was at Quantico [Marine Corps Training Base]. You earn it and you feel like you earned it. When my wife and I were dating and people would ask me what I do, I would say “I work for the Justice Department as a Geo-Political Analyst.” That would immediately end the inquiry. There was an instance where a high-level spy was about to be arrested, and disappear, which told us there was a mole in our intelligence community. The FBI went on a 22-year manhunt for a guy code-named Gray Suit, the biggest spy in U.S. history. Each time you go after somebody who might be the target you’re after, you give them a derivative code name. What made Robert Hanssen such a successful spy, is that he was a hacker. He learned how to break into computer systems. When the FBI had not given him the role he wanted, he volunteered his services to the Russians and gave up 2 of our top spies in Russia for no money to prove he had access. One of them was executed, and the other was sentenced to hard labor. Analysts are the cream of the crop in figuring out how to catch spies. Hanssen was the best, most notorious spy in US history. He was the Michael Jordan of the spy world. Nobody did the damage he did. I was always a bit of a hacker – fascinated by computer systems. Breaking security, not to steal, but so I could understand how to make them stronger. My mother holds the record for the most time watching the movie “Breach.”

“Go One More.” That’s the Nick Bare mantra. That’s his way of life. Nick Bare is this week’s Team Never Quit guest, and he’s encouraging us all to:  work one more hour on your business… make one more sales call… run one more mile… one more set at the gym… one more chapter you read… The magic starts to happen when you “Go One More.” From meager beginnings, founding Bare Performance Nutrition in 2012 out of his college apartment while studying nutrition to being commissioned into the US Army as an Infantry Officer, Nick learned the values of leadership, integrity and team building. His biggest passion in life is helping people reach their greatest potential, because most of us severely underestimate our capabilities. Listen in as Nick Bare shares his life’s journey with Marcus and Morgan. Success requires uncompromising consistency. In this episode you will hear: When I first started my business, it was Christmas every morning. There was so much passion in it. There’ve been so many highs and lows, it’s been amazingly rewarding I told my dad, I’m gonna take out this loan, and I’m gonna make a million dollars my first year. His response was, “If it was that easy, everyone would be doing it.” I didn’t take a paycheck from my business for five years. My original plan was to be a chicken farmer. When you get your first win, it builds your level of confidence. [Marcus] The minute you get the idea to do something, the good Lord gives you what you need to be it. Running in the mornings and evenings, I have complete solitude – no distractions. My best business ideas have come during my morning runs. Sometimes you’re lucky enough to turn your passion into a career. Success is a result of compounded consistency. When you want to quit, just show up and keep going. You’ll finally push past your goal with the “one more” mentality.

How does one go from Martial Arts to owning a manufacturing business? Just ask this week’s TNQ Podcast guest, Pete Roberts. He realized that in Martial Arts, the same uniform had been used for over 200 years, so Pete created his own opportunity to build a fresh brand of Jiu Jitsu wearables. He wanted to have control over research and development, textiles, and the design process, and because he knew that Franklin County in Maine had a rich manufacturing heritage, he took action. But his endeavor was seemingly derailed as Pete could not find a U.S. manufacturer who could create his unique line of products. What to do? Pete decided to take matters into his own hands – literally. He built a manufacturing warehouse - spinning yarn, weaving fabrics, textiles, and designs, and began sewing his own line of uniforms and began his marketing efforts with simple, low budget ads. Pete’s company, Origin USA, now has multiple manufacturing facilities, incorporating the ancestry of manufacturing, hiring the older generation and millennials alike. This is the true American entrepreneur spirit at its finest. In this episode you will hear: • My wife and I have been together since we were 16. You do that by buying into each other’s personal goals and ambitions. • I use my ADHD as a superpower. • I’ve used the tools of Jiu Jitsu - timing, leverage, opportunity and applied it to reinventing gear for it. • I started with old, cast iron sewing machines, and no bathroom. • If you embrace the power of the American spirit, you can truly do anything. • Corporate greed chose profit over people. • If we can own the supply chain, we can protect it. • [Morgan] You brought something that was lost and brought it back to life. • Some folks will invest $75,000 in a vehicle. Why not invest that money in yourself? If you have an idea or a dream, don’t be scared of the unknown. • The single most valuable thing is keeping a singleness of purpose. Stay focused on one thing and be great at it. • I know that what we are doing hasn’t been done in 100 years. It’s not unique – it’s hard. • People are born every day that will be more talented than you, but what they don’t have is the ambition to go all in and invest in themselves. • Be a savage of the body, a pioneer of the heart, and an operator of the mind.

For some people, hardships inspire them to do great things. Such is the case with this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Brooke Keaton. She is a Gold Star wife, as the result of her Navy SEAL husband, Charlie being killed in action in Afghanistan. Brooke is the Vice President of The C4 Foundation, which provides neuroscience programs for Navy SEAL families at their San Diego-based ranch. She and her friend Tara Crenshaw have also launched The Gold Star and Stripes Podcast, bringing awareness to the spouse’s military life and now life as civilians. Listen in as Brooke speaks from the heart about her challenging life journey and her relentless pursuit of helping others. In this episode you will hear: If I were in a movie, my animal sidekick would be an elephant. As pets go, dogs are the best. Charlie always had to go wherever the fun was, so it was exhausting but so fun. He lived a mile a minute. We lived on a boat, and every morning, Charlie would jump in the water and go surf. Charlie was very passionate about his family. Charlie was a sniper on a roof fighting against ISIS and was shot near his heart, and continued shooting and holding his ground until he died. The Gold Star community in Virginia Beach is very tight-knit and immediately pulled me in. I thought: “How can we support other Navy SEAL families?” We ended up with a 560-acre ranch, where families can “decompress” after deployment. Fly fish, hike, ride horses, etc. I’m able to talk about Charlie every day. It’s helpful and therapeutic for me to talk about him. We came up with a fun idea of the podcast to help other spouses as a sisterhood - to network with families where you can find any help with anything you may need. I want to bring everyone together and build relationships.

A man on a mission. That is this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Marine veteran Brian Tally. What started out as sudden, severe back pain quickly became an incredible life-threatening ordeal he endured for years after a bad diagnosis at a VA hospital emergency room. His spine was being eaten alive by what turned out to be a tissue-eating staph infection. Because of a law enacted in 1946, Brian was unable to sue for malpractice as the law did not allow independent contractors at the VA facility to be sued. But by the time the VA suggested he pursue legal action in a state court, the state’s statute of limitations had just expired. What to do? If you’re Brian Tally - with no legal background - you draft your own legislative bill and go door-to-door on Capitol Hill until the procedural loophole is closed, ensuring that VA is transparent and fully accountable. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/4526  In this episode you will hear: It was a cold, gloomy morning when I couldn’t get out of bed, in severe pain – pain I can’t describe - after feeling normal when I went to bed. I’m not anti-VA but I was one of those veterans that slipped through the cracks. The only time I ever saw a doctor was when I was laying open on an operating table four months later, and they found a surprise – my spine was oozing with inflammation. I was so doped up and in so much pain, I didn’t even know what was going on. I spent four months in my chair. I became an absolute broken man. The doctor told my wife. “Your husband’s spine looks like it’s been moth-eaten.” I was being eaten alive for four straight months, before finally having life-saving surgery. By then my physical, mental, and emotional health was gone. I have never slandered anyone. I have only operated in an honorable way. I would never dishonorably yell someone’s name. Because we all make mistakes. I had to operate in a different way than I was being treated. Just when I thought they would do the right thing, the VA did an about face, and they left me and my family holding the bag. My wife is the glue that holds everything together. There are tens of thousands of veterans, who have been destroyed by this egregious practice from a 1946 law. The VA is using more and more independent contractors to see their way out of malpractice cases. I went to my bathtub and I knelt down and said “God I’m about to expose made men, and I’m gonna need You for the strength and endurance to draft my own bill – my own solution. I was in a place I knew nothing about. The never quit mentality is what kept me going. I was representing 20.2 million American veterans with my bill. That’s what God has led me to be and to do.  You can engage congress and make a difference. I know I’m where God wants me to be.

Backcountry hunting, anyone? If ever a man wanted to discover what it takes to become an elite man – mentally, physically, and spiritually tough, training for such a high-end hunt may just be the ticket. This week’s Team Never Quit Guest, Dustin Diefenderfer, explains in detail the grueling athletic training and grit it takes to hunt Deer, Elk, Moose, or Caribou In the backcountry. If you’re looking for an easy way to get there, stay home. When the hunt experience is over, you’re left with the mental and physical ability to reach your personal and professional goals by applying the principles learned in this endeavor – a better life by learning to be comfortable in being uncomfortable. In this episode you will hear: Getting comfortable being uncomfortable is teaching men to handle adversity. If you can handle adversity in the gym, you can handle it better in the field. If you can handle it in the field, you can handle it a lot better at home. When you’re more used to adversity and spend more time outdoors, it makes for a better man. If you’re fortunate enough to harvest an animal on a backcountry hunt, you’re coming out with 80-100 pounds per trip for 3 or 4 trips. Adversity building is one baby step after another. It makes you way tougher than you used to be. It’s cool looking back on God’s footsteps that have brought us to creating Mountain Tough. You don’t need to chase the corporate America stuff; You don‘t need to do what everyone else is doing. Living in Africa taught us not to worry so much about money & finances. The people living there with nothing are pretty happy. They’re not distracted like Americans are, with cell phones and the like. I knew I was gonna do something I was passionate about, and I knew I would do something outside, away from the computer, and engage with building a community. When we’re going thru something stressful, God looks at us like “Do you realize that what you’re looking at right now is ‘this big’ in the grand scheme of life.” We went to Ethiopia on a short mission trip and worked for two weeks where kids lived, slept, and ate in a landfill all day long. It was complete re-entry depression after watching those kids live in the dump. They would rescue the child soldiers and teach them some life skills. We’re creating elite men. Dustin's Website mtntough.com use promo code TNQ for 20% off you first year!  Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/mojoluttrell/  https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

A CEO with PTSD. That encapsulates the world of this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Brian Reese. Here’s a military veteran entrepreneur serving other military veterans – over 15,000 vets needing a vast array of help – mental, disability ratings, compensation, and more. Brian, Marcus, and Morgan get “in the weeds’ as it relates to maximizing many forms of help for the veteran through his program, VA Claims Insider. Listen in to Brian’s vulnerable revelations of his personal challenges, and his ability to overcome and create a company whose prime directive is to teach and serve others. It’s okay not to be okay… In this episode you will hear: I’m sort of an amateur singer/songwriter. A lot of vets have never filed a claim because they think “I’m not that disabled. Others have it worse, so I don’t deserve these benefits.” That’s complete bullsh*t. There’s a mental barrier we have about getting help. One of the core values of the Air Force is “service before self”. That doesn’t mean service at the expense of self. If you can’ take care of anybody else, then you’re no good to the mission. It takes less than 5 minutes to get yourself enrolled in VA health care. Get a medical diagnosis of your condition ASAP. First and foremost: Get yourself in VA health care, get a primary care provider, and get your stuff medically diagnosed in a medical record. We’re trying to meet the military veteran before they even take off the uniform, then serve them at every point of life. If I were king for a day, I would completely gut and overhaul the VA disability system. I’d take the word disability out of it. I would call Elon Musk, and ask him to come help me solve our problems. Government organizations are not built for radical innovation. It’s never too late to take advantage of everything veterans have worked for. The VA disability process & the VA benefits process is never over unless you quit.

How does a near-fatal parachute accident equate to becoming an entrepreneur? Ask this week’s Team Never Quit guest, Travis Wilson. He served 21 years in the U.S. Army as a Green Beret and in the Special Forces. When his chute’s canopy collapsed and he “burned in,” Travis spent his recovery time developing his own line of supplement products. Listen in as Travis tells of his life transitions; his successes and failures. From a broken back, knee replacements and over a dozen surgeries to launching Alpha Elite Performance and serving as an Ambassador for the Green Beret Foundation, Travis is a picture of motivation and perseverance. Check it out. In this episode you will hear: • I was on a free-fall team the majority of my military career. • On a night jump, the right side of my canopy collapsed. I was a right below 500’, so there’s no pulling reserve – just pray. • I thought I had landed on a fence post. I broke my back, so I felt like I was impaled. • I went to school for Exercise Science. But did I graduate? No, because “I’m not gonna miss this war.” • I was an Army Medic. • I stated a non-profit – Alpha Elite Performance. It’s a way for me to give back to veterans. • My dad didn’t care if I failed or I succeeded, as long as I tried. • My dad’s attitude was: “You’re not gonna grow up and quit.” • When I got hurt, I thought I was gonna get kicked out, so that’s when I started my nutrition company. • It’s a super challenge owning your own business. • I was a security manager for Five Finger Death Punch, because I had a medical background.  • I lost 2 wives and 2 Harleys.

Need a clear decision-maker in high-stress military operations critical to the defense of the United States? Then this week's Team Never Quit guest, Todd Deghetto, is your man. After 30 years as a Navy SEAL officer in Naval Special Warfare, Todd's current mission is to develop future leaders in mental toughness, discipline, & building collaborative teams. Todd, Marcus, and Morgan share an engaging conversation including actual mission details, its personal & mental ramifications, and the steps to recovery. Everyone on Todd’s team has a purpose. In this episode you will hear: It doesn’t matter what people think about you. Do what’s right, regardless of the consequences. If you lose friends over it, they weren’t true friends. Having a dad as a New Jersey State Trooper, I learned about the evil in this world, and I learned about honor – doing what’s right. That’s the nice thing about diving without O2. If you gotta die, that’s the way to go, because you just fall asleep. [In combat] You get real good at completely cutting your head off from the rest of your body - No feelings, no emotion, and no pain. I truly didn’t start processing stuff until after I was done. When things are going sideways is when people show their true colors. When I returned, God put it on my heart to mentor the next generation. I’m a leadership coach & mentor for the University of Tennessee’s MBA program. I may not have the business expertise, but I’ve got a lot of leadership experience. The only way you’re gonna get better is to be able to say “this is mine.” This I made that decision, and this is why I made that decision. We learn more from our mistakes than we ever do when things go right. I took me several weeks after I returned - and all of a sudden I woke up one day feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. All the explosives, the blasts, the mortars, the rockets, the charges, the AC4’s – the damage done to the brain is devastating. The healing journey has been the hardest thing for me. Part of that journey is not quitting om my family. [In military leadership] We’re very good at controlling everything we can control. There’s psychedelics treatment out there to really help us guys. My initial thought was “no way”, but it truly helped me.

The human will to survive can't be underestimated. That's the mantra of this week's Team Never Quit guest, Kara Chamberlain. While watering plants in the front yard of a friend's house, Kara was kidnapped at gunpoint by a serial killer. She was only 15. Making mental notes of every detail along the way in her abductor's car - from memorizing the serial number of the large storage bin he forced her into to counting the turns he made, the music he played, his Marlboro Red cigarettes, details from within his apartment while handcuffed and gagged, Kara used every bit of it to her benefit. She not only escaped after 18 hours, but the details she recalled helped catch him. Kara's case also helped police link the killer to three unsolved murders in other states. These days, Kara's life is dedicated to spreading hope and strength to other survivors. In this episode you will hear: We all have the ability to turn negatives into positives Volunteering to go outside and water the plants made me a victim of opportunity. When that red flag hit me, I felt a gun pressed to the side of my neck. He was fact-gathering about me, and I was doing the same about him. We can decide if we pick up the offense to something or pick up strength. You’re either going to be defined by something that happens to you, or you’re going to be refined by it. I was praying non-stop: “Help me to find an opportunity to escape.” When it was over, I just wanted to go back to normal life – The life of a 15-year old girl. The biggest threat to kids these days is online predators. Have an open communication & dialog with your children. Teach them how to set boundaries and how to respect other people’s boundaries. The best thing we can do for our children is to give them tools to deal with anything bad that happens. “I will never get mad at you.” “Stranger Danger” is not the biggest threat to kids right now. [Melanie] “The inspirational thing is not that you just survived and moved on – it’s that you helped others. That’s the difference between being a survivor and being a hero.” I’ve always felt that what happened to me was so I could help other people. 

From mild-mannered High School math teacher to UFC Hall of Famer. That’s this week’s Team Never Quit special guest, Rich Franklin. Rich and Marcus kick it around in an entertaining discussion about the transition from teaching high school math to UFC fighting on a world-class level. His childhood days of taking Karate lessons brought about an interest in Thai Boxing and Jiu-Jitsu, which further developed into a full-time MMA fighting career. Rich has also coached in The Ultimate Fighter, launched a clothing brand, a juice café, and is a prime example of one classy dude. Nice guys can finish first. In this episode you will hear: I didn’t grow up being an amazing athlete. I’m not super explosive, but I can grind. Mathematics, like being a sniper, is a skill. You have to work at it. If you take the grind away from me, then what am I? This grind, this work ethic I have, is not just the way I work out; it’s the way I approach everything in life. When you start worrying about things outside of your circle of control, it’ll take you away from your goals. When you’re fighting somebody on the street that’s not trained, I feel like Neo in the Matrix. When they throw a punch, it’s so slow to me. Q: What’s your favorite cheat meal?  A: What’s a cheat meal? I don’t deal well with disrespect, inefficiency, or stupidity. I like being challenged. I’ve never used drugs in my life. I’ve never even had a sip of alcohol. Had my college professor not actually cared, I could’ve folded. He saved me. You never know when a small gesture helps somebody. I don’t think I would be in this place in my life without God. He’s really directed my path. Connect with Rich: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richacefranklin/ Listen to his podcast: https://richfranklin.com/listen-to-the-quite-franklin-podcast/  Visit his website: https://richfranklin.com/ Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

She never made it to the party. Every parent’s nightmare happened to this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast guest, Angela Rose. At 17, she was walking to her car after leaving work at a mall and was headed to a graduation party. Angela was abducted at knifepoint by a man with a long criminal history, including murder. In this week’s episode, she recounts the details of her horrific experience, fearing death, hands bound, and eyes covered. Angela survived her kidnapping, sexual assault and currently uses her t to usher in legislation, education, and action to shatter the silence of sexual violence. Triumph over tragedy. In this episode you will hear: I’m letting people know that there is joy after trauma, and a happy joyful life is absolutely possible. It was broad daylight when I was kidnapped at knifepoint. He stalked me and was watching me at the mall. Follow your gut instinct. The detectives didn’t believe me, and so the trauma was replaced by anger. This is not a women’s issue. This impacts all genders. I keep hearing “I never told anybody.” We train parents and teachers on what to do or say if someone discloses. Be careful not to use language that blames the victim. Many people don’t know how to deal with traumatic situations. I would never wish what happened to me on anybody, but I would never change it. Because of what happened to me, I learned an inner strength I didn’t know existed. We need to support each other to rise above adversity.

This week’s incredible guest – Mike Ettore – knows the way, and shows the way. Being the exceptional leader that he is, Mike became the youngest Drill Instructor in the Marine Corps at the age of 20. There’s not a personal or professional challenge he can’t overcome. Mike’s effective combat leadership style resulted in numerous awards and decorations during his career, including the Bronze Star Medal for Valor (with Gold Star denoting 2nd award) and the Combat Action Ribbon (with two Gold Stars denoting 2nd and 3rd awards). These days, his purpose is to teach, coach, and help leaders develop - while he’s alive and after he’s gone. In this episode you will hear: I graduated from my first recruit platoon when I was 20. The Marine Corps trusted me and I tried very hard to live up to that trust. I spent my whole career trying to live up to the legacy of the Marines in World War I. If there’s something the Marine Corps does well is it teaches and honors its history and traditions. We were considered by the battalion commander, to be the strongest lieutenant/staff sergeant team in the battalion. It’s all about trust I was more excited about being an equally good leader in business as I was in the Marine Corps. Pre 9-11, I was dragging an AR-15 in a case through the airport. I was a C-level officer in charge of most of the back office of the non-sales function for a billion-dollar company, with no expertise in any of it. I wasn’t really sure how to save a file. I teach and coach senior executives in the art & science of leadership. I’m 65 years old and have unlimited energy. I just love it. At 65 years old, with over 45 years of teaching leadership, I still learn something every week. I ask myself: ”How in the hell have I gone this long and never heard that?” I am vain enough that to think that 25, 50, 80 years from now - if somebody picks my book up,  the Iwo Jima lessons, the Grenada lessons, and the business lesson I’ve learned, just might help out my great, great-grandson or daughter, who never met me. [In life] I was mostly right, somewhat wrong, or completely full of shit [Conversation with son] just because it comes out of my mouth doesn’t automatically mean that it’s bullshit. As you get older, you’re gonna find yourself becoming me. Dale Carnegie: “A man who dies rich dies disgraced.” I’m never gonna have Andrew Carnegie money, but I’ve got a laptop and a thumb drive. Everything that’s up here [in my head] is gonna be out.

A true champion. That describes this week’s guest, Robert Paylor, perfectly. Having broken his neck in the 2017 Collegiate Rugby National Championship, Robert has not accepted defeat in his physical or mental capacities. From living the life of a quadriplegic - unable to even move his hands – much less walk - to rising from his wheelchair and walking to receive his diploma, this guy is as inspirational as they come. Listen in as Robert tells his epic comeback story, which has brought hope and a never-quit mentality to thousands. In this episode you will hear: I was put on this earth to move people. My chin was pushed into my chest; a second player grabbed my legs; I fell forward; my nose slammed against my chest, and when I hit the ground with the top of my head – poof - I couldn’t feel anything. My whole life, I’ve tried to make my parent’s proud. The doctors said: “If, one day, you could take a piece of pizza and bring it to your face, then you made it.” Going under the knife in the area of my spinal cord - they said there was a chance I would not wake up, so I started calling my buddies. I’m a man of faith. I needed prayers. I needed God. The one thing you do have control over is your mindset. Great opportunities comes from great challenges. If I didn’t have humor through all of this, I would be crushed, depressed. This is such a gift. Just to be able to struggle to walk around my house. I had to go through something tough to gain perspective, but it a gift I use in my life, and I can help give it to others. It’s my purpose. When I saw my hamstring twitch I said “Okay. Game on.” It was like smelling blood in the water. No person has stood by my side like my mom. I’m gonna be a damn good man, and I’m gonna live a damn good life, because I have angels around me.  I love my life. I’m proud of who I am. We can’t wait to start enjoying our lives until something happens. You don’t have to get out of your wheelchair to live a good life. God gives His toughest challenges to His toughest soldiers.

There are interesting similarities between the streets of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria and the streets of the South Bronx. This week’s Team Never Quit guest is former U.S. Army Master Sergeant., 2-tour veteran, National Guard Paratrooper, and 22 year veteran of the NYPD – Tommy O’Hare. Listen to Tommy’s personal experiences and life lessons from his 2 tours of duty in Iraq (Desert Storm), Mogadishu, Somalia, and his cop career on the streets of the South Bronx of New York. This patriot has a myriad of common sense and positivity he shares with Marcus and you. In this episode you will hear:  I am the American success story. A child of Irish Immigrants who came to this country on a boat. The [social] environment’s always changing, always evolving. You never know what the future holds. You’d better catch up with it, adapt to it, or you’ll be left behind. I can be as nice as a British butler, or I can be your worst nightmare. Those same skills I learned in the streets of Brooklyn & the Bronx paid dividends in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. [After 9-11] Who you were, who you voted for – none of that crap mattered. We knew there were people in that building and we had to get them out because that’s our job.  I was more stressed working the midnight shift in the South Bronx than I was overseas working recognizance 10 miles from the Al Qaeda camp. I know the dangers, but we’ve got a job to do. We signed up for it. I worked with heroes every day - In the streets of New York and in the streets of Afghanistan. You have moral courage, spiritual courage, and physical courage. The interactions I had with the Iraqis is the same interactions I had with people in the South Bronx. If there is a fight, I’m gonna win. I am undefeated. My mother’s advice to me on my first day as a cop was: “Remember to be just.” What right do I have to complain? I have both my legs. I am alive. I’ve been blessed throughout my career. Don’t quit on yourself. I’m not gonna quit on you, Marcus isn’t gonna quit on you, God’s not gonna quit on you.

This week’s TNQP guest needs no introduction. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry joins Marcus and Morgan, bringing to the table surprising stories of events and experiences with “The Luttrell Boys” – some previously known, and some unknown. Character and heroism are on full display in this episode, and Governor Perry makes no bones about how he feels about both of these patriots. In this episode you will hear: A call comes in from the command post. “Governor, there’s a young man down who said that you told him if he was ever through Austin to come by. Just to let you know, he’s here.” And I said, “Okay, what’s his name?” “Marcus Luttrell.” And I was like, “Hmmm…. Send him in.” [Morgan] We’ve always started at the bottom and worked our way up. It was a fluid transition from the enlisted ranks.  If you want to effect change, then it’s time for you to man up and fill the seat. Quit yelling at the TV. I get frustrated with the government from time to time. Dr. Stanley Jones, I will always hold him in a special place because of his agreeing to do that initial work for Marcus. When you [Morgan] crashed and ended up at the same place as Marcus, that was God’s way of tapping Marcus on the shoulder and saying “Hey dude, you gotta take care of your brother.” The thing that amazes me about you guys is your fortitude after catastrophic injuries. You guys have the most amazing discipline and character. You reflect everything as a Texan. Texans and all Americans appreciate what you guys are all about. They need people like you in the United States Congress, to show them what the military should be about. You are fiercely loyal to your family, to your God, and to your state. Team Never Quit is a really interesting concept, and no two people give a better reflection of that than Marcus and Morgan Luttrell. I think America will be better off with another one of the Luttrell boys staying in the fight.

In this week’s incredible Team Never Quit episode, legendary bull rider and Netflix reality superstar Dale Brisby (How to Be a Cowboy) brings a brand of toughness, determination, fun, truth, and faith to the table. From Facebook to Snapchat to TikTok, this guy has attracted thousands with his hilarious cowboy-lifestyle videos. Brisby is the self-proclaimed greatest rodeo cowboy on the planet and shares an engaging conversation with Marcus Luttrell in the Team Never Quit Podcast Studios. You’ll see pretty quickly that Dale Brisby is not your typical rancher. And you’ll hear - firsthand – how a future bull-riding rodeo comes to life at Dale’s Radiator Ranch. In this episode you will hear: I’m the Navy SEAL of Bull Riders. My bucket list is – I don’t want to kick the bucket anytime soon. Marcus Luttrell can call me whatever he wants. I was raised around rodeo & started pro rodeo in college. If you’ll just not quit, that’s what you’re supposed to do. The rule of wearing felt hats is: Use them in months that end in “R”. Texas is a bit more lenient. The most peaceful thing that ever crossed my mind was if my old man was in heaven. It was as sure to me as gravity. [As it relates to Marcus Luttrell’s experience in Afghanistan] A lot of Americans think about what we would do in that situation. There’d be an intense amount of prayer I’d have to be doing. Salvation is like – alight you’ve graduated, but you still need to go to the classes. My dad died, both of my granddads died, and I had this real moment of “Snap, I’m the patriarch now. My family’s gonna be looking to me…” [Telling Marcus Luttrell] If anything devastating were to happen, and I’m sitting here older than you, but I’ve been an accountant, I’m letting you be the boss. Always give 100% unless you’re donating blood. There’s never a time when you can just lay down & wait for something to happen. Offense is the best defense. In business, don’t ask yourself “Is this right or wrong?” Instead ask yourself “Is this wise?” When you have faith, live your life in response to that.

Sharpie + Cardboard = Pearls of Wisdom. This week’s Team Never Quit guest, Zachary Bell, is known as the “Veteran With A Sign”. A former Marine Infantryman, Zachary uses common language related to his experiences in the military on his signs in an effort to bring people together via communication. He has a “Let’s talk about it” mentality. He has become known as a meme philosopher – from light to pointed – with many layers in-between. His signs are photographed and disseminated globally via Instagram, the internet and his analog tools consist of a sharpie and cardboard. In this episode you will hear: I always had this fear of living a life of regret, and it’s driven me to do everything I’ve done, right, wrong, or indifferent. Comments on the internet are first draft thoughts – people just throw them out there. I think that true love is finding the one person who always makes you wanna be the best version of yourself. I asked my girl to marry me. She said yes, and five seconds later we found out she was pregnant with our first child. I was invincible until the moment my daughter was born. They told us we going to Iraq for 90 days. “We’re gonna be in the green zone, you’ll have wifi, you’ll have fast food, you’ll live like a Navy SEAL. When my 2nd daughter was born, I knew my military career was over. My daughters changed my capacity for love. They’ve made me a better person. It’s a really bad pitch to say “Hey, we’re gonna get married, I’ll be around sometimes, and then you’ll be pregnant, and then I’ll be gone, hopefully, I’ll be back.” I’ve always found the best version of myself in service to others. Everything I’ve done in my life has been trying to help people. Community is one of the most important things we have. Marcus Luttrell is a cultural icon. Everyone outside of the military thinks the military is like a high school and like we all meet up in the cafeteria. It would be cool if it was like that. Wearing gators doesn’t make you a SEAL, but writing a book does. If you’ve been kissed by violence, you can see it on other people. I want to be the bridge between the military and the civilian world.

Are you experiencing adversities? When you tell this week’s guest, Dr. Patrick Bisher, that something is physically impossible – like walking – he’ll rise to the highest challenge and become a Navy SEAL. From his lowest of the lowest to the highest of the highest, Patrick shares with Marcus Luttrell how he overcame “impossible adversities” in his life. Patrick authored the book: Warrior of God. If you’re needing some inspiration in your life, this is the podcast to bring it to you. Never say never. In this episode you will hear: My hip bone inside the socket deteriorated. I found out at a young age that kids are mean, they tell the truth, they don’t sugar coat anything. I went from being amazing at physical activities to not being able to do anything at all. At 16 years old that I’d never play sports, but I proved them wrong. In my recovery, my first goal was to get to the mailbox. I don’t care what anybody says… I can do it. I take that mentality to everything I do. It took an assistant coach to see that I was suffering. I opened up to him and my burden was lifted. Be conscious of what you say - You never get your words back. I loved every part of BUD/S because what I had been experiencing my entire life – other people were experiencing for the first time. What comes out is the best version of you if you’re willing to be refined in the fire. I proved the world wrong about what’s possible. My own Kryptonite was my pride. No matter what happens to me, there’s no way you’re going to hurt me to the point I’m gonna give up & quit. I’m never out of the fight. Instead of being selfish, I’m gonna be selfless. It doesn’t matter your rank, what matters is the impact you make for the team. If you are going through terrible scenarios, understand that bricks and stones will eventually build a bridge to cross over to where you want to be. If you never quit & never give up, you can accomplish anything. Connect with Dr.Bisher: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrickbisher/ Grab the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Warrior-God-Dr-Patrick-Bisher-ebook/dp/B09QLGYJ1R/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1642699958&refinements=p_27%3ADr.%20Patrick%20Bisher&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Dr.%20Patrick%20Bisher Visit his website: https://patrickbisher.com/ Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/

“Speak the complete truth.” That is all our guest Michelle Black is asking from U.S. Army officials and AFRICOM (United States Africa Command), as it relates to the death of her Green Beret husband, Staff Sergeant Bryan Black. Our guest Michelle Black, a Gold Star widow, lost her Green Beret husband in the 2017 Niger Ambush.   In her inspiring and revelatory memoir—Sacrifice: A Gold Star Widow’s Fight for the Truth—she used exclusive interviews with the surviving members of ODA 3212 to write what has been hailed as “the best after-action report to come out of the ambush and subsequent events." In this episode you will hear: I reached a point where I realized that my husband and all the men who fought and died alongside him were being completely dishonored. I had to make a decision. If they come after me and take everything, what are they going to do to me? I was doing exactly what I was supposed to do. God was with me. He was giving me the strength. I was the right person at the right time to do the right thing. What a shame if I hadn’t. Once I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to do and God’s behind me, there’s a different boldness that doesn’t exist in any other area of my life. I don’t want to waste what Bryan fought for. We hold those accountable who should be held accountable. I’m pushing for changes in the way military investigations are done, so we have better oversight. How can you lead people if you’re doing a poor job? It’s a good ol’ boy system no matter how good or bad a leader you are. You don’t have to accept what you’re being told if you know it’s not true. The men on the ground want you to know the truth. You can do anything you set your mind to.

Is it possible to grow accustomed to the sight of charred bodies in the battlefield, and worse yet – be responsible for bagging them up and processing their return to loved ones with honor? This week’s Team Never Quit guest, Marine Reservist Chris Bussler, filled that role for the U.S. Marines as part of a Mortuary Affairs Unit in Iraq. Listen to Chris’ account of the reality and consequences of war from a different perspective than most. It’s almost unbelievable that a man could go from being an everyday postal carrier to an active participant in the front lines of battle with a single phone call. 3 tours of duty later, Chris’ book, No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor, came to fruition and provides an autobiographical account of his experiences, and their unforgettable impact on his life. In this episode you will hear: I grew up traveling and never having a place to call home. So I really didn’t want to see the world, but I wanted to serve. I was told the reserve unit near my house accepted grunts, but what they didn’t tell me is that they didn’t do grunt things, so I was assigned to go out on the front lines in a mortuary affairs unit, find the guys that got killed, recover their remains, and bring them back. A 22mm mortar picked me up and threw me off the road and destroyed the radio I was carrying. As a result, I got an ice cream scoop taken – “a shark bite” - out of my calf. I still have a piece of shrapnel near my femoral artery. Family was always big, but now, family is everything. I want to be there as a good father. Even the mightiest of mountains will eventually tumble into the sea. If you let the waves hit you every day, eventually it will knock you down. It takes a village to welcome back the warriors. My book reminds people that the guys that are killed on the battlefield are just the beginning of the sacrifice. The guys that go to war are real people with real aspirations. Soldiers put their families on hold, everything on hold - to do a job that the American people asked them to do. That’s sacrifice. When we heard there were SEALS operating in our area, we thought “Holy cow, we must be high on the totem pole.” I still remember the razor burns to keep a good seal on our gas masks. We were training with World War II manuals and making things up on the fly. Connect with Chris: Facebook: No Tougher Duty, No Greater Honor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/no_tougher_duty/ Grab the Book https://www.amazon.com/No-Tougher-Duty-Greater-Honor/dp/1546604936/ref=asc_df_1546604936_nodl/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312174487654&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18368735048976612618&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9015645&hvtargid=pla-583483912008&psc=1 Follow Us: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/ https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/ https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/