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Military History
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ResourceThe Real REASON Hell Week was Created | Breaking down the origins of BUD/S
The guest explains that Hell Week was created by Draper Kauffman in 1943 to prepare Naval Combat Demolition Units for the mission of …
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ResourceThe SEAL Teams Origin Story Is a Lie — A Historian Sets the Record Straight
A historian discusses his book challenging the origin myth of the Navy SEALs. He argues the common narrative—that UDT teams evolved …
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ResourceMajor James Capers: Breaking Racial Barriers in Special Ops
Major James Capers recounts his Marine Corps journey from infantryman to Force Recon operator. Capers describes breaking racial …
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ResourceThe Toughest Veteran*
The guest, an African-American veteran, recounts volunteering for Force Recon when the war started and facing racial discrimination …
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ResourceThe 4-Day Battle That Nearly K*lled Them All Earned Him the Medal of Honor
A Medal of Honor recipient recounts his service in Vietnam from 1966-67, focusing on the four-day Battle of Phu Loc where he led a …
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ResourceInside British Tier One: The SAS Veteran Who Survived P Company, SAS Selection | Ep. 292
Ritland interviews Phil Singleton, a former UK SAS operator and participant in the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege (Operation Nimrod). …
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ResourceForce Recon After SOCOM: The Marines They Left Out of Special Operations
Ritland's guest recounts his journey from a Marine Corps infantry sniper to Force Recon, spanning 1987 to post-9/11 Afghanistan. The …
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ResourceMACV-SOG vs SEAL Team 6 — Which Unit Was More Dangerous?
A former MACV-SOG officer recounts his service with the secretive Vietnam-era unit, explaining that SOG was a joint unconventional …
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ResourceWhy SOG Was More Powerful Than Any Official Military Command in Vietnam
A former Special Forces soldier describes the differences between conventional Special Forces operations and SOG (Studies and …
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ResourceInside MAC-V SOG: The Green Beret Who Ran the Most Classified Missions of the Vietnam War | Ep. 289
Ritland interviews Travis Mills, a Vietnam-era Green Beret who served in the classified MAC VOG unit. Mills recounts his upbringing …
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ResourceDelta Force Operation Eagle Claw: The Failed Iran Rescue Nobody Talks About
A Delta Force operator recounts his firsthand experience during Operation Eagle Claw, the 1980 failed mission to rescue American …
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Resource"Only 10 Out of 160 Made It" - Inside the 1977 Delta Force Selection
Ritland interviews a former Delta Force operator who was part of the unit's original selection classes in the late 1970s. The guest …
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ResourceWhy Vietnam's Tunnel Operations Were the Most Dangerous Special Missions of the War
A former EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) specialist describes his tunnel operations in Vietnam, where he crawled through …
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ResourceHand-Picked for Delta Force: The EOD Operator Who Changed the Unit
A former EOD operator recounts his path to becoming one of the founding members of Delta Force. He describes his EOD service in …
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ResourceThe Real Story Behind the Creation of Delta Force — Mike Vining Tells All | Ep. 277
Mike Ritland interviews retired Sergeant Major Mike Vining, one of the original founding members of Delta Force and a Vietnam-era …
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ResourceBlack Hawk Down: We Killed THOUSANDS – The Real Body Count Was Much Higher
Ritland interviews a guest who recounts receiving the Silver Star for his role in the Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down). The …
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ResourceZOMBIE TACTICS: The Drug That Fueled the Somali Terrorists
A guest recounts his experience during the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu (Black Hawk Down), describing how Somali fighters used a drug …
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ResourceFrom Fort Bragg to Desert Storm: The Origins of the GWOT
A former soldier recounts his experiences from joining the military through Desert Storm and into Special Forces. He describes …
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ResourceNavy SEAL Kevin Kent on Seizing Saddam’s Dam in Iraq
Navy SEAL Kevin Kent recounts his first deployment to Iraq in 2003, describing his platoon's mission to seize the Mukdadiyah …
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ResourceThe SEAL Team Op That Took Down Noriega
A former Navy SEAL recounts his experiences during Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989, where his unit worked to overthrow Manuel …
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ResourceDEVGRU Secrets: What It Takes to Operate at the Tip of the Spear | Ep. 253
Mike Ritland interviews Chuck Hayes, a Navy SEAL who served 40 years including time at DEVGRU and founded Soft Whisper. Hayes …
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ResourceThe Insane Speed and Capability of the XB-70 Valkyrie
Max describes the North American XB-70 Valkyrie, a Mach 3.1 Cold War bomber designed to penetrate Soviet defenses and deliver …
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ResourceIssued Speed?! Vietnam’s "Stay Awake" Pills Exposed
Ritland's guest recounts being issued dextroamphetamine (referred to as 'stay awake pills') when he arrived in Vietnam, describing …
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ResourceWhy Hell Week Exists - Where SEAL Teams Come From with Historian Ben Milligan | Mike Drop Ep. 210
Historian Ben Milligan explains the origins of Hell Week in Navy SEAL training, tracing it directly to D-Day preparations. Milligan …
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