Patriot to the Core

Nov 25 2024 100 ep. 54 mins 65
Patriot to the Core Podcast artwork

Patriot to the Core highlights selfless Americans. I interview those from all branches of the military (combat controllers, PJs, Green Berets, SEALs, Rangers, Infantrymen, Marines, Pilots, etc) and the US government. In addition, I speak with your every day mom who goes about doing good--from starting a non-profit to fighting for freedom in our communities and schools. I get to talk with Gold Star Parents, Siblings and Spouses, and Medal of Honor recipients.

This provides an opportunity to learn about everyday Americans who go above and beyond to protect us and to help others. As a Gold Star brother, many of my guests have a military connection, but I still have a wide variety of people who answer the call to serve in various ways.

We talk fighting terrorism, self protection, exercise, mental toughness, charity, parenting, fugitives and occasionally pop culture and politics.

Please follow and subscribe so we can have many seasons to come. Send suggestions and questions to me at [email protected]. Hope you enjoy!

  Government  News  Business
RSS feed Share
Copy RSS


Subscribe on Podcast Addict


Ep 119 | Mark Roland – Insider Attack!

Nov 25 2024 62 mins  
Matthew Roland was killed-in-action in Afghanistan in August 2015 in an insider attack (aka “green on blue”) at an Afghan-led security checkpoint. Killed alongside him was teammate SSgt Forrest Sibley, both Air Force Combat Controllers attached to an Army Special Forces team. Matthew’s father Mark, shares what happened, how Matthew responded instantly and

Ep 118 | Michael Madsen – Army Judge Advocate (JAG) | Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Survivor

Jul 01 2024 74 mins  
Michael Madsen is a Judge Advocate in the US Army. His current full-time job is an Attorney for the Air Force and he’s a JAG in the Army Reserves. After graduating law school and completing a JD/MBA program, Michael worked in the private sector before joining the Army at the age of 33. He wanted to serve his country and found that the Army gave him the best opportunit

Ep 117 | Matthew Longanacre – AH-64D Apache Pilot Overhead Mark in Afghanistan

May 27 2024 18 mins  
CW4 Matthew Longanacre (Matthew on Facebook) was an AH-64D Apache Pilot with 1-101 Aviation Regiment “Expect No Mercy”. He was the Pilot-In-Command of one of the two Apaches that were overhead when Mark and Calvin were killed on 29 September 2010. Printed in Mark’s book, My Brother in Arms, Matthew wrote to our family: “We pride ourselves on doing whatever i

Ep 116 | Eric Moutsos – Freedom, Liberty, and Non-Essential

May 06 2024 46 mins  
Eric Moutsos (@ericmoutsos) is a small business owner and creator of Freedom Blends, a supplement company based on the principles of Freedom and Liberty. A former Salt Lake City Police Officer, Moutsos loved the job but quickly started being outspoken about disturbing practices (aka quotas) and discrimination within the department. In the end, Eric lost his badge and g

Ep 115 | Brian Jodice – Men’s Heath and Recognizing Signs of Suicide

Apr 15 2024 43 mins  
Brian Jodice (@brianjodice) of Pick Up The Six Productions and NGBN TV is back to promote this new network for men in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. Discussed in this episode: -why focus on this demographic? -men’s mental health -Biblical application -best athletic gear and brands for outdoor workouts (specifically F3 and GORUCK events)

Ep 114 | Joe O’Keefe – Hunting Osama bin Laden in Tora Bora in 2001

Jan 22 2024 67 mins  
Within weeks of the 9/11 attacks, Air Force Combat Controller Joe O’Keefe was in Afghanistan working with the CIA and other special operations units. Joe and his small team made their way into the mountains of Tora Bora with the help of the Northern Alliance. Armed with the element of surprise, he was able to start calling in close air support against hundreds, if no

Ep 113 | Hershel “Woody” Williams – Medal of Honor Recipient from Iwo Jima

Jan 01 2024 59 mins  
The late Woody Williams will never forget the odor of burning human remains. “There are some things about that 4 hours that have bothered me my whole life… I can’t remember going back and getting the other 5 flamethrowers.  It was so horrific, I didn’t want to remember.” I was introduced to death by flamethrower after learning of Mr. Wi

Ep 112 | Mark Schmitz – Disaster at Abbey Gate

Dec 11 2023 64 mins  
Mark Schmitz’s son, LCpl Jared Schmitz, was one of the 13 Americans murdered at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, on 26 August 2021 during the evacuation from Afghanistan. He was just 20 years old. He was there on a humanitarian mission working the infamous Abbey Gate. When Afghans made it past the Taliban checkpoints, they were desperate to get on a flight

Ep 111 | Don Stevens – Security Forces, Combat Control, Burn the Ships, PTSD

Nov 06 2023 83 mins  
Don Stevens is one of those rare operators who retrained into the Air Force combat control (CCT) pipeline at the age of 32, after being in security forces. This required uncommon humility since leadership said, “What are we gonna do with a MSgt. who doesn’t know squat (many different strong words could be inserted here)?” Even though I’ve had severa

Ep 110 | Special: Kenny Alicea & Mark Forester – Beautiful Symphony of Death and Destruction

Sep 29 2023 46 mins  
On this 13th anniversary of the death of my brother, SrA Mark Forester, I have the opportunity to talk with Kenny Alicea who was the Senior Weapons Sergeant for his Army Special Forces team (ODA 7212) where Mark was attached. Kenny contacted me a few weeks ago and told me he was on that final mission when Mark and Calvin were killed. He was a few hundred meters away with t