John Martin is the Director of Aftercare for the Fit-Ops Foundation. 

Fit-Ops is a charitable organization that trains US Military Veterans to become trainers through a fully-funded three-week Bootcamp. 

During their time at Fit-Ops, veterans learn the skills and techniques they need to know to become personal trainers, and Fit-Ops also instructs them business and job-searching skills. 

Most importantly, however, Fit-Ops dedicates much of their training to help veterans to overcome their mental blocks and potential mental trauma. 

The organization has a dedicated staff that's meant to look after veterans after they leave the camp. This is called "aftercare" and it continues as long as graduates remain in the Fit-Ops network. 

I sat down with John to talk about the great work that Fit-Ops is doing and to get some details on their Aftercare program. 

We had a great conversation about the tools they use to create and sustain transformation for these veterans. 

To read EMF Guy's article, "8 Inconvenient Truths About Covid-19 Panic" click HERE. 

You've probably heard about the surging numbers of Covid-19 cases. You've probably heard that deaths are rising. You've may have also heard that hospitals are near their breaking points. 

What you haven't heard:

• Hospitals are not overrun yet, but they are preparing for the worst. 
• Covid-19 tests carry a false positive rate of up to 80%.
• 99% of the deaths from Covid-19 were complicated by an alternative or pre-existing condition. 

I'm not telling you to stop social distancing, or to violate the preventative measures that health practitioners have published. I'm a moron, not a medical professional. 

Nevertheless, I do want you to think and to do your own research. 

Scott Carney is an anthropologist and journalist who explores the limits of human physiology. 

Scott's curiosity is driven by the following conundrum: as modern society has advanced, human beings have seemed to venture farther and farther away from their natural states. We have exchanged much of our natural past for comfort, and we've paid for it with a pandemic of obesity and chronic health problems. 

Yet those evolutionary advantages that allowed us run down game and travel long distances in diverse climates are still accessible. Scott's work explores how the average human being can tap into this ability. 

His New York Times Best-Selling book, What Doesn't Kill Us followed his adventures with Wim Hof, the Ice Man. Wim is known for being able to endure extreme cold. He holds records for being underwater in brutally cold temperatures, for running across the Arctic Circle in a pair of shorts, and for climbing Mount Everest in shorts. 

Scott began that book trying to debunk him, but tried Wim's methods and found that they actually worked. This ignited a firestorm of curiosity, and in his new book, The Wedge, Scott explores how human beings can control their automatic reactions to fear and extreme environments. 

Get your copy of The Wedge: Evolution, Consciousness, Stress, and the Key to Human Resilience at https://amzn.to/3bq16y6

Due to the economic shutdown many people are getting laid off from work. Because of that, I am going to be providing you with as many employment opportunities as possible. 

Here is the link I mentioned in the episode: 

Today marks the four-year anniversary from the date I decided to start a podcast. It hasn't been easy, and the only reason I'm still here is because of you. 

Scott Carney is an anthropologist and journalist who explores the limits of human physiology. 

Scott's curiosity is driven by the following conundrum: as modern society has advanced, human beings have seemed to venture farther and farther away from their natural states. We have exchanged much of our natural past for comfort, and we've paid for it with a pandemic of obesity and chronic health problems. 

Yet those evolutionary advantages that allowed us run down game and travel long distances in diverse climates are still accessible. Scott's work explores how the average human being can tap into this ability. 

His New York Times Best-Selling book, What Doesn't Kill Us followed his adventures with Wim Hof, the Ice Man. Wim is known for being able to endure extreme cold. He holds records for being underwater in brutally cold temperatures, for running across the Arctic Circle in a pair of shorts, and for climbing Mount Everest in shorts. 

Scott began that book trying to debunk him, but tried Wim's methods and found that they actually worked. This ignited a firestorm of curiosity, and in his new book, The Wedge, Scott explores how human beings can control their automatic reactions to fear and extreme environments. 

Get your copy of The Wedge: Evolution, Consciousness, Stress, and the Key to Human Resilience at https://amzn.to/3bq16y6

The economic impact of the Covid-19 outbreak is going to far outweigh the toll from the virus. Thousands are being laid off and furloughed from work, and it does not look like this is going to stop anytime soon. 

Still, there are companies hiring right now and there are organizations looking to offer their assistance to veterans and their families. 

I invited Lance Iunker, combat veteran and a LINC with CalVet to come on and talk about the jobs and resources available. 

Here is a list, that I will keep running, of places that are hiring and resources you can take advantage of. 

About Lance

Lance Iunker is currently the San Diego County Local Interagency Network Coordinator for the California Department of Veteran Affairs (CalVet). Lance was wounded in Iraq in 2007 while serving with the 82nd Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, NC. After being medically retired he became a contractor training soldiers across the country. After earning his degree in Political Science, Lance lead a research initiative looking at the efficacy of Neurofeedback therapy in Veterans with PTSD at the Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy. He worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly a decade helping veterans before joining CalVet in 2018. Lance is also a musician, owns a small business, and is a Senior Ambassador for Operation Surf. Feel free to reach out to him at lance.iunker@calvet.ca.gov for additional information and resources.

Last week we spoke about ways you can get ahead during the Covid-19 quarantine. This week, we'll talk about how you can come out of this "crisis" as a smarter, stronger, and more capable human being. 

The situation might suck, but there is a lot of good that could come out of it. In this episode, I discuss measures you can take during the quarantine that could make this quarantine/"crisis" the best thing that ever happened to you. 

Grant Cardone came onto the podcast in the fall to talk about how he got through the hard times and his advice for veterans as they make their transitions into the civilian world. 

One thing we talked about was what he would do if he lost everything.

Given what's going on in the world right now, I thought it was an apt time to re-release this episode. 

I will be continuing to release content to help you through these hard times as this crisis continues. Please let me know if have questions or requests. 

Dr. Kirk Parsley is a former Navy Seal and medical doctor who specializes in sleep medicine and resiliency. He came on the show to discuss how to view the statistics on Covid 19 without spin and emotion in an effort to try to bring some sanity to the situation. 

Doc Parsley's Bio:

Kirk Parsley served as an Undersea Medical Officer at Naval Special Warfare Group One from June 2009 to January 2013. While there, he led the development and supervised the group’s first Sports Medicine Rehabilitation center. He is a former SEAL, and received his Medical Degree from Bethesda, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) in 2004. He interned in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Balboa Naval Hospital San Diego in 2005 and subsequently completed a Navy residency in Hyperbarics and Diving Medicine in 2006.

Doctor Parsley has been a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine since 2006 and served as Naval Special Warfare’s expert on Sleep Medicine. In addition he is certified in hormonal modulation (Age-Management Medicine). After leaving the Navy he went into concierge medicine and consulting. He continues to consult for multiple corporations, and professional athletes/teams. Doctor Parsley lectures worldwide on sleep, wellness, and hormonal optimization and is currently completing a book on sleep and health optimization.

His philosophy for wellness is simple; in order to optimize our health and get the most out of our bodies and minds, we must live more closely to the way we evolved as a species. He believes that many diseases and disorders that we accept as “inevitable” in modern society are unnecessary complications of poor sleeping habits, living in a toxic environment, eating foods we were not designed to digest, and allowing stress to overwhelm us. His passion is to help his patients and clients achieve the highest quality of life possible, and realize their health, performance, and longevity goals.

Dr. Parsley spends as much of his spare time as possible with his three beautiful children (Hayden, Cole, and Harper). He has been a competitive athlete his entire life, and enjoys nearly all outdoor activities and sports.

Mike Ritland is a veteran of the US Navy Seals and one of the top area experts in the world on training and handling working dogs. Additionally, Mike is the host of the Mike Drop Podcast where he interviews some of the most interesting people in the world from both inside and outside the SOF community. 

Mike's show is currently one of my favorite podcasts for many reasons. He isn't afraid to speak his mind on any issue, and he's an excellent interviewer that doesn't just duplicate interviews he hears from other podcasts. Two of my favorite episodes of his are his interview with Johnnie Walker, the famous Iraqi interpreter, and Eddie Gallagher, the controversial Navy Seal who got railroaded by the media. 

In this interview, Mike did not disappoint. He delivered some solid business and transition advice, and we talked a bit about politics in our day and age. You'll learn:

• why it's important to find your purpose
• why you need to surround yourself with good people
• how Mike made the transition from the military to business
• what working with dogs has taught him about people
• his opinion on various matters including education and politics
• what Mike considers his most informative interview

To learn more about Mike, his business, and his podcast, click on the following links:

Main Page: https://mikeritland.com/

Trikos International: https://trikos.com/

Team Dog Online Training: https://teamdog.pet/join-trikos-team-dog/

Mike Drop Podcast: https://mikeritland.com/mike-drop-podcast/ 

Covid-19 aka "coronavirus" has instilled fear throughout society. Schools are closing, public gatherings are canceled, and the stock market just plummeted. 

Part of human nature is its irrationality. People don't always do things that make sense, and that's something we all need to live with. 

Yet, chaos brings with it opportunity. In this episode, I give you ways that you can get ahead in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

I discuss:

• investing
• books you should read
• things you can do to get healthier
• things you can do to get more out of life

Books mentioned: 

The Intelligent Investor: https://amzn.to/38NKhvl

A Random Walk Down Wall Street: https://amzn.to/2xxf8PL

The Millionaire Teacher: https://amzn.to/2w8U8P9

The Persian Expedition: https://amzn.to/2IHSo23

Lincoln: https://amzn.to/2vkToGh

Titan: https://amzn.to/3cXgqDU

Resources Mentioned

Vanguard Funds: https://investor.vanguard.com/home

At a young age, Baktash Ahadi moved, along with his family from Afghanistan to a town in rural Pennsylvania.

At the time, not many Americans knew much about Baktash's homeland of Afghanistan at all. That changed dramatically after the events of September 11, 2001, when Al Qaeda militants attacked New York City and Washington, DC. 

Al Qaeda had set up a stronghold in Afghanistan with the aid of its Taliban government. With the US invasion of Afghanistan, Baktash's identity as an Afghan-American was now front and center. 

After serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique, Baktash decided to contribute to the US effort in Afghanistan as an interpreter and cultural liaison. Serving alongside Marines, Baktash remained in Afghanistan for three years. 

Since his service, Baktash has dedicated himself to telling inspiring stories of those who've sought to make the world a better place with his podcast Stories of Transformation. 

In this episode you will learn:

• what it was like to be an interpreter serving alongside Marines
• why achieving cooperation between Afghans and US forces is so difficult
• how Baktash is dealing with the mental impact of his service
• why he stayed in Afghanistan for three years
• what the experience taught him about people and life

Showing anger might feel good in the moment. The raw release of emotion often helps us to feel like we're being heard. 

You might feel like anger helps you to display your power, but the truth is that showing anger is actually showing weakness. 

Epictetus, the stoic philosopher, wrote that "anyone who makes you angry becomes your master." Anger causes you to throw all your cards on the table, and then your opponents know how to pull your strings. 

In this episode, I explain why you need to control your anger and avoid showing your cards. I talk about strategies you can use to begin recognizing how to control your anger, and I take you through several books you can read about how to form better strategies. 

At the end of the day the goal is to win as individuals, as a veteran community, and as a country. Controlling anger and thinking more strategically will help us on all of these fronts. 

Books I discuss in this podcast: 

Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger

48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

Enchridion by Epictetus

Battle Cry of Freedom by James McPherson is known as the greatest single volume ever written about the Civil War, and I agree with that sentiment. It's actually one of the best history books I've ever read. 

In 2020, I've decided to make a concerted effort to learn more about the history of the United States. I'm doing this because many people these days are approaching our current political climate without any historical context, ignorant of our history. 

McPherson's chronicle of the Civil War is a window into the challenges our country faced at one of it's most vulnerable moments. Understanding the leadership of the generals and political leaders, along with the sacrifices of the rank and file soldiers gives us insight as to how their decisions shaped the fate of our nation. It also helps us to understand many of the challenges we're facing today. 

You can get your copy of Battle Cry of Freedom at: https://amzn.to/2vmdBvs.

Justin Stenstrom is the host of the highly subscribed Elite Man Podcast. He's also a speaker, coach, and author. His latest book Elite Mind delves into the tools, tactics, and strategies he's used to overcome anxiety and depression.

Beyond that, it teaches you how to thrive and get to a state that he calls having an "elite mind." Justin lays things out step by step in the book and it's one of the best and most organized self-help books I've come across, and I've read a lot of them. 

This is Justin's second appearance on the show and we always have great conversations. In this interview we cover:

• how to overcome anxiety and depression
• what supplements you should be taking to optimize your mind and body
• what practices you should implement in your daily routine
• why training is important for your mind as well as your body
• the effects of traumatic brain injury
• specific advice for veterans experiencing anxiety and depression
• Justin's process for creating his books

You can get Elite Mind at: https://amzn.to/2vRB7QK

Learn more about Justin and Elite Man at http://elitemanmagazine.com/

Noah Currier is a Marine Corps Veteran and the founder and creator of Oscar Mike, a charity and clothing brand that stands for "On the Move." Noah's story of tragedy and triumph is one of the most heart wrenching yet inspirational stories I've covered on this podcast.

Three days after coming back from a deployment, Noah was in a car accident that left him paralyzed. Three months after that tragic event, his fiance was killed in another car accident. 

Noah was left broken in body and spirit, and he almost ended it, but chose not to because of his mother. As he recovered, he created the idea for Oscar Mike, a charity that helps wounded veterans to stay active. To reduce the overhead costs of the charity, Noah created Oscar Mike the clothing brand. 

Today, Oscar Mike is a massive success as both a charity and as a business. 

In this interview Noah and I discuss:

• how Noah overcame the tragic events of his past
• how he came up with the idea for Oscar Mike
• the difficulties of starting and maintaining a business
• what he's doing to stay active
• how his life has changed since beginning Oscar Mike
• where he's taking Oscar Mike in the future

To learn more about Noah and Oscar Mike, head over to www.oscarmike.org. 

On this month's ask me anything:

1) What do I think of psychedelics? Have I used them? 

2) What supplements should everyone be on?

3) What do I think of over the counter testosterone boosters? 

Jon Macaskill is a retiring Navy Seal Commander and Acting Deputy Executive Director of the Veterans Path, an organization that teaches veterans how to use the tools of meditation and mindfulness. 

Many veterans, and others, shy away from meditation because it carries connotations of some hippy guy sitting in the lotus position and chanting. In reality, meditation can have little to do with spirituality and you don't need to be a monk to do it. 

Jon has used mindfulness meditation to sort his mind out from the stresses of being a Navy Seal officer.

As he came to the sunset of his career in the Seal Teams, Jon had a choice. He could go the traditional business route and get into commercial real estate or finance, or he could do something that was truly meaningful to him. Since meditation had helped him so much, he wanted to help other veterans to take advantage of this amazing tool. 

In this conversation, we talk about Jon's career in the Navy, his introduction to meditation, and his plans for helping veterans in retirement. 

Josh Guerrero's resume sounds like something out of Indiana Jones...literally. 

He is a United States Marine Corps Veteran, a former Peace Corps Volunteer, and he's an archeologist. He's lived in Africa and Europe, and he's traveled to countries on multiple continents. 

But Josh wasn't always an athletic international man of mystery. After entering the Marine Corps, Josh actually lost track of his discipline and became so overweight that his command put him on remedial PT and ration control. Josh worked hard to redeem himself and eventually began running marathons while in the Marine Corps. Since then he's fought in MMA, completed Spartan Races, and other endurance events. 

Now Josh is planning an epic trek across Paraguay and Uruguay on foot to raise money for American Veterans Archeological Recovery. This is an organization that trains veterans to become archeologists. 

In this episode you'll learn: 

• how Josh overcame his weight problem in the Marine Corps
• about the United States Peace Corps
• how to become a Peace Corps Volunteer
• what life is like for a Peace Corps Volunteer
• how Josh became an archeologist
• how Josh and the AVAR are helping other veterans to become archeologists
• why Josh started the All-Around Adventure Podcast

To learn more about Josh's podcast, his trek across South America, and the AVAR, head over to: https://www.allaroundadventure.com/dualtrek/

There are few things that can change your life as much as changing the way that you eat. If you are putting junk into your body, you are going to get junk in return. 

In this episode, I discuss 7 basic rules for eating for success. These rules focus on sustainability and consistency above all else. That means that you'll be able to follow them regardless of your life circumstances. 

To get complete nutrition programs and courses that I've designed, check out the Warrior Soul Academy at : http://www.warriorsoul.academy. 

Greg McIntyre is a Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and a former professional MMA Fighter who fought in the WEC. He started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Fabio Santos and received his Black Belt from Dean Lister. He is an instructor at Victory MMA and Fitness in San Diego, CA where he's known as "Greg Train."

As Greg was beginning his MMA career he was afflicted with an autoimmune disease called ulcerative colitis. It began with abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Before long he was losing lots of blood, and after a colonoscopy, his doctor told him that they needed to remove his colon. 

Greg lived for several months with a colostomy bag, and then had his colon transitioned to a "j-pouch." Greg was able to get back into training once his colon was removed and eventually returned to fighting. 

Today, Greg has found a new life as an XRay technician while instructing at Victory MMA. He is also raising a family in San Diego. 

Greg came on to talk about his life, fighting, Jiu-Jitsu, and his disease. You'll find that, despite his misfortunes, he has an excellent mindset. As someone who also suffers from ulcerative colitis, I know the extent of the pain and discomfort he's had to go through, but all of it has made him a stronger person. 

This is an excellent conversation that anyone is sure to find inspiration in. I highly suggest that you also check out Greg's instagram @gregorymcintyre. He puts out some excellent instructional videos for Jiu Jitsu and fighting. 

As veterans, many of us have the tendency to want to save others. This is a noble attribute, but it's also a characteristic that can cause us to shoot ourselves in the foot from time to time. 

It creates a doorway for toxic people to enter our lives. As they do, we find ourselves focusing on their problems while our lives fall apart. 

In this episode, I give you a strategy for pushing yourself forward, while still taking care of those whom are most important to you. I also discuss the impact of toxic people and how you can take your focus off of them and put it on what's most important. 

Michael Franzese is a former Capo Regime from the Colombo Crime Family. He is considered the most prolific mobster of all time next to Al Capone. At the height of his mob career, he was earning between eight and ten million dollars a week. In this episode we discuss:

• becoming a made man
• Colombo Crime Family
• Gambino Crime Family
• Rudy Guiliani
• John Gotti
• Sammy the Bull Gravano
• Finding Christ
• Veteran Suicide
• Gun Rights
• Building a Business
• Prison
• PTSD

Get Michael's book, I'll Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse : https://amzn.to/2utvvvq

Mike Ergo is a US Marine Corps Veteran, an Ironman Triathlete, and the co-host of the Age Groupies Podcast. He is also a multi-time guest on the Warrior Soul Podcast. 

In his post-military life, Mike became a drug addict. For ten years he turned to drugs to numb himself to the memories of the deaths of the Marines and Sailors of the 1st Batallion 8th Marines that he lost in combat. 

After finally becoming sober, Mike turned to endurance sports. He found the sport of triathlon and he eventually made his way to Kona for the Ironman Triathlon. 

When Mike competes, he's adopted the practice of carrying the name of a fallen service member with him. Additionally, he raises money for gold star families with every race he competes in. 

Mike is heading back to Kona this year, and I brought him on to talk about the race and what he's been up to in recent months.