4 Years a Slave

What was it like living inside one of the most infamous palaces in the world? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, former Blackwater contractor Morgan Lerette shares the surreal experience of living and working inside one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces during the Iraq War. What was once the res…

What was it really like working for Blackwater during the height of the Global War on Terror? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, I sit down with former Army officer and military contractor Morgan Lerette to discuss his experiences working for Blackwater in Iraq. Moving from military service into …

Some stories sound too wild to be true—until you hear them from the people who lived them. In this clip from Four Years a Slave, former Australian Army Special Forces Commando Tim Thomas shares the incredible story of surviving a shark attack, along with another unbelievable tale involving a close f…

What was it like serving in Afghanistan as an Australian Special Forces Commando? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, I sit down with former Australian Army Special Forces Commando Tim Thomas to discuss his experiences during the war in Afghanistan. From combat operations and deployments to the re…

Are your best days behind you—or are you just living like they are? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, fellow Marine Mortarman Robert Bowman and I discuss the dangers of living in the past and becoming trapped by your glory days. Whether it's military service, athletics, career success, or a part…

Life is shorter than we think—and too valuable to waste on hate. In this clip from Four Years a Slave, I sit down with fellow Marine Mortarman and friend Robert Bowman to discuss one of the most important lessons we've learned through life, military service, and experience: carrying resentment and h…

What does it take to become an Air Force Pararescueman? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, former Air Force PJ Aaron Love (@AaronLovesAmerica) shares his experience serving in one of the military's most demanding and respected career fields. From the grueling selection and training pipeline to re…

Every military community has its legends—and Pararescue is no exception. In this clip from Four Years a Slave, I sit down with former Air Force Pararescueman and political commentator Aaron Love (@AaronLovesAmerica) to discuss one of the most unique traditions in the special operations community: Ch…

What are the greatest war stories that Hollywood still hasn't told? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, Silver Star recipient and filmmaker Ethan Nagel joins the conversation to discuss the military stories that deserve the big-screen treatment. From the legendary story of the Frozen Chosin and th…

How does one of the nation's highest awards for valor get lost in the system? In this clip from Four Years a Slave, Silver Star recipient Ethan Nagel shares the unbelievable story of how the Department of the Navy lost the paperwork for his award. What should have been a straightforward recognition …

What separates a good military officer from a great one? In this episode of Four Years a Slave, we discuss the qualities that define exceptional leadership in the military. Beyond tactics and technical proficiency, we explore the importance of professionalism, character, judgment, and the ability to…

In this episode of Four Years a Slave, I sit down with my friend and fellow Marine veteran, TJ Lisovich, to talk about his experience living and working in Saudi Arabia. We discuss the financial benefits, unique lifestyle, cultural differences, travel opportunities, and the realities of working over…

The history of Marine Corps Commandants is far stranger than most Marines realize. In this episode of Four Years a Slave, we dive into the wild, controversial, and larger-than-life leaders who shaped the Corps. From Lt. Col. Anthony Gale—the only Commandant ever court-martialed and fired—to Archibal…

Nolan Shuey recounts one of the most legendary barracks stories from his Marine Corps days. During a wild barracks party, he sprinted across the street wearing nothing but tighty-whities and an eagle mask, creating a moment that quickly became infamous among the Marines around him. In this hilarious…

What was it really like working for Blackwater during the height of the Iraq War?In Episode 67, I sit down with former Army intelligence officer and Blackwater contractor Morgan Lerette to hear firsthand stories from one of the most controversial and dangerous periods of the war.Morgan shares what i…

Former Australian Special Forces Commando Tim Thomas joins the podcast for one of the wildest international episodes yet.From surviving brutal environments in Australia to discussing elite military culture, human nature, stress management, and the psychology of fear, this episode goes everywhere.Tim…

Four former 81s Marines from Weapons Company reunite on the podcast and immediately spiral into the exact kind of chaos you’d expect from mortarmen left unsupervised. Four Years a Slave Podcast host Cody Sewell sits down with returning guest Robert Bowman before the episode unexpectedly turns into a…

Deployment boredom leads to some truly cursed decisions… and this might be one of the worst. 🤢 Former corpsman Doc Bobby West tells the absolutely disgusting story of how a dip spit bottle started getting passed around the ship, how everyone kept adding to it, and how a $300 dare turned into one of…

Former Navy corpsman Doc Bobby West breaks down his conversion to Eastern Orthodox Christianity and why more young men, veterans, and online communities seem drawn toward the ancient faith. We talk about the rise of the “Orthodox bro” movement, the deep traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy, how its cultu…

Are we accidentally speedrunning every sci-fi timeline ever made? 👀 From Halo to Call of Duty, Planet of the Apes, and even real-world moon missions, Cody Bensley and the boys break down the weird parallels between fictional timelines and what’s actually happening in the world right now. Wars in th…