Hey everyone, just a heads up, this interview was originally recorded back in March of 2021, so some of Robert's comments will sound a little dated, but remarkably prescient.
The groups Robert recommends are: Horses for Heroes, they provide free programs for post-9/11 vets that focus on leadership …
The Long War Interviews
by Chris Martin
The United States has been at war since October 7th, 2001. But what have we been doing for almost 20 years? I sit down with recent veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, as well as others who served and shaped our military in the post 9/11 era.
Latest Episodes
Hey everyone, we're back! For today's episode I spoke to Gus Biggio. We originally spoke back in the spring, so things might be a little dated.
Gus recently published a wonderful memoir about his time in the Marines called The Wolves of Helmand. Gus is an insightful guy, who genuinely carries about …
Hey everyone, just a quick update on the show and a big Happy Veterans' Day to all my fellow vets out there.
Also, here are the links to my book, Chasing Alexander: A Marine's Journey Across Iraq and Afghanistan
https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Alexander-Marines-Journey-Afghanistan-ebook/dp/B098JWHJL…
For today's episode, I sat down with Myles Hennessey, who was both an enlisted soldier and a commissioned officer in the US army. We talked about both of his tours to Iraq, as well as the mindset it takes to go from being enlisted to being an officer. He's an incredibly humble and interesting guy.
…
For this episode I talked to Erik about the 82nd Airborne, his time fighting the Iraq War and his time hopping around in the Afghanistan War. We also talked about the importance of training, good leadership, working with army Special Forces, and the differences between those two wars and those two c…
For this episode, I sit down with Michelle Murray, a former soldier and veteran of OIF I, (that's Operation Iraqi Freedom phase one, or the invasion of Iraq). We talked about dealing with our Arab allies and their biased views of women, how to talk to your kids when you're a military parent, and she…
Hey everyone, this episode contains discussions of suicide bombings and things like that. If hearing stories about that isn't for you, go ahead and skip this one.
Today I talk to Abe McCann, a former combat engineer. He discusses how the US Army started to develop standard operating procedures, or S…
Hey everyone, in this episode I sat down to talk to Nick Burkert, a veteran of the famous 82nd Airborne Division. He did two tours through Iraq and one in eastern Afghanistan, before finishing out his career as a recruiter. He's an incredibly honest, and open guy who talks about a lot of things most…
Hey everyone, this episode has discussions of sexual assault and suicide, so if that's not for you, go ahead and skip this one.
For today's episode I sat down with Courtney Salapek to talk about what it was like to have orders to go to bootcamp during 9/11, her time in Korea, and her experiences in …
This is the second half of my interview with Doug Hawthorne. We discuss his second deployment to Iraq, his time in eastern Afghanistan, and we talk a lot of shop about IEDs. Doug makes the great point that you can't understand Iraq or Afghanistan without knowing about IEDs.
Also, Doug's veteran's or…
This week I talked to Doug Hawthorne about IEDs. It was such a great conversation, that I'm making this into a two-part episode. This episode covers Doug's early years in the army and his first deployment to Iraq. Part II will cover his second deployment to Iraq, his tour in Afghanistan, and some sh…
Hi everyone, just a quick warning, in this episode we talk about people who were killed and wounded in Iraq. If that's not for you, we'll be back on Friday.
Now, for today's episode, I talk to Carl Ploense. He's a great guy, and a testament to the patriotism of everyday Americans. Carl served in the…
Joining me on this episode is an old platoon mate of mine from the Marines, William Fabrocini. If we seem too chummy on the episode, that's why. He deployed to the same town, Marjah, on back to back deployments, and got to see how the town changed over time.
The organization he wants to promote for…
For today's episode I sat down with Yonel Dorelis, a career helicopter pilot. We talked about his time in the Marines, the Navy, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force. He's a recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross, with a V for Valor and a super interesting guy. Check it out.
Yo…
Just a heads up for everyone, this episode deals with PTSD and some other heavy topics. If that's hard for you, you might want to skip this one.
Annette and I talked about her 17 years in the army, and how the army has changed over time. We also dove into what the military is like for parents and s…
For this episode I talked to Alani about her time in the elite Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Much of her work is confidential, but she does a great job explaining how military law enforcement and counter-intelligence works. She also came prepared with a pair of great organizations that…
I sat down with Danny to talk about his unique perspective on the Iraq war. He did three tours across Iraq, and got see the major phases of the war up close. He also spent some time in the mountains of Afghanistan. Make sure you listen for his comparison of Iraqi insurgents and the Taliban.
Also, ma…
I sat down with Travis to talk about the 101st Airborne, what it feels like on pre-deployment, and what makes a good military leader. Check out his documentary at MeatGrinderDoc.com
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