Soldier Stories
By Chaplain (CPT) David Wright
As an Army chaplain I continually meet people who have amazing personal stories. These people and their stories are too valuable for me to keep to myself. The short interviews feature a variety of real-life scenarios from both military and civilian life. Many of these Soldiers overcame great difficulty, hardship, or danger. My purpose in this initiative is to create a valuable public relations tool and to encourage you on your own journey.
Soldier StoriesJul 02, 2022
Cavalry Commander
Here comes the cavalry! Having just completed over a year in command of a cavalry troop, CPT Brown talks about what this part of the Army is all about. From mission accomplishment to Soldier welfare to managing millions of dollars in property, commanders fill a demanding role as they lead their troops. The Cav is quite a unique part of the Army, and a proud one at that. "If you ain't Cav, you ain't...!"
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/career-match/ground-forces/firearms-ammunition/19d-cavalry-scout.html
The West Point Experience
Listen to what it's like to attend the U.S. Military Academy (West Point) straight from a third-year cadet. West Point graduates earn their commission as Second Lieutenants and enter active duty in the U.S. Army. It is a demanding four years of preparation and training. Go Army, beat Navy! https://www.westpoint.edu/
The First Convoy
The day after pinning on sergeant stripes in 2017, this Soldier in my unit tells the story of his first of over one hundred convoys in Iraq. It would be the only one of them that resulted in tragedy. In the Army, we continually look for ways to honor our fallen. One way to do this is by sharing the story of their sacrifice. This is one of them.
https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-spc-alexander-w-missildine/6568720
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Ranger School
In episode twenty, our medical section OIC (Officer in Charge) talks about his experience in the elite U.S. Army Ranger School. This military school is one of the toughest training courses for which a Soldier can volunteer. Army Rangers are experts in leading Soldiers on difficult missions - and to do this, they need rigorous training. For more than two months, Ranger students train to exhaustion, pushing the limits of their minds and bodies. Once complete (if they survive the cut), these highly trained leaders have the opportunity to put their skills to the test in real-world situations.
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Arctic Tough
How do you live and operate in extreme Arctic temperatures? This seasoned training specialist from Alaska's Northern Warfare Training Center knows all about it. In this interview, Mr. Decker tells about the type of training conducted and more importantly, why it is necessary for the military to stay ready to operate and fight in Arctic regions. You will appreciate your warm bed a little more tonight!
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Army Special Forces Colonel (ret.) Keith Kurber
What happens when an elite U.S. fighting unit sees friendly vehicles approach and point high-caliber weapons toward them? In a combat situation, "It's easy to shoot someone," he told me after the interview, "It's a lot harder NOT to shoot someone." Buckle up for this one. A Special Forces commander (retired) shares stories from Alaska to Afghanistan. Enjoy this mixture of personal & professional accounts and how his faith taught and sustained him through 30 years of military service. If you enjoy these stories, please subscribe and share with just one person!
The journey from MD to Company Commander
Life rarely takes people where they first plan or expect. In this interview, one of my colleagues, the commander of a headquarters company, shares about how he ended up in his role since beginning a six-year medical school.
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Family First
A twenty-year veteran Master Sergeant shares about his background and recalls when his daughter experienced a life-threatening medical emergency. No amount of military training can prepare a person to see their child flat-line. We don't stop being parents when we wear the uniform.
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Escaping Vietnam
They should make a movie out of this one. This Soldier's parents, under communist oppression, made multiple daring attempts to flee Vietnam after the war. Born in a refugee camp, Specialist Che tells his parent's story and talks about his return trips to his country of origin. Eye-opening and powerful.
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From West Point to Armor Officer to Senior Chaplain
In my first interview with a fellow chaplain, one of my seniors, Chaplain (COL) David Bowlus shares about his call into military ministry. He also recounts a few deployment experiences including a time when his area came under attack from terrorist rockets. While he and fellow Rangers took shelter in a bunker they discovered that there was not enough room for everyone. That left them with one tactical option: prayer.
https://www.goarmy.com/chaplain/become-an-army-chaplain.html
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In proximity to a future U.S. president
He left behind a successful career in management and sales to serve in the Army nearly twenty years ago. In our conversation, this Soldier shares about an unexpected opportunity to provide specialty support at a political national convention. This unique opportunity allowed him to hear a pivotal speech from a future U.S. president.
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Drill Sergeant Duty and Back to Back Deployments (while being a mother, too!)
A Chief Warrant Officer talks about her experience as a drill sergeant as well as multiple deployments. Being a single parent has not stopped her from reaching her goals and spending over two decades in the uniform.
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From sleeping in Central Park to top Army Recruiter
"My sergeant opened the door and I remember looking at a bed, and I remember just dropping to my knees and crying. He said, 'What's wrong with you, private?' I said, 'Sergeant, I haven't slept in a bed in six or seven years.'"
In this interview, Sergeant First Class Bailey recalls his difficult upbringing in an abusive household. After getting kicked out and living on the streets, he found his way into the Army. Eventually he made his way through the ranks and became a senior enlisted leader as well as a top-ranked Army recruiter back in his hometown of NYC. An inspirational story of determination to overcome the odds.
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This Soldier is helping build a school back home...in Ghana
A Soldier in my battalion shares about the nonprofit foundation that he and his wife started in their country of origin...Ghana in West Africa. It is an educational endeavor for underprivileged children, many of whom are orphans. He is doing this work on the side as a junior enlisted Soldier! What a noble use of time and resources. Listen to him tell the story and check out their website... https://www.exploringdreams.org/
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Jumping from 20,000 feet - High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) Special Ops Parachute Training
Talk about a rush! A Battalion Command Sergeant Major talks about his experience in Military Freefall School, plus a lesson learned in Afghanistan.
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Homeless in high school, now she's a sergeant in the U.S. Army
Impoverished conditions and constantly in & out of shelters throughout middle and high school, SGT Avery overcame years of difficulty. In this fascinating interview she talks about the raw reality of her past that led her to where she is today. Don't miss this one! Absolutely incredible.
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Ft. Hood shooting survivor shares her story
On April 2nd, 2014 on Ft. Hood, Texas, a 34-year-old Army Specialist opened fire on his fellow service members. Staff Sergeant Rosario was one of his intended targets. In this episode she shares about that fateful day and recalls losing a close friend, one of the three victims who died that day. (This incident is not to be confused with the 2009 Ft. Hood shooting in which which an Army major shot over 40 people.)
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An Army Ranger talks life and leadership
Master Sergeant Lopez talks about leadership, family, and lessons learned along the way.
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Afghanistan, F-16s, and IEDs
During his Afghanistan deployment, this Explosive Ordnance Disposal company First Sergeant recalls seeing his teammates come under ambush attack with no way forward except to diffuse an IED.
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The commander of an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) company shares about his unique mission.
EOD is a world of its own within the Army. A particularly demanding task is serving as the commander of an EOD company in South Korea. CPT A talks about how he got involved with this specialty community and what his Soldiers do.
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What’s a K.A.T.U.S.A. ?
A Republic of Korea Soldier talks about his experience in the highly coveted KATUSA program.
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Unit members from Alaska face a deployment extension in Iraq
A Stryker brigade from Ft. Wainwright, Alaska must unexpectedly endure 4 extra months on a combat deployment. A Master Sergeant recalls his experience in this situation.
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A U.S. Lieutenant, born in Iraq, narrowly escapes death while working as a translator
I met this remarkable up and coming lieutenant in Korea while we worked at the same battalion. I was quickly captivated by his stories of Iraq. He is one of the reasons I wanted to begin this podcast. In this interview, he shares about a time when he was nearly executed while working as a translator for the U.S. Army.
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