Shows
What We Brought Home18. Counterfeit ClarityFinal episode of Season 2! An Army veteran of two Iraq deployments and another to Afghanistan discusses how he balanced following his calling to lead soldiers in combat with the needs of his growing family back home. This episode contains a bonus segment detailing our guest’s experience on the ground in Afghanistan as an Infantry company commander.
Some acronyms and terms used in this episode:
- AQI - Military shorthand/acronym for "Al-Qaeda in Iraq."
- The attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, 1941.
- Dwell time - The period of time that a service mem...2023-06-1158 min
What We Brought Home17. One Hundred Different PerspectivesOur guest talks about finding help for his trauma from Iraq through psychedelic assisted therapy.
This story is intended for informational purposes only. No material on this site or in this episode is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.2023-05-2848 minWhat We Brought Home16. Unit LoyaltyAn Army veteran struggles to do what he thinks is right in the face of pressure from his unit to let it go.
Some acronyms used in this episode:
PMCS - Preventive Maintenance Checks and Service - A required inspection of a piece of military equipment (vehicle, weapon, etc.) performed before, during and after use to ensure it is operating properly and prepared for future use.
ETS - Ending Term of Service - When a service member's obligation ends and they are discharged from the military. 2023-05-1431 minWhat We Brought Home15. A Haircut and a Hard TimeOur first Marine storyteller shares his experience of serving as a career recruiter starting at the tail end of the Vietnam War.2023-04-3042 minWhat We Brought Home14. A Service Connection BattleOur guest talks about significant health challenges that developed for her after leaving the service.
This episode contains some common military terms that might not be familiar to everyone. Here is a quick explanation to provide context:
Motor Pool - An area where vehicles are parked when not in service and where maintenance work is performed.
VA Disability Rating - The VA assesses disability on a scale of 0% to 100% based on the severity of the disability. Each percent rating (in increments of 10%) correspond with a monthly tax-free payment to the veteran as well...2023-04-1632 minWhat We Brought Home13. Anchored in the PhilippinesOur first Navy veteran storyteller talks about life aboard a ship in the Pacific.
CONTENT WARNING: this episode discusses the existence of sex and sex work. Also, this episode includes the use of certain terms to describe sex work that some might find inappropriate or offensive. 2023-04-0255 minWhat We Brought Home12. Two Wrong ChoicesAn Army veteran processes one decision in Iraq that had lasting effects on his career and his life beyond the military.
This episode contains some common military terms that might not be familiar to everyone. Here is a quick explanation to provide context:
POS - military slang for "piece of shit."
OER - Officer Evaluation Report - the standard form in the Army for tracking performance of officers year to year and ultimately determining career advancement.
Sapper School - "The Sapper Leader Course is a demanding 28-day leadership development course for c...2023-03-1940 minWhat We Brought Home11. The Last Roll CallAn Army veteran shares his experience of mourning a friend lost in combat.2023-03-0527 minWhat We Brought Home'What We Brought Home' Returns on March 5th!After a longer than expected hiatus, What We Brought Home returns with a new batch of stories. Episodes will be published every 2 weeks starting Sunday, March 5th.
Subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts!2023-02-2801 minWhat We Brought Home10. An AmbushOn this final episode of Season 1 of What We Brought Home, a former Infantry soldier describes his experience walking into an ambush with his platoon in Iraq.
Thank you so much for listening! Season 2 is in production, we'll be back as soon as we can.
This episode contains some common military terms that might not be familiar to everyone. Here is a quick explanation to provide context:
Platoon - An Infantry platoon has about 40 members. It is made up of 4 squads of 8-12 members. Each squad consists of 2 teams.
Column - Whe...2021-08-0133 minWhat We Brought Home9. 51% Good, 49% BadOn this episode of What We Brought Home, our guest describes moments of doubt and clarity leading up to and during his time in Iraq and explores feelings of success and failure during a high stakes deployment.2021-07-1832 minWhat We Brought Home8. Host Story: Truck StopOn this atypical episode of What We Brought Home, co-host Mike shares an event from his time in Iraq that left him with conflicted feelings about his service.
2021-07-0422 minWhat We Brought Home7. Soldier and SpouseOn this episode of What We Brought Home, our guest talks about her experience both deploying as an active service member and being married to an active service member and shares with us the profound impact leaving active duty has had on her and her family.
Our guest spent several years on active duty, during which she deployed twice. She left active duty over 10 years ago and has since served in several roles with various National Guard and Reserve units.2021-06-2039 minWhat We Brought Home6. Host Story: An InterrogationOn this atypical episode of What We Brought Home, co-host Pat shares the story about his part in a detainee interrogation in Iraq over 16 years ago, how it affected him and how he has since come to terms with his actions.
All guest storytellers, past and future, will remain anonymous. We thought it would be helpful for listeners to hear the stories that inspired us to create this podcast. We also want our guests to know that we too have things that we've hidden and have struggled with over the years and it is possible to face t...2021-06-0626 minWhat We Brought Home5. Talk About The Lost OnesOn this episode of What We Brought Home, our guest shares a tremendous loss from one of his Iraq deployments and how he's learned to cope with the untimely passing of friends and fellow Soldiers.
This episode contains some common military terms that might not be familiar to everyone. Here is a quick explanation to provide context:
Patrol Base - a small, often temporary, base, usually closer to a city or town, that houses dozens of personnel. They are usually fortified with some type of wall and a gate. Units use them to rest, refit a...2021-05-2336 minWhat We Brought Home4. One Boot, One SandalOur storyteller, a NCO (non-commissioned officer) and former squad leader, shares a moment when his expectations for his deployment to Iraq met reality. 2021-05-0931 minWhat We Brought Home3. A Better ManOur guest, who for years focused on what his deployments cost him, takes the opportunity to share with us what his deployments have given him. 2021-04-2528 minWhat We Brought Home2. On StationAn Apache helicopter pilot shares her experience while supporting ground troops from the air in Afghanistan. 2021-04-1032 minWhat We Brought Home1. Fireworks and BalloonsOur first guest shares his experience of being hit by a roadside bomb and how it affected him more than 10 years later. This episode was one of our demos previously titled "The Stryker". 2021-03-2032 minWhat We Brought HomeIntroducing: What We Brought HomeIntroducing What We Brought Home - True stories of service, long hidden, now shared.
We provide military veterans with a judgement-free forum to anonymously share their most personal stories of war and peacetime; to help both storytellers and listeners find connection and better cope with the complicated emotions of military service.
Each episode features a different veteran, anonymously telling their story.
Go to whatwebroughthome.com to learn more.2021-03-2002 min