Shows
Mandatory FunHow a comedian can go from Hollywood to Kabul"It was like walking onto the surface of the moon," Graham Elwood says of his first experience walking off of a C-17 in Afghanistan. His experience was not unlike many of our own first times deploying to a far-off edge of the world. We take a long, long C-17 (or god help you, C-130) ride for seemingly endless hours. There are no windows. The plane is packed. Forget about an in-flight movie or looking out the window. And when you walk off, it's invariably the middle of the night and you and the hundred or so people...2018-03-1345 min
Mandatory FunHow to survive any dangerous situation with these deadly skillsClint Emerson is not your average U.S. Navy retiree. He's not your average anything and he never was. That might be why so many Fortune 500 companies want Emerson to not only speak at their corporate gatherings but also teach them how to survive some extreme circumstances. Emerson is a former Navy SEAL and the author of a number of books, notably "100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative's Guide Eluding Pursuers, Evading Capture, and Surviving Any Dangerous Situation." He also wrote "100 Deadly Skills: Survival Edition" and "Escape the Wolf: Risk Mitigation Personal Security Handbook for the Traveling Professional."2018-03-0231 min
Mandatory FunHow post-9/11 vets are bringing new life to the American LegionIn this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, Blake speaks with Army veteran Jennifer Campbell who is currently the Second Vice Commander of the American Legion Post 43 in Hollywood, Ca. Recently, Jennifer and the commander of Post 43, Fernando Rivero were featured in a Wall Street Journal article about how they engineered a plan to bring some fresh energy to the post. The young veterans of the post managed to fuse and honor old military traditions with the new generation of combat veterans. In this episode, we talk on a wide-range of topics including: 2017-10-1329 min
Mandatory FunThe real-life dictator who ruined his country and became a cannibalIn this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, Blake, Tim, and O.V. talk with stand-up comedian and Marine veteran Mitch Burrow about a communist Army cadet, a cannibal dictator and make a smooth segway into Ken Burns' Vietnam documentary. General Idi Amin dethroned the government of Milton Obote and declared himself President of Uganda. During his 8-years of ruthless leadership, its estimated he massacred approximately 300,000 civilians. Then its rumored, the Ugandan president was a closet cannibal and like munch on human remains. In this episode, we talk on a wide-range of topics includ...2017-10-1123 min
Mandatory FunThese fantasy benefits would make being a vet so much betterIn this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast, Blake, Tim, and O.V. once again speak with stand-up comedian and Marine veteran Mitch Burrow about what fantasy benefits vets would love to receive. We asked Mitch what fantasy benefits or one law he would love to get exempted from, his response wasn't surprising for a Marine Corps veteran. "Murder. I would kill so many people," Mitch humorously states. "Do you know how clear the [highway] 405 would be? I wouldn't have been late today." Also Read: How to kidnap Marines — according to a combat trainin...2017-10-0925 min
Mandatory FunA corpsman's advice to ISIS militants who fake injuries to get out of jihadBad back, knee sprains, and other injury claims ISIS militants are using to scam out of duty are child's play compared to excuses deployed by the finest members of the E-4 Mafia. "For starters, headaches and stomachaches are rookie excuses," says Tim Kirkpatrick, a former Navy corpsman and newest member of the We Are The Mighty Team. "There's no way to diagnose these 'chief complaints' because they're subjective." As a veteran with multiple deployments, Tim has heard every excuse in the sick call commando's manual and can tell you what works and what doesn't. "A Marine rarely gets out...2017-02-2133 min
Mandatory FunWhy a new sidearm replacement is a big deal to the troopsFirearms technology has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last 20 years. While civilians and law enforcement have taken advantage of new designs, the military hasn't been as quick to adjust. In this episode of the Mandatory Fun podcast we discuss the military’s plans to find a pistol replacement, the role of today’s battle rifles, and why ammo matters. Hosted by: Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and Managing Editor Tracy Woodward: Benevolent smartass and Social Media coordinator Orvelin Valle (AKA O.V.): Navy veteran and Podcast Producer Guest: Christian Lowe: Executive Editor at We Are The Mighty2016-09-1535 min
Mandatory FunThese legendary military leaders were brilliant (and certainly crazy)The thin line between brilliant and crazy cliché couldn't be truer than for the generals and admirals in this entertaining episode of the We Are The Mighty podcast. While they accomplished incredible feats and heroics on the battlefield, they have another side the history books leave out. Hosted by: Logan Nye: Army veteran and associate editor Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and managing editor Tracy Woodward: Benevolent smartass and Social Media coordinator Orvelin Valle (AKA O.V.): Navy veteran and Social Media editor2016-07-0150 min
Mandatory FunThe insane Vietnam War adventures of legendary sniper Carlos HathcockGunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock is a Marine Corps legend and one of the most lethal snipers in history. His incredible true-life war stories are the stuff Hollywood movies are made of. In this episode of the We Are The Mighty podcast we talk about his sniper duels, that time he crawled two miles to kill a Vietnamese general, and more. Don't miss this episode of a real American badass. Hosted by: Logan Nye: Army veteran and associate editor Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and managing editor Tracy Woodward: Benevolent smartass and Social Media coordinator Orvelin Valle (AKA O.V...2016-05-1946 min
Mandatory FunMax Uriarte on the future of ‘Terminal Lance’ and making moviesThe creator of the military counter-culture comic strip “Terminal Lance”—Max Uriarte—is the guest for this week’s podcast. Max leads a busy life these days. He just published his much anticipated graphic novel “The White Donkey,” he’s working on building an animation studio, and he continues to publish his wildly popular comic strip. This episode delves into the origins of the Terminal Lance universe, Max’s film aspirations, and his reasons for getting serious in the “White Donkey.” As usual, the show is hosted by: Logan Nye: Army veteran and WATM Associate Editor Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and WATM...2016-04-1554 min
Mandatory FunKeeping up with Bryan AndersonBryan Anderson is an Iraq War veteran turned model, actor, motivational speaker, book author, and more. He achieved all of these noteworthy accomplishments while being a triple amputee. Bryan enlisted in the Army in early 2001 and shipped out to his duty station on September 11, 2001. He served two tours in Iraq as an MP (Military Police) Sergeant before being injured by an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that resulted in the loss of both legs and his left hand. He was awarded a Purple Heart and spent over a year rehabilitating at Walter Reed Hospital. Bryan's story has received extensive media...2016-04-0647 min
Mandatory FunWhat the OV-10 Bronco means in the fight against ISISLast week the U.S. Air Force tweeted to the world that it needs help naming its newest bomber, the B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber. (What could possibly go wrong?) Well ... we discuss the possibilities and provide examples where crowdsourcing failed. We also discuss the OV-10 Bronco's comeback and what it means in the fight against ISIS. And on a lighter note, we talk about which service branch we'd join knowing what we know about the military today. Hosted by: • Logan Nye: Army veteran and WATM Associate Editor • Blake Stilwell: Air Force veteran and WATM Managing Editor • Orvelin Valle (AKA O...2016-03-3041 min
Mandatory FunHere's what happens if the US fights the rest of the worldWelcome to the first WATM podcast! This episode explores how the U.S. would fend off the rest of the world from a hypothetical invasion. Just imagine the shocking scenario where the U.S. pissed off China, Russia, Iran, and its traditional allies, such as the UK and France. Now imagine if these countries formed a unified coalition to attack the U.S. How long would the U.S. hold them off? Which tactics would it deploy? What role will its citizens play? The WATM editorial team discusses how this terrible idea would play out for the rest of...2016-03-2521 min