Jim Hawes, a Navy SEAL and CIA paramilitary officer, whose covert maritime missions in the 1960s helped shape the early fight against communism in Vietnam and Africa. Jim is the author of Cold War Navy SEAL: My Story of Che Guevara, War in the Congo, and the Communist Threat in Africa. Today, six decades after BUD/S, he lives in Africa - now telling the stories that shaped a generation.

Clint Smith is a Marine Corps veteran, Vietnam combat veteran, former law enforcement officer, and the founder of Thunder Ranch—one of the most respected firearms and tactical training facilities in the country.

Larry Serra is a former Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer whose covert missions along the Vietnam-Cambodia border placed him at the heart of one of the Vietnam War’s most dangerous fronts.

Larry Serra is a former Naval Intelligence Liaison Officer whose covert missions along the Vietnam-Cambodia border placed him at the heart of one of the Vietnam War’s most dangerous fronts.

Jack Carr revisits key insights from past guests to explore the shifting landscape of global power, warfare, and America’s place in what’s to come.

John Dailey is a United States Marine Corps Special Operations veteran and the author of TOUGH RUGGED BASTARDS, a memoir detailing his time as a sniper, Force Recon Marine, and founding member of MARSOC Det One - the first USMC SOCOM unit. After retiring in 2008, after two decades of service, John shaped the future of Marine special operations as Training and Education Branch Director at the Marine Raider Training Center.

Ryan Manion is the CEO of the Travis Manion Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering veterans and Gold Star families, and to inspiring future generations. Following the death of her brother, Marine 1st Lt. Travis Manion, in Iraq, she devoted her life to honoring the fallen, fostering resilience, and advocating for the military community.

John Lechner is a journalist, independent researcher, and consultant specializing in Africa. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, and the BBC, among others. His latest book, DEATH IS OUR BUSINESS, is the definitive account of the Wagner Group—the mercenary force that changed modern warfare, from Ukraine to Syria to Africa.

John L. Plaster is a legendary MACV-SOG operator who served three tours of duty in Vietnam leading high-risk reconnaissance missions deep behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia, striking supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Wounded in action and decorated for valor four times, he later flew over 350 aerial combat missions as a Forward Air Controller.

John L. Plaster is a legendary MACV-SOG operator who served three tours of duty in Vietnam leading high-risk reconnaissance missions deep behind enemy lines in Laos and Cambodia, striking supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Wounded in action and decorated for valor four times, he later flew over 350 aerial combat missions as a Forward Air Controller.