Liberty Risk

Episode

• 
  Ep. 70 • Lew Knopp • Navy SEAL on Cheating Death & International Prison 🔱🇺🇸🏴‍☠️ 22.07.2026 4j 5mnt

  On this episode of Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with former Navy SEAL Lew Knopp, whose life somehow reads more like an action movie than real life. After making it through BUD/S Class 161 and serving with SDV Team Two and SEAL Team Four, Lew's story was only getting started. Over the next three decades, he'd survive being clinically dead during a submarine accident, multiple overseas imprisonments, international contracting, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Hollywood, mistaken identity on an Interpol Red Notice, and enough unbelievable stories to make you question whether any one person could actually live through all of it. What makes this conversation special isn't just the stories. It's watching three veteran friends chase one side quest after another until the conversation somehow circles back to the moments that mattered most: faith, fatherhood, purpose, resilience, and learning from the mistakes that nearly cost everything. Of course, it wouldn't be Liberty Risk without a few detours along the way. The conversation wanders through wrestling alligators, running with the bulls in Spain, surviving foreign prisons, meeting Charlie Sheen in Hollywood, fighting camels, and enough dark military humor to keep everyone laughing for over four hours. Whether you're here for the military stories, the unbelievable adventures, or the lessons that only come from living through chaos, this is one of those conversations that reminds you truth is often stranger than fiction. Topics include: Navy SEAL BUD/S Class 161 and SDV Team Two Desert Storm and SEAL Team deployments A near-death experience after a submarine accident Life as a private security contractor overseas International imprisonment and an Interpol Red Notice 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and building Templar Titan Faith, fatherhood, resilience, and second chances Hollywood stories, side quests, and life after the Teams 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community!  Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk     Get to know Lew better at the following links: ✖️ Lew's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lewknopp  ✖️ Templar Titan Website - https://templartitan.com    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Black Rifle Coffee - https://www.blackriflecoffee.com  ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 69 • Rachel Cuda • Inside The CIA: The Story They Didn't Want Told 🔱🇺🇸🏴‍☠️ 16.07.2026 4j 7mnt

  From growing up around the SEAL Teams - to building her own career alongside them as a CIA Case Officer - to ultimately building a life with a Navy SEAL husband, Rachel Cuda has experienced the special operations community from a perspective few people ever will. But this story isn't about the SEAL Teams and she's far from a "plus one" - being a Main Character in her own right, you'll quickly realize why we invited Rachel to pull up a chair and a mic at the Liberty Risk table, and why she earned it on her own. Don't expect this to be a four-hour interview (you already know we do way too many side quests to do "interviews" 😂). It's four hours of stories, laughs, friendly sh!t talking, sharing incredible experiences, and eventually, one of the most powerful conversations we've ever had. Exactly what you've come to expect from hanging with us. As always, the conversation goes everywhere. Growing up on Coronado with a father in the SEAL Teams, hilarious stories from life in the NSW community, meeting and marrying a Team Guy (and the awkwardness of him meeting the "father in law"), CIA training at The Farm, surveillance tradecraft, overseas adventures, Russian intelligence, and the kind of unfiltered conversations you've come to expect from spending time with Liberty Risk. But somewhere along the way, the conversation shifts. Rachel opens up about the event that changed her life, being assaulted by a fellow CIA co-worker, the retaliation that followed from inside the Agency when she challenged it, and the fight that ultimately led her to testify before Congress in pursuit of accountability and richteous reform. This is a conversation about family, service, purpose, resilience, and having the courage to stand up for what's right when the institution you dedicated your life to no longer lives up to the values it claims. Topics include: Growing up as the daughter of a Navy SEAL in Coronado What life around the SEAL Teams was really like in the 1990s Meeting and marrying a Team Guy Becoming a CIA Case Officer Training at The Farm Surveillance, tradecraft, and overseas operations How Russian intelligence really works and working abroad Life inside the CIA Whistleblowing, accountability, and institutional reform 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community!  Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk     Get to know Rachel better at the following link: ✖️ Rachel's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rachel.cuda    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Black Rifle Coffee - https://www.blackriflecoffee.com  ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 68 • Eddie & Andrea Gallagher • The Stories You Haven't Heard 🔱⚖️🏴‍☠️ 10.07.2026 4j 7mnt

  We finally got our MOST requested guest ever on the show! On this episode of Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with former Navy SEAL Chief Eddie Gallagher for one of the most unique conversations we've ever recorded. If you're looking for a play-by-play of the trial, there are already several great interviews that cover every detail. That wasn't our goal. We wanted to tell the stories that came before the headlines... and hear from the people who lived through them. The conversation starts where it all began. Eddie takes us from his troubled teenage years, to becoming a Marine Recon corpsman, Marine sniper, BUD/S graduate, Navy SEAL Instructor, and combat Chief leading one of the most aggressive platoons in the Battle of Mosul. Along the way, the guys trade deployment stories, BUD/S memories, military culture, and enough side quests to remind you this is still Liberty Risk. As the story reaches Mosul and everything begins to unravel, Tim Speer joins the table. Having served alongside Eddie and later shared time with him in the brig, Tim brings a firsthand perspective that very few people can offer, turning the conversation into less of an interview and more of old teammates filling in the parts of the story only they know. Then, the conversation shifts one final time. Eddie's wife Andrea Gallagher joins us to tell the story from her perspective. While Eddie was fighting for his freedom inside the brig, Andrea was fighting for him on the outside. She shares what those months were really like, the faith that carried their family through it, the battle behind the headlines, and how that experience ultimately led them to create the Pipe Hitter Foundation, helping service members, law enforcement officers, and first responders facing legal battles of their own. Of course, it wouldn't be Liberty Risk without a few side quests. The conversation drifts through combat deployments, sniper school, prison stories, military culture, psychedelic therapy, and enough relentless ball-busting to remind you that even the heaviest conversations can be made ligher by some well timed humor. Whether you've followed Eddie's story from the beginning or only know the headlines, this episode isn't about relitigating the trial - it's about understanding the people who lived it. Topics include: Eddie Gallagher's journey from Marine corpsman to Navy SEAL Chief Marine sniper school, BUD/S, and combat deployments The Battle of Mosul and leading Alpha Platoon The arrest, brig, and 2019 trial Tim Speer's firsthand perspective from the brig Andrea Gallagher's fight behind the scenes Faith, resilience, and rebuilding after the trial The Pipe Hitter Foundation Brotherhood, leadership, and life beyond the Teams 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community!  Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know Eddie & Andrea better at the following links: ✖️ Eddie's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/eddie_gallagher  ✖️ Andrea's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andrea_gallagher_  ✖️ Pipe Hitter Foundation Website - https://pipehitterfoundation.org    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 67 • Duffy Gaver • Marine Sniper, Navy SEAL & Hollywood 🔱🏴‍☠️🇺🇸 30.06.2026 4j 21mnt

  On this episode of Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with Duffy Gaver - former Marine Sniper, Navy SEAL, Hollywood stuntman, actor, celebrity trainer, and one of those rare people who seems to have lived five different lives in one lifetime. Duffy's story starts with dropping out of high school to join the Marines. From there he became a sniper, switched over to the Navy to earn his Trident, served with SEAL Team Two during the late '80s, and then made the decision that surprises most veterans... He walked away. Not into contracting. Not into security. Into Hollywood. Thirty years later he's worked alongside directors like Christopher Nolan, Michael Bay, and David Fincher, trained actors including Brad Pitt and Tobey Maguire, coordinated veterans on some of Hollywood's biggest productions, and somehow still manages to be in better shape at 61 than most people are in their entire military career. Of course, it wouldn't be Liberty Risk without a few side quests. Platoon-sized bar fights in Spain. French commandos. Movie set disasters. Celebrity stories. Knife fights. Losing his wallet after one too many drinks during a blockbuster shoot. The infamous "Yickpot X3." And enough behind-the-scenes stories from both the Teams and Hollywood to keep everyone laughing for four hours. Beneath all the chaos is a lesson everyone can learn from, whether you're a veteran or not. Your identity doesn't end when one chapter closes. Sometimes the biggest challenge isn't becoming the person everyone admires. It's having the humility to start over, and being willing to become the new guy again. Topics include: Marine sniper and Navy SEAL stories BUD/S and SEAL Team Two in the 1980s Hollywood stunt work and filmmaking Working with Christopher Nolan, Michael Bay, and David Fincher Celebrity training and behind-the-scenes movie stories Leadership, humility, and reinventing yourself Military brotherhood and life after the Teams 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community!  Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know Duffy better at the following links: ✖️ Duffy Gaver Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/duffygaver  ✖️ Duffy Gaver Book Hero Maker - https://a.co/d/0huKsSiL    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com  ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 66 • George Christie • Hells Angels & Navy SEALs on Leadership, Loyalty, & Brotherhood. 26.06.2026 3j 30mnt

  On this episode of Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with George Christie - prior Marine and legendary former President of the Ventura chapter of the Hells Angels, whose four decades as one of the club's most influential leaders gave him a perspective few people will ever have. George didn't just witness the evolution of 1%er biker culture in America and around the world - he helped shape it. Over more than 40 years with the Hells Angels, he lived through the rise of the club, the personalities that defined an era, high-profile FBI investigations, prison, the Altamont years, Cold War work with the Department of Defense, and the difficult decision to walk away from the very brotherhood he helped build. What makes this conversation unique isn't the motorcycles. It's what happens when a former Hells Angels President sits across from Navy SEALs and realizes they share the same values: Leadership. Loyalty. Brotherhood. Sacrifice. Identity. And the responsibility that comes with earning the right to wear a patch. To help bridge both worlds, we also welcomed back previous Liberty Risk guest Billy Helmers, President of the SEAL-only Frogmen Motorcycle Club. His perspective as both a former Navy SEAL and MC President makes this one of the most insightful conversations we've had about the parallels between elite military units and motorcycle clubs. Of course, it wouldn't be Liberty Risk without a few side quests. The conversation wanders through legendary parties, Grateful Dead stories, riding motorcycles on LSD, the Olympic torch controversy, and decades of stories that are almost impossible to believe until George tells them himself. Whether you come from the military, the motorcycle community, or you're simply fascinated by extraordinary lives, this episode is ultimately about leadership, loyalty, brotherhood, and what it means to carry the weight of a legacy. Topics include: George Christie's journey through the Hells Angels Navy SEALs and Hells Angels on leadership and brotherhood Motorcycle club culture and history FBI investigations and government overreach The Altamont era and outlaw biker history Building, leading, and leaving a lifelong brotherhood Marine Corps service and Cold War stories Identity, legacy, and life after the patch 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community!  Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know George better at the following links: ✖️ George Christie Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/georgechristiejr  ✖️ George Christie Website - https://www.georgechristie.com  ✖️ George Christie Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/georgechristie    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com  ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 65 • Zach Masek • Green Beret Stories & Side Quest Chaos! 🪖🏴‍☠️🇺🇸 17.06.2026 4j 8mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the guys sit down with Zach Masek - former Green Beret, 18D Special Forces medic, combat diver, GRS contractor, entrepreneur, military history buff, and a man who's somehow managed to fit several lifetimes and careers into one. Zach's path has taken him from Army Special Forces and combat deployments in Afghanistan... to GRS contracting... Columbia University... nursing school... entrepreneurship... and more than a few situations that probably should've ended differently than they did. Along the way, there are plenty of stories. The kind that start in Airborne School and somehow get worse from there. The kind that involve land navigation, poor decision-making, strip clubs, team sergeants, and moments that can only happen in the military. Of course, there's actual semi serious stuff too. The conversation dives into Army Special Forces & CAG selection, 18D medic training, combat diving, SERE School, Afghanistan, GRS, military history, and Zach's deployment to one of the most heavily IED'd regions of the war. There's also an equal parts cool & funny story involving a Taliban ambush, a LAW rocket, and a split-second moment that earned him the respect of his Green Beret Team. Like every Liberty Risk episode, the conversation immediately leaves the rails and never really comes back. One minute it's Green Beret stories and combat deployments. The next it's whiskey, military history, entrepreneurship, airport beef crisps, secret phone numbers, and side quests that somehow keep getting stranger. But underneath all the chaos is a conversation about persistence, reinvention, and what happens when the thing you've spent your entire life chasing finally becomes your starting point. From Green Beret... to contractor... to entrepreneur. Zach's story is proof that life gets a lot more interesting after the mission. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community!  Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know Zach more at his links below: ✖️ Zach's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zachary_masek  ✖️ Dead Warrior Society - https://www.instagram.com/deadwarriorsociety  ✖️ Forum Case's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/forumcases    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com  ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 64 • Crew Cast • Back Together After a Month Off! - Staccatos, Steakhouses & TSA Emergencies 🇺🇸 11.06.2026 3j 14mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the boys are finally back in the studio together after spending the last month scattered across the country. Nick talks about being in Las Vegas shooting $5,000 pistols with UFC fighters, race car drivers, and the crew from Black Rifle Coffee, only to spend the next two days trapped in airport chaos during EDC weekend. Things somehow get worse when a man in the TSA line suffers what can only be described as a catastrophic systems failure, bringing security operations to a complete halt. Meanwhile, Kevin spends a month in New York filming A Quiet Place III, bouncing between film sets, dive bars, steak dinners, and random encounters that somehow turn into conversations about politics, Hollywood, and the future of New York City. Ryan heads to North Carolina to talk business, apparel, and entrepreneurship, while quietly plotting the next phase of world domination for Liberty Risk and Industry Threadworks. Along the way, the boys get into: • The future of Black Rifle Coffee and a surprisingly candid speech from Evan Hafer • Airport horror stories and why Vegas may be the ninth circle of hell • Kevin's adventures in New York while working on A Quiet Place III • Staccatos, apocalypse guns, and practical firearm setups • Naval traditions, red stripes, shellbacks, and why the best stories usually start with bad decisions • New Liberty Risk merch, challenge coins, and upcoming releases • Competitive shooting, sniper matches, and getting humbled by the clock • A billionaire, a chauffeured car ride, and one of the strangest security stories we've ever heard Same Liberty Risk format - dark humor, questionable decisions, nonstop side quests, and the kind of conversations that somehow bounce between airport disasters, business lessons, military stories, and life without ever feeling out of place. No guest. No agenda. Just three friends catching up after a month apart and sharing the stories, lessons, and adventures they've collected along the way. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Come check out our Patreon Community! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 63 • Dave Swarts • A Navy SEAL's Long Road Home. 🔱🇺🇸 04.06.2026 3j 23mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the boys sit down with Dave Swarts. Some people have one defining chapter in their life, Dave seems to have had about six. Before becoming a Navy SEAL, he was collecting DUIs, assault charges, and enough waiver requests to make joining the military an adventure all by itself. Then came BUD/S, deployments at multiple SEAL Teams, leadership roles, raising a family, NCIS investigations, building businesses, and eventually figuring out what life looks like after the military. The challenges changed. The process didn't. Along the way, Dave shares stories from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the fight against ISIS, including the recovery of an American pilot's remains nearly a decade after he was lost, serving alongside legendary Team Guys like Mike Day, and navigating some of the highest highs and lowest lows of a life spent in service. But some of the most memorable parts of this conversation have nothing to do with combat. We get into fatherhood, losing parents, building a family while constantly leaving home, getting older, starting over, and the realization that success starts to look a little different with every chapter of life. We also get into: • Growing up, screwing up, and finding a path forward • BUD/S, Team life, and lessons learned the hard way • Iraq, Afghanistan, and the realities of twenty years at war • Bringing an American service member home after nearly a decade • Leadership, investigations, and protecting your reputation • Marriage, fatherhood, and balancing service with family • Building Red Watch, Dirty Frogs, and life after the military • Purpose, identity, and finding the next mountain to climb Same Liberty Risk format - engaging conversations, dark humor, plenty of side quests, and the kind of perspective that only comes from someone who's lived through a few different versions of life. This one felt less like a military interview and more like sitting around with an old friend who's finally had enough time to figure out what really mattered through all of it. This one isn't really about being a Navy SEAL, it's  about the challenges we all go through in this crazy game called life. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Come check out our Patreon Community! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Dave at the links below! ✖️ Dave's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidswarts249  ✖️ Dirty Frog's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dirty_frogs  ✖️ Red Watch Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/red_watch    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com  ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc 
• 
  Ep. 62 • Dave Maynard • 50 Years Behind The Gun: SEAL Teams in the 70's, Blackwater, GRS, & Everywhere In Between. 28.05.2026 4j 3mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the boys sit down with one of the oldest (but not old!) Teamguys we've had on the show - Dave Maynard. Dave went through UDT/SEAL training in 1972 before BUD/S was even called BUD/S, back when the Teams were still figuring out what modern special operations would eventually become. From old-school training stories and early Team culture to Iraq, Blackwater, CIA work, and even the notorious Hurricane Katrina, this episode covers 50+ years of adventures & chaos behind the gun. Dave shares what SEAL training looked like in the early '70s - when Hell Week was briefly shut down, instructors had zero interest in your feelings, and somehow the solution to almost every problem involved more running, colder water, or explosives. The conversation eventually shifts into Dave's time doing CIA GRS work in Iraq, including a massive firefight in Basra where his team got trapped in an ambush against a huge militia force. Shot up vehicles, malfunctioning weapons, taking a round in the helmet without realizing it, and a wild hero story at the end - the kind of story that sounds ridiculous until you remember these guys actually lived it. We also get into: • The origins of modern VBSS ship boarding tactics • Hallucinations during Hell Week and demo accidents at San Clemente • Blackwater operations during Hurricane Katrina • The breakdown of New Orleans after the storm • CIA contracting, leadership failures, and combat in Iraq • Divorce, rebuilding life later in life, and starting over from nothing • Veteran suicide, purpose after service, and staying connected Same Liberty Risk format - engaging conversations, dark humor, nonstop side quests, and stories you usually only hear around last call after a long night with the boys, if ever. This one feels less like an interview and more like sitting around hearing stories from a man who's spent the last 50+ years doing things in real life that most people only hear about in books. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Dave at the links below! ✖️ Dave's Website - https://maynardgunfighting.wixsite.com/maynard-gunfighting  ✖️ Dave's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/howtogunfight  Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc 
• 
  Ep. 61 • TJ Webb • "Stripper Cop" Shot 6 Times, & 19 Years of The WILDEST Police Stories! 🇺🇸 21.05.2026 3j 11mnt

  On this episode of Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with TJ Webb - former K9 officer, US Marshals Task Force Officer, SWAT operator, author of Just One More, and a man whose law enforcement career sounds like a mix of all the best cop movies you grew up with. This dive into some crazy territory here, with some WILD new stories! TJ tells the story of responding to a house full of Russian women who mistook him for a male stripper and started ripping his police uniform off at the door - til they found out he was a real cop.  A naked guy covered in Vaseline sprinting through Section 8 housing with a cell phone shoved up his 🍑 (apparently this was his hobby). Officers hosing down a drunk guy behind the police department with a garden hose before his girlfriend arrived. Pranking a fellow cop by putting his car on blocks while he was snoozing and then initiating a "shots fired" call.  😂 And somehow… those aren't even the craziest stories in the episode. Beneath all the chaos and dark humor is the night TJ was shot SIX TIMES during a fugitive warrant operation in 2020 - a gunfight that nearly killed him and taught him the meaning of what it means to FIGHT for your life - both during and after the bullets are flying. TJ breaks down the mistakes, the adrenaline, the recovery, and the mindset that carried him through nearly two years of rehab, surgeries, and rebuilding himself from scratch. Along the way, the conversation dives into: US Marshals fugitive operations and undercover narcotics work. SWAT, K9, and old-school policing stories. Getting shot six times and surviving against the odds. Mental health, resilience, and recovery after trauma. What he learned from David Goggins, Jason Redman, and the power of the "Just One More" mindset. Whiskey-fueled side quests and over the top cop stories Like every Liberty Risk episode, it's hilarious, profane, unfiltered, and all over the place - yet somehow finds a way to balance the raucous & outrageous stories with genuine human connection and camaraderie.  One minute you're laughing at the "stripper cop" story, the next minute you're hearing what it sounds like when someone refuses to die. Thanks for being a part of what we're trying to build here, we appreciate you hanging out & spending your time with us! 👊🏼🏴‍☠️ 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about TJ and his Podcast & book at the links below! ✖️ TJ's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thetjwebb  ✖️ TJ's Podcast "Change Catalyst" Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/changecatalyst_podcast  ✖️ TJ's Podcast "Change Catalyst" Website - https://changecatalystpodcast.com  ✖️ TJ's Book "Just One More" - https://hamptonsbookpublishing.com/products/just-one-more-soon    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 60 • Todd Sharbutt • A Warrior Finds His Way: From Desert Storm To DevGru, To Life Beyond The Teams 13.05.2026 3j 24mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the crew sit down with Todd Sharbutt - retired Navy SEAL Master Chief, DEVGRU veteran, BUD/S instructor, and one of the true OGs of Naval Special Warfare. Todd's career spans the full evolution of the Teams. From punk rock clubs in Los Angeles and silk-screening shirts for bands like the Dead Kennedys… to Desert Storm… the early days of DEVGRU… 9/11… Afghanistan… Iraq… Hollywood… and ultimately veteran advocacy. And somehow, the stories are every bit as wild as you'd expect. Todd brings a rare firsthand look into old-school SEAL culture, Green Team in the 90s, BUD/S leadership, and life inside the command before and after the Global War on Terror. Along the way, there's no shortage of side quests - from sneaking into Kuwait City post-Desert Storm to behind-the-scenes film industry chaos on projects like Iron Man and The Last Ship. This one is loaded with: SEAL Team 3, DEVGRU, and BUD/S leadership Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Iraq, and early GWOT operations Old-school Naval Special Warfare culture and legendary Team stories Hollywood military advising, filmmaking, and industry absurdity Punk rock roots, outrageous stories, and decades of perspective But beneath all the humor, chaos, and incredible stories, this episode goes deeper. After decades of war, loss, and the invisible weight so many veterans carry, Todd opens up about ibogaine treatment, psychedelic therapy, PTSD, TBI, and why he's become a passionate advocate for helping veterans find real healing outside the broken conventional system. Like every Liberty Risk episode, it's hilarious, brutally honest, and completely unfiltered - but at its core, this is a powerful conversation about service, sacrifice, reinvention, and continuing the mission long after combat ends. From punk rock kid… to SEAL Team legend… to healing advocate. Todd's story covers it all. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Todd at the link below! ✖️ Todd's IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8700312/?ref_=fn_t_1   Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc 
• 
  Ep. 59 • Moe Jeudy-Lamour • Morocco Adventures, Movies, & Hollywood Shenanigans 06.05.2026 2j 50mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the guys sit down with Moe Jeudy-Lamour - actor, writer, former football player, and Kevin's previous co-star on Jack Ryan - for a conversation packed with Hollywood stories, personal transformation, and enough behind-the-scenes chaos to make this one unforgettable. Moe's path is anything but typical. From growing up in Montreal as a chronically sick kid, to completely rebuilding himself after becoming obsessed with Terrell Owens, to eventually sharing the screen with some of the biggest names in film and television - including a surreal full-circle moment where T.O. himself looked straight into camera and reminded Moe, "I'm the real T.O." 😂 Along the way, it gets ridiculous. Kevin unexpectedly showing up at Moe's hotel in Morocco just as he's heading for poolside drinks - only to drag him straight into desert combat training. A cast member pulling a 24-hour vodka marathon through Ramadan before wandering a belly dancing restaurant in Marrakesh introducing himself to strangers. Real Navy SEALs dropping the Hollywood act mid-scene when things went sideways during filming. Kevin accidentally losing his son in the Louvre. And somehow… that's just scratching the surface. Beyond the humor, this episode dives deep into: Jack Ryan behind-the-scenes stories and military tech advising Ted Lasso, acting, and surviving Hollywood Football, discipline, and total personal reinvention Stress response, high-performance training, and mindset AI, entertainment, and the future of storytelling Like every Liberty Risk episode, it's hilarious, unfiltered, and loaded with side quests - but underneath all the laughs is a real conversation about resilience, adaptation, and what it takes to evolve when life keeps changing the mission. From football fields… to film sets… to Moroccan deserts. This one's got it all. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Moe at the links below! ✖️ Moe Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/moethursdaylove  ✖️ Moe's IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3907801    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc 
• 
  Ep. 58 • Jon Wechter Returns! • Blackwater, Bachelor Parties & Ranger Battalion 🇺🇸🏴‍☠️ 29.04.2026 3j 41mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, former Army Ranger Jon Wechter returns for round two - and if you thought his first appearance was wild, this one somehow goes even further. After one of our most talked-about episodes covering everything from Ranger Battalion, spirituality, psychedelics, and the search for truth, Jon is back - a little older, sharper, and with even more chaos, perspective, and hard-earned lessons. As always, nothing stays in one lane. From absurd Coronado mushroom-fueled adventures, Ranger Regiment stories, and military culture deep dives… to Blackwater, Afghanistan, healing, mentorship, and the deeper realities of life after years spent chasing intensity. Jon breaks down lessons from his time in 2nd Ranger Battalion, the brutal standards of Regiment, leadership, identity, and what happens when you finally step back and start asking bigger questions about purpose, growth, and who you actually are beyond the mission. This episode is packed with exactly what you'd expect: Ranger Battalion culture, RASP, and life inside Regiment Blackwater and Afghanistan withdrawal stories Wild military side quests, bachelor party disasters, and Coronado chaos Special Operations mentorship and preparing the next generation Psychedelics, healing, spirituality, and long-term transformation Like every Liberty Risk episode, it's hilarious, profane, completely unfiltered, and loaded with enough side quests to make your head spin - but underneath it all is a deeper conversation about brotherhood, self-discovery, and the constant evolution of identity after service. Jon's story has always been about growth, perspective shifts, and pushing boundaries. This time, we go even deeper, come hang with us! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Jon & his adventures at the links below! ✖️ Jon's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bebadfitness  ✖️ Jon's Website - https://bebadfitness.fit    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 57 • Tyler Hoover • Controversy, Cop Stories, And Building A Life Behind The Mic 🎙️🏴‍☠️ 23.04.2026 3j 28mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with Tyler Hoover - Army veteran, former Florida cop, and you probably know him best as the founding member of the Anti-Hero Podcast - we dive into a raw conversation that goes way deeper than war stories and police calls. Tyler breaks down how his show took off - viral clips, controversial takes, and calling people out - and why that kind of growth comes with a cost most people don't see until it's too late. Because the audience you build on negativity isn't there for you. They're there for the next target. The conversation turns into a deeper look at audience psychology, long-term brand building, and why shifting direction isn't failure - it's part of figuring out what you're really trying to create.   Of course we dive into some crazy stories along the way! Why Mortarmen are always the weird ones. 😂 Getting your house raided at gunpoint by cops on the 4th of July. Crazy stories from 82nd Airborne and Iraq. Humping mortars 12 clicks into the mountains only to fire exactly zero of them. The WILD things you see as a cop in Florida for 9 years. The homeless woman eating something that made a cop puke on scene. Why beat cops don't arrest the hookers and the open container guys - and why that's actually genius The reality behind "Florida Man," crazy mental health calls, and the moments that stick with you long after the shift ends.   Like every Liberty Risk episode, it's unfiltered, full of side quests, funny anecdotes, and all the shenanigans you'd expect - but underneath it is a real conversation about growth, course correction, and building something with staying power. Thanks for hanging with us, enjoy! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Tyler & his brands at the links below! ✖️ Tyler's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sucka_free_sundae  ✖️ Anti Hero Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/the_antihero_broadcast  ✖️ Counter Culture Website - https://countercultureincthreads.com    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 56 • Tim Speer • The Dark Side of Military Justice: From The Battlefield To The Brig 🔱⚖️🏴 14.04.2026 4j 14mnt

  On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, Tim Speer is back - and this time we go way past how he got to the Teams. If you heard his first episode (way back on number 6!), you already know the origin story. High school chaos, figuring it out the hard way, and forcing his way into the SEAL pipeline when the odds said otherwise. This one picks up after that. We get into Tim's time in BUD/S Class 288 and SEAL Team Five, deployments to Iraq during the height of ISIS, and what it was like operating in Mosul as the fight tightened block by block. The conversation dives into the realities of combat, the unpredictability of deployments, and the guys who didn't make it home. But where this episode really hits home is diving into everything that came after. Tim opens up about his connection to the Eddie Gallagher case, time spent inside the brig, and firsthand experience with the UCMJ - what it is, how it works, and how badly it can go sideways. Pretrial confinement, illegal command influence, and a system that doesn't play by the same rules as the civilian world. From there, it gets personal. We get into a toxic marriage that spiraled, the moment everything broke, and the decisions that led to Tim facing serious charges and a year behind bars. What it's like to go from operating overseas to sitting in a cell, and how fast everything you built can disappear. And then the rebuild. Tim talks through the custody battle for his kids, navigating the system that's stacked against you, and what it took to go from losing control of everything to becoming a full-time single father. The reality of showing up every day, breaking cycles, and figuring out who you are without the Teams. We also get into: Life inside the brig and the characters you meet along the way. The flaws in the military justice system and why so many guys get steamrolled by it. Post-military identity and the struggle to find direction after service. The mental shift from operator to father, and what actually matters when everything else is stripped away. Current work with veteran-focused projects and building something new outside the military. Same Liberty Risk format - long, raw, unfiltered, and exactly how these conversations happen when nothing's off limits. This one isn't about how you make it. It's about what happens when it all falls apart - and how you build it back anyway. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Tim at the links below! ✖️ Tim's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tim.g.speer  ✖️ Veteran Ink - https://www.instagram.com/veteranink  ✖️ Veteran Ink Website - https://veteranink.com    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 55 • Jett Cruzz Lanoha • Frogman Toasts, Bar Brawls & Building Brotherhood After the Teams 🔱🏴‍☠️ 08.04.2026 3j 59mnt

  This one opens the way every great Liberty Risk episode should - with a shirtless man standing on a table, reciting the Frogman Toast from memory. Jett Cruzz Lanoha, former SEAL Team 3 operator, does the thing right, and what follows is a nearly-lost piece of SEAL culture that the old guys had to physically threaten him into learning. From there it only gets better. Cruz's path to the Teams isn't your typical recruiting poster story. Tucson kid, Catholic school K–12, bouncing between working at Fleming's Steakhouse, Home Depot, and FedEx well into his late twenties - until a buddy turned him on to the Army and a recruiter mentioned the SEALs. He failed the ASVAB three times, got tutored by a girlfriend, earned his PST score, and made it through BUD/S at 28. His dad builds custom choppers and runs in biker circles. The apple doesn't fall far. We get into the culture shift - the pirate era Teamguys vs. the new school, what gets lost when you clean up an organization that ran on controlled chaos, and why you actually need both the pirates and the choir boys for a functional team. Cruz came up in the later era and felt every bit of the shift. The hosts came up in the era that needed three DUIs to make chief. Neither side is entirely right. Neither side is entirely wrong. Hotel Platoon at Team Three gets its full due. A crew Cruz calls the best years of his life - Steadfast, elite, and exactly the kind of guys you want next to you when a Hell's Angels affiliate decides the bar belongs to him. Full brawl in Temecula. OIC in flip flops. New guys straight out of BUD/S jumping in without being asked. Everyone escaping in a van ("let's go, Marines!" 😂). Chief handling the fallout. It's a masterclass in what leadership actually looks like when the textbook is on fire. Then as a speciala guest, Cruzz's wife Marissa joins the pod. The one he married during BUD/S, sent divorce papers to while she was ill, and didn't see for eight years. The one he ran into by accident at an LA Fitness during Navy's Week in Phoenix, completely out of nowhere, and eventually remarried. She tells her side and pulls nu pucnhes. It's worth hearing. So is the conversation that follows about what it actually takes to build a partnership when one of you is wired to solve problems and the other one just needs you to shut up and listen. He's also got a brand - Brother Apparel, launched after separating in 2025. Not operator merch. Lifestyle gear with an emphasis on living LIFE with STYLE. If you know, you know. The crew (who run an apparel company) go deep with him on how to actually build it right. And the deployment stories. Dubai. Abu Dhabi. The Maldives - not on purpose. A $4,000 bar tab at Zuma that he didn't pay for. A porta-potty. A kind cab driver. An out-of-body experience at a beach concert that he did not sign up for. Here are a few highlights from this one: Cruzz performs the Frogman Toast - shirtless, on a table, as it was meant to be The ASVAB fail trilogy and the girlfriend who saved his Navy career Temecula bar brawl: Hell's Angels, flip flops, and a van getaway Chief Kyle and the chess move that changed how Cruzz sees leadership The divorce papers. The eight-year gap. LA Fitness. The reunion. Marissa on what it was like to be on the other side of all of it Getting dosed in a porta-potty in Abu Dhabi and the cab driver who saved him The Maldives emergency landing - two days in paradise, completely by accident Brother Apparel: the origin, the wrong partners, the relaunch, and where it's going The nightly debrief walk - the relationship tip that actually works 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Jett at the links below! ✖️ Brother Apparel Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/brotherapparelofficial  ✖️ Brother Apparel Website - https://www.brotherapparel.com    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 54 • Kris Groves • WILD EOD Stories Like You've Never Heard! 🦀🏴‍☠️🇺🇸 02.04.2026 4j 13mnt

  You've heard EOD stories before - but NOT like this. In this episode the Liberty Risk crew sits down with Kris Groves - former Navy EOD tech attached to the SEAL Teams - pull up a chair as we start unpacking a life that doesn't follow a normal script. Before the military, he was already making multiple six figures in his early twenties, traveling the world in the weapons industry, working arms shows like SHOT and IWA, living out of a 10,000-square-foot mansion… and walked away from all of it to enlist. No regrets. What follows is a deep dive into a side of the military most people don't understand - and a pipeline that makes even seasoned guys stop and pay attention. From EOD prep to dive school to nine months of blowing things up on land and underwater, Chris breaks down what the pipeline is actually like - and why it's designed to make people quit early. And yeah… the stories get out of control. A guy convincing an instructor that a crab pinching his nuts should cancel 1,500 burpees - and somehow winning that argument. Another guy drinking a full bottle of his own p!ss for a reduction in burpees… while the rest of the class tries not to throw up watching it. And that's just training. Once he hits the Teams, it only gets better. Working alongside SEAL Team Two, Kris gives a rare outsider-insider perspective on the Teams - close enough to see everything, far enough to call it like it is. Then come the deployments and range stories. A French EOD tech in Djibouti smashing a live mortar with a shovel like it's nothing. A rattlesnake coiled inside a soup can… and an Australian EOD tech casually blowing its head off with a blank round. Accidentally turning a training scenario into homemade napalm - melting burning plastic onto a truck with teammates inside. A Hollywood pyro repeatedly hitting a dead switch… then looking directly down the barrel right before it detonates in his face (thought he was a gonner!) And somehow, it still escalates. Fleet Week in New York with zero curfew - six EOD ruffians running around Manhattan in dress whites until 4AM every night. A fast rope demo over a public crowd that ends with a guy vomiting out of a helicopter… and then again onto the rope itself. A near miss on a C-5 movement after an entire platoon gets obliterated at a strip club in Germany. This one doesn't slow down. Underneath all of it - real conversations about the EOD & SpecOps community, working alongside the SEAL teams, risk, stupidity, camaraderie, and the kind of humor that only exists in the veteran world and other small pockets of society. Then the transition. From blowing things up to building a company - Kris breaks down how he co-founded Pass Pass with his brother, scaling it into a massive platform with hundreds of thousands of users, millions of views, and a completely unconventional business model. No clean storyline. No polished version. Just four hours of stories that sound fake… but are crazy REAL. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Kris at the links below! ✖️ Kris's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/krisgroves_  ✖️ PassPass Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/getpasspass  ✖️ PassPass Website - https://passpass.ai    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 53 • Sheriff Chad Bianco • Behind The Badge: The Race To Save California 🇺🇸 27.03.2026 2j 3mnt

  Behind the badge with Sheriff Chad Bianco. 30+ years in law enforcement. Current Sheriff of Riverside County. Now running for Governor of California. But this isn't a campaign speech - this is what it sounds like when you put a career cop who's seen everything across the table from guys who understand the intricacies of living a life on the line - and let it run. We start where most people wouldn't - standing guard over a murder scene, watching the sun come up while birds pick apart what's left behind… and the kind of stories that never leave you, even if you learn how to laugh about them later. From there it turns into something bigger. The similarities & the differences between what military and law enforcement deal with in their careers - short bursts of chaos vs. 30 years of accumulation… and what that actually does to people behind the badge, or the flag. The old-school era of policing - chain smoking, broken marriages, zero support - and how sometimes culture has to change the hard way. But also what happens when you try to fix it. Mandatory counseling. Anonymous mental health access. And why some guys never come back after certain experiences… and why that might be the right call. Then we get into the part no one avoids. California. Why the state might be disqualifying the exact people it needs most - pushing out military veterans in favor of candidates who look better on paper but freeze when it matters. What actually happens inside Sacramento. Why a supermajority only works until people start paying attention. And why he doesn't care about being liked - only about getting the job done. The Palisades fire and the moment wealthy California finally felt what everyone else already knew… when money stopped being a shield from bad policy. CEQA. The Coastal Commission. Environmental red tape that sounds good until you're the one stuck in it. Then energy. Shutting down nuclear. Importing oil from overseas. Letting water flow to the ocean while calling it a drought. And the question that keeps coming up - is any of this actually about the environment? Immigration & ICE. Where the line really is between federal and local enforcement. And what happens when the system is broken on both sides - for the people coming in, and the people already here. And also: Classic cars and smog laws. Cartels running black market marijuana operations. Sewage dumping into waters Navy SEALs train in. The gap between what leaders say… and how they actually live. No talking points. No script. No effort to clean it up. Just a conversation that goes exactly where you think it will… and then a few places you didn't expect. This is Liberty Risk, welcome to the show! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Sheriff Bianco at the links below! ✖️ Sherif Bianco's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sheriffbianco  ✖️ Sheriff Bianco's Website - https://biancoforgovernor.com    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 52 • Andy Stumpf • Beyond The Trident: A Life of Curiosity. 🔱🏴‍☠️ 20.03.2026 3j 40mnt

  You've heard the stories, you know him: Former Navy SEAL. DEVGRU operator. Host of Cleared Hot Podcast. But this isn't the highlight reel. This is 3.5 hours of the stories behind everything you think you know. This is what it sounds like when he's sitting across from guys who actually know him - his former teammate from SEAL Team Five and Sniper school classmate - and the conversation plays out as you'd expect. In true Liberty Risk fashion we dive into the stories you don't usually hear, and the lessons learned from some adventures gone wrong. The night partying with his platoon in Tucson that almost cost him his Trident - bar fight (not his), running from cops, vaulting a razor-wire fence, climbing rooftops, and ending up in front of his command figuring out how to navigate one of the biggest lessons that would shape his future: the power of OWNING IT. We also talk about what BUD/S is really like behind the chaos - both as a student and later as an Instructor - and why most people misunderstand both sides of it. Of course we talk about Green Team, life at The Command, and what actually gets guys kicked off the Team, both in selection, and after. An unlikely twist of perspective that can only come from hindsight - one of the best things that ever happened to him was getting shot in Iraq. Catching a round to the hip, pinned under a car watching muzzle flash & getting pulled out by a friend - and the different path that event put him on. And then it keeps going. The unspoken rules inside the Teams. The realities and dualities of loyalty - it's a two way street, and how giving it to the wrong people can burn you - fast. After the Teams - business deals that go sideways, getting gaslit by people you trust, and learning the hard way that not everyone sees the world the same way you do, and also what to do about it. Stories about how half the things in his life weren't planned - skydiving, flying helicopters, jiu-jitsu - and the value of just following curiosity and letting life unfold as you go. We also talk about the hard realities of losing friends - why he walked away from wingsuit base jumping, & the stories behind the headlines. Figuring out when to push, when to pull, when to hold on, and when to simply (and gracefully) say "NO". We dive into his new book: Drownproof - and the context behind the stories hits a lot harder when you hear them told in real time among friends. No filters, no guard rails, no agenda, just the kind of conversation that feels like you probably shouldn't be listening to it… but here it is. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Aaron & his ventures at the links below! ✖️ Andy Stumpf Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andystumpf212  ✖️ Andy's Book Drownproof - https://www.clearedhotpodcast.com/book  ✖️ Andy's Website - https://www.clearedhotpodcast.com    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc   
• 
  Ep. 51 • The Power of Tattoos: Pain, Purpose, & Self Discovery with Aaron Della Vedova of Guru Tattoo 05.03.2026 3j 29mnt

  Veteran and icon of the West Coast tattoo world pulls up a chair, pours a bourbon, and starts unpacking one hell of a life story - 3.5 hours with Aaron Della Vedova of world-famous Guru Tattoo. Aaron's path from punk-rock kid in Boulder City, Nevada to Coast Guard veteran to one of the most respected tattoo artists in the country was anything but a straight line. Following his dream he ran into con men selling "tattoo apprenticeships" in Vegas, faced off with a 6'6" biker tattooer who threatened to cut his hands off, and worked under a heroin-addicted "mentor" who once showed up to the shop barefoot, in his underwear, holding a Rambo knife and demanding a "loan". None of it knocked him off course. Aaron stayed steady at the helm of his vision for creating a tattoo culture that was more inclusive, more professional, and built around respect for the craft. Eventually that winding road led him to San Diego, where he opened Guru Tattoo and built it into one of the most respected studios in the country - holding strong for over 25 years in a business where most shops come and go with the seasons. Along the way he's tattooed thousands of clients, including both arm sleeves on longtime friend Joe Rogan. But this episode goes far deeper than tattoo stories. Aaron and the crew break down why people really get tattooed - and why the tattoo chair can become a unique form of therapy. The pain forces you into the present moment, the artwork becomes a permanent record of the chapters of your life you've overcome, and for some people it's a way to reclaim parts of themselves they thought were gone. One client even broke down crying in the parking lot mid-session - not from pain, but from years of pent-up emotion finally letting go. From there the conversation moves through psychedelics, consciousness, the tattoo industry's rise over the last few decades, military hazing culture, parenting, and the importance of focusing on what you can control when everything around you feels like it's falling apart. And because this is Liberty Risk… of course we also get into wild stories, relationships, and why drunkenly tattooing your husband's 🍆 at a wedding might be the ultimate expression of "love forever." Wild stories, unexpected depth, and plenty of laughs along the way.   🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk    Get to know more about Aaron & his ventures at the links below! ✖️ Aaron Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aarondellavedova  ✖️ Guru Tattoo Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gurutattoo ✖️ Chats & Tatts Podcast - https://www.instagram.com/chatsandtatts    Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts   Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc