Episodes

In this gripping episode of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland sits down with Matthew Brunnemann, a Marine Corps veteran who spent over 500 days in Afghanistan's volatile Helmand Province. Brunnemann shares raw, firsthand accounts from his deployments, including intense combat operations, opium interdiction raids, and the harsh realities of counterinsurgency warfare. As the author of "War Business: The Hired Guns of Helmand Province," he offers a unique perspective on the cultural clashes ...

In this raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal conclusion to one of the most powerful Mike Drop episodes ever recorded, former SEAL Team operator turned master knife-maker Chris Osman (founder of Tons O’ Cutlery finishes laying it all bare with host Mike Ritland. Over the course of this nearly 2-hour final segment, Chris walks us through the absolute rock-bottom moments that finally forced permanent change: the phone call that exposed his drug-fueled double life, quitting every substance cold tur...

In this raw, unfiltered, and deeply personal conclusion to one of the most powerful Mike Drop episodes ever recorded, former SEAL Team operator turned master knife-maker Chris Osman (founder of Tons O’ Cutlery finishes laying it all bare with host Mike Ritland. Over the course of this nearly 2-hour final segment, Chris walks us through the absolute rock-bottom moments that finally forced permanent change: the phone call that exposed his drug-fueled double life, quitting every substance cold tur...

In this gripping second part of Episode 268 from the Mike Drop podcast, hosted by former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland, guest Chris Osman—a veteran Marine, Navy SEAL, and entrepreneur—delves deep into his extraordinary life story. Listeners will discover raw, unfiltered accounts of Osman's journey from rigorous SEAL training and high-stakes deployments in Afghanistan, including untold real-world missions and the emotional toll of survivor's guilt from helicopter crashes and lost comrades. The episode ...

In this gripping second part of Episode 268 from the Mike Drop podcast, hosted by former Navy SEAL Mike Ritland, guest Chris Osman—a veteran Marine, Navy SEAL, and entrepreneur—delves deep into his extraordinary life story. Listeners will discover raw, unfiltered accounts of Osman's journey from rigorous SEAL training and high-stakes deployments in Afghanistan, including untold real-world missions and the emotional toll of survivor's guilt from helicopter crashes and lost comrades. The episode ...

In this raw episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, Chris Osman opens up like never before—sharing childhood struggles, the brutal realities of BUD/S (including two moments he nearly rang the bell), combat in Somalia, and the darker personal battles that followed his 11 years of service, including addiction, failed marriages, and the long road back to redemption. With zero victim mentality, Chris lays it all bare: the vi*lence that once defined him, the lessons learned from organized crime fascinatio...

In this raw episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, Chris Osman opens up like never before—sharing childhood struggles, the brutal realities of BUD/S (including two moments he nearly rang the bell), combat in Somalia, and the darker personal battles that followed his 11 years of service, including addiction, failed marriages, and the long road back to redemption. With zero victim mentality, Chris lays it all bare: the vi*lence that once defined him, the lessons learned from organized crime fascinatio...

Episode 267 Part 3 of the Mike Drop Podcast with host Mike Ritland welcomes Dave Berke—the only Marine to ever fly the F-22 Raptor and F-35 while also serving as a TOPGUN instructor and ground combat leader in Ramadi alongside Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. In this final part of an epic 3-part conversation, Dave and Mike go deep on the toughest leadership questions facing the military today: Should AI ever be allowed to pull the trigger on its own? Why fighter pilots hated autopilot landings, th...

Episode 267 Part 3 of the Mike Drop Podcast with host Mike Ritland welcomes Dave Berke—the only Marine to ever fly the F-22 Raptor and F-35 while also serving as a TOPGUN instructor and ground combat leader in Ramadi alongside Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. In this final part of an epic 3-part conversation, Dave and Mike go deep on the toughest leadership questions facing the military today: Should AI ever be allowed to pull the trigger on its own? Why fighter pilots hated autopilot landings, th...

In Part 2 of this epic episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his deep-dive conversation with Dave Berke – the only Marine to ever fly the F-22 Raptor and a legendary Topgun instructor. This episode is packed with raw, unfiltered stories from the skies and the streets of Ramadi. Dave breaks down why fifth-generation fighters (F-22 and F-35) dominate not through speed or maneuverability, but through total battlespace awareness – “If I know everything you’re doing and you h...

In Part 2 of this epic episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his deep-dive conversation with Dave Berke – the only Marine to ever fly the F-22 Raptor and a legendary Topgun instructor. This episode is packed with raw, unfiltered stories from the skies and the streets of Ramadi. Dave breaks down why fifth-generation fighters (F-22 and F-35) dominate not through speed or maneuverability, but through total battlespace awareness – “If I know everything you’re doing and you h...

Join host Mike Ritland for an unforgettable conversation with Dave Berke – the only Marine in history to fly the F-16, F-18, F-22, and F-35, a legendary TOPGUN instructor, former Forward Air Controller attached to Jocko Willink’s Task Unit Bruiser in Ramadi 2006, and co-author of the Extreme Ownership series. From the cockpit of the world’s most advanced fighters to the blood-soaked streets of Ramadi alongside SEALs, Dave pulls zero punches on what real high-performance leadership looks like whe...

Join host Mike Ritland for an unforgettable conversation with Dave Berke – the only Marine in history to fly the F-16, F-18, F-22, and F-35, a legendary TOPGUN instructor, former Forward Air Controller attached to Jocko Willink’s Task Unit Bruiser in Ramadi 2006, and co-author of the Extreme Ownership series. From the cockpit of the world’s most advanced fighters to the blood-soaked streets of Ramadi alongside SEALs, Dave pulls zero punches on what real high-performance leadership looks like whe...

In this powerful and unfiltered part 3 of episode 266, host Mike Ritland sits down with former U.S. Army Green Beret and Afghan-American Kawa Mawlayee — a first-generation immigrant who fled Soviet-occupied Afghanistan as a child, grew up in the American Midwest, and went on to serve 23 years in Special Forces, including multiple combat tours. What starts as a discussion about Trump’s leadership style, tariffs, and manufacturing quickly evolves into a raw, no-holds-barred exploration of the big...

In this powerful and unfiltered part 3 of episode 266, host Mike Ritland sits down with former U.S. Army Green Beret and Afghan-American Kawa Mawlayee — a first-generation immigrant who fled Soviet-occupied Afghanistan as a child, grew up in the American Midwest, and went on to serve 23 years in Special Forces, including multiple combat tours. What starts as a discussion about Trump’s leadership style, tariffs, and manufacturing quickly evolves into a raw, no-holds-barred exploration of the big...

In Part 2 of this explosive conversation, former Marine turned Green Beret and Afghan-American warrior Kawa Mawlayee goes even deeper with host Mike Ritland. What starts as a discussion about post-9/11 wars quickly spirals into some of the most raw and controversial territory ever covered on Mike Drop: the real reasons behind the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, the overwhelming influence of pro-Israel lobbies (AIPAC, ADL, Christian Zionism), the shrinking map of Palestine from 1948 to today, why...

In Part 2 of this explosive conversation, former Marine turned Green Beret and Afghan-American warrior Kawa Mawlayee goes even deeper with host Mike Ritland. What starts as a discussion about post-9/11 wars quickly spirals into some of the most raw and controversial territory ever covered on Mike Drop: the real reasons behind the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, the overwhelming influence of pro-Israel lobbies (AIPAC, ADL, Christian Zionism), the shrinking map of Palestine from 1948 to today, why...

In Episode 266 of the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland sits down with Kawa Mawlayee—the first Afghan-born Green Beret—for a raw talk on war, immigration, and identity. Kawa recounts fleeing Soviet-invaded Afghanistan, losing his father, and growing up as a refugee in Nebraska before serving 21 years across the Marines and Army, including Iraq’s invasion and the battle of Fallujah. They dive into today’s immigration crisis, where Kawa contrasts his own integration with the current border chaos an...

In Episode 266 of the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland sits down with Kawa Mawlayee—the first Afghan-born Green Beret—for a raw talk on war, immigration, and identity. Kawa recounts fleeing Soviet-invaded Afghanistan, losing his father, and growing up as a refugee in Nebraska before serving 21 years across the Marines and Army, including Iraq’s invasion and the battle of Fallujah. They dive into today’s immigration crisis, where Kawa contrasts his own integration with the current border chaos an...

In Part 2 of Episode 265 of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his in-depth conversation with Ken Rhee — a Korean-American UDT/SEAL (ROK SEAL) who grew up in the U.S., served in South Korea’s elite naval special warfare unit, trained at American BUD/S, fought pirates off Somalia, volunteered in Ukraine, and now runs a private military consulting firm while navigating strict Korean gun laws and a suspended prison sentence. Expect raw insights into cross-national SEAL training, ho...

In Part 2 of Episode 265 of the Mike Drop Podcast, host Mike Ritland continues his in-depth conversation with Ken Rhee — a Korean-American UDT/SEAL (ROK SEAL) who grew up in the U.S., served in South Korea’s elite naval special warfare unit, trained at American BUD/S, fought pirates off Somalia, volunteered in Ukraine, and now runs a private military consulting firm while navigating strict Korean gun laws and a suspended prison sentence. Expect raw insights into cross-national SEAL training, ho...

In this episode of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland sits down with Ken Rhee, a former Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy SEAL lieutenant who uniquely completed both Korean BUD/S and U.S. Navy SEAL training in Coronado. Raised in the U.S. from age three, Rhee returned to Korea driven by family patriotism, rising through Officer Candidate School to become a tier-one operator in the elite Special Mission Battalion (SMB). Rhee contrasts the brutal mental hazing of Korean SEAL training—complete wi...

In this episode of the Mike Drop podcast, host Mike Ritland sits down with Ken Rhee, a former Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy SEAL lieutenant who uniquely completed both Korean BUD/S and U.S. Navy SEAL training in Coronado. Raised in the U.S. from age three, Rhee returned to Korea driven by family patriotism, rising through Officer Candidate School to become a tier-one operator in the elite Special Mission Battalion (SMB). Rhee contrasts the brutal mental hazing of Korean SEAL training—complete wi...

Welcome to Part 2 of Episode 264 of the Mike Drop podcast, hosted by Mike Ritland, a former Navy SEAL and renowned dog trainer. In this gripping continuation, Mike sits down with Nico Kelly Nick O'Kelly, a former Green Beret who transitioned into an elite Night Stalker pilot with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). Kelly is also the author of the book Stigma: Breaking the Stigma, which delves into his personal battles with mental health. Listeners will find an unfiltered, raw...