Buckle up for an unfiltered, heart-pounding episode of the Mike Drop Podcast, hosted by the fearless Mike Ritland, as he sits down with Navy SEAL icon Chuck Hayes. From a fateful bus ride to Orlando in September 1982, where Hayes first glimpsed the world of elite warriors, to the soul-shattering chaos of Bloody Sunday, this episode rips open the raw reality of a SEAL’s life. Hayes vividly recounts his evolution from a wide-eyed rookie to a battle-scarred leader, commanding platoons that carried the weight of the Global War on Terror through relentless, ferocious firefights.
Hear the chilling story of loading bullets one-by-one, each click a defiance against near-certain death, and the unbreakable resolve that drove his team back into the fray. With China’s military might looming, Hayes tackles the burning question: Can America’s Special Operations forces dominate in a high-stakes showdown? Packed with jaw-dropping revelations and raw emotion, this episode will grip you from start to finish.
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Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike’s bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog.
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CHAPTERS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:24 - Team Dog Ad
00:02:01 - Guest Chuck Hayes & SEAL Background
00:07:14 - Special Ops Online Challenges
00:11:55 - Childhood Events
00:13:14 - Joining the Navy
00:19:06 - Path to SEAL Training
00:22:20 - Preparing for BUD/S
00:29:04 - First Duty at SDV Team 2
00:32:55 - Screening for DEVGRU
00:37:49 - Green Team & CQC
00:40:12 - Red Squadron Assignment
00:47:07 - DEVGRU Then vs Now
00:50:25 - SAS Jungle Selection
00:55:23 - Operation Just Cause
00:57:04 - Chili Pad Ad
00:58:28 - Panama Mission Objectives
01:00:24 - Rangers & DEVGRU Execution
01:03:01 - Helmet Saves Life
01:05:33 - Medic in El Salvador
01:06:25 - DEVGRU 1986–1996
01:08:09 - Black Hawk Down Insights
01:12:18 - PSD in Haiti
01:16:04 - Bosnia Confrontation
01:20:11 - Reaction to Navy SEALs Movie
01:22:24 - Transition to Officer
01:28:19 - From DEVGRU to SEAL Teams
01:31:41 - SEAL Team 4 Challenges
01:43:50 - Post-Team 4 & 9/11 Impact
01:50:33 - Training Accident Trauma
01:58:24 - Revamping SEAL Training
02:01:21 - Commander in Afghanistan
02:03:49 - Battle Space Awareness
02:06:18 - Working with Adm. Szymanski
02:10:14 - Iraq Invasion Questions
02:16:15 - Brotherhood in Combat
02:21:56 - Daytime Assault Tactics
02:24:34 - Killing Rosie Khan
02:33:44 - Loss of Teammate Brian Allette
02:38:38 - Observing Leadership Decisions
02:40:17 - Bin Laden Announcement
02:42:04 - Defining "Winning" in Afghanistan
02:48:11 - Gulf War Influence on Iraq
02:52:07 - Multiple Command Roles
02:57:34 - China & Taiwan Challenge
03:00:00 - Japan’s Nuclear Option
03:02:19 - U.S.–China Economic Ties
03:06:46 - Cultural Exchange Abroad
03:08:50 - Retirement Decision
03:12:18 - Biden Admin & Vaccine Mandates
03:24:19 - Psychedelics & NDEs
03:32:12 - Tunnel of Light Experience
03:40:17 - Life as a Dream
03:43:58 - Other Spiritual Experiences
03:56:32 - Views on Hell & Fear
03:58:52 - Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Muhammad
04:09:55 - Past Life Regression
04:15:36 - Free Will & Moral Choice
04:19:03 - Hypnosis & Psychedelic Work
04:33:00 - Closing
