Urban Valor: the podcast

Urban Valor
  • 5.0 (5)
  • FILM INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to Urban Valor, where we hear the stories of our veteran heroes in their own words. Within these vet interviews, you'll hear everything from combat stories, life stories pre/post military, military transition, and everything in between. Our interviews aren't just war stories or combat veteran interviews, but interviews from any military veteran willing to share. Our mission is to educate the masses with what military veterans go through while serving their country and how life has been since their military transition back to civilian life. Join our cause, online community, and show your support for Urban Valor at https://urbanvalor.com 

  1. 6D AGO

    This Soldier Drove Fuel Trucks Through Iraq While Getting Shot at With No Armor

    Iraq War stories like this don’t come from Hollywood… they come from guys who actually lived it. This Iraq War veteran story from a U.S. Army fuel convoy driver who was thrown into Iraq at just 20 years old...no armor, driving fuel trucks, getting shot at, and running missions daily through active war zones. We break down what it was REALLY like on the ground — from entering Iraq during the early invasion, to driving the “Highway of Death,” dealing with gunfire, extreme heat (140°+), and zero resources, to the insane reality of surviving day-to-day when everything around you is unpredictable. But here’s what most people don’t understand… It wasn’t just combat. It was: - Sleeping on trucks near Baghdad Airport - Running missions nonstop with no clear end - Buying black market ice just to survive the heat - Improvising systems to stay alive - Making decisions in seconds that could cost everything And through it all... you just keep moving. “Just drive.” That was the job. No pause. No reset. No guarantees you’re coming back. 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  00:00 Iraq War Stories & Crazy Deployment Moments   01:17 Who Is Jonathan Daige?   03:50 9/11 & Joining the Army   07:25 Driving Fuel Trucks in Iraq   11:20 Entering Iraq & First Combat Reality   16:40 Surviving Heat, Hunger & Daily Missions   17:36 Getting Shot At on Convoys   25:11 Life at Baghdad Airport   30:24 Iraq War Changed in 2005 (IEDs & Danger)   60:29 From War to Stage 4 Cancer #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

    1h 29m

  2. APR 27

    This Army Officer’s Green Beret Father Did the Unthinkable to Her!

    In today's Urban Valor Podcast, a former U.S. Army Captain opens up about the dark truth about military life, what it’s really like being a woman in the Army, and the experiences no one talks about. From growing up in a chaotic and abusive environment to navigating misogyny, harassment, and leadership challenges in the military, this story exposes the reality behind the uniform. She shares her journey through: - The reality of being a female infantry officer - Toxic leadership and military culture issues - Personal trauma and overcoming adversity - What actually happens behind the scenes in the Army - How she rebuilt her life through discipline and resilience 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

    1h 53m

  3. APR 20

    Marine Thought His Team Was Still Alive...Until He Looked Around!

    Joshua Shores served in the United States Marine Corps from 2004 to 2008 and deployed to Ramadi during some of the deadliest fighting of the Iraq War. In this interview, Joshua shares what it was like going from a small-town upbringing in Wisconsin to becoming an infantry Marine, attending recon training, joining 1st Battalion 5th Marines, deploying to Iraq, combat in Ramadi, serving with the first MARSOC Bravo Comiany, and fighting in Afghanistan.   He talks about Marine boot camp, School of Infantry, the culture shock of joining the military, combat patrols, intense firefights, clearing mosques, capturing insurgents, and surviving devastating IED explosions. Joshua also reflects on the realities of war, the chaos of urban combat, losing friends, and the lasting memories that come with serving in Iraq during the height of the insurgency. Joshua discusses: - Growing up in Wisconsin in a military family - Joining the Marines at 17 - Marine Corps boot camp and SOI - Recon training and dropping to 1/5 Marines - Deploying to Ramadi in 2005 - The reality of combat in Iraq - Firefights, raids, and insurgent tactics - Capturing enemy fighters - Surviving an IED blast - Losing friends and dealing with trauma after war 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #navyseals  #warstories

    1h 52m

  4. APR 13

    Navy SEAL Realizes He's About to Kill For the First Time

    Most people think they understand Navy SEAL combat, BUD/S training, and Hell Week… but the real moment that changes everything isn’t during training — it’s before your first mission. In this weeks Urban Valor Podcast, Alex Rogers shares the exact moment he realized he was about to take a life for the first time. While preparing for a deployment, loading magazines like he had done countless times before… something felt different. “This is for human flesh.” That realization hit hard — and nothing after that was the same. If you’re searching for Navy SEAL stories, real combat experiences, BUD/S training insights, or military mindset, this is one of the most raw and honest perspectives you’ll hear. From growing up in a small town to surviving BUD/S and earning his Trident, Alex walks through the mental shift from training… to reality. This isn’t about action. This is about awareness. Responsibility. And the moment everything becomes real. 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #navyseals  #warstories

    1h 47m

  5. APR 6

    What He Endured as a Kid Didn’t Stop Him From 20 Years in the Army

    He joined the Army to escape his past… But it followed him anyway. This is this episode of Urban Valor, we talk about childhood trauma, abuse, anger, and transformation through the military.  Ernie Mariscal shares what happened to him at just 5 years old… and how that moment shaped everything... from becoming a violent kid, to running the streets, to eventually joining the United States Army in 1991 searching for a way out. For a while, the military gave him exactly that: structure, discipline, purpose. But the truth is… you don’t escape trauma — you carry it with you. Into basic training. Into deployments. Into war. We talk about: - Growing up with childhood abuse and unresolved trauma - How anger turned into violence, drugs, and survival mode - The reality of joining the Army to change your life - Experiences during deployment and Iraq war stories - What it feels like coming home with a completely different mindset This is about what happens before the uniform… and after it comes off. 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  0:00 Gun to His Face 0:47 Hitting Rock Bottom 1:13 Meet Ernie (Army Veteran) 2:00 Childhood Trauma 7:49 Kicked Out at 16 9:56 Gunpoint Incident 11:44 Decision to Join the Army 16:49 Chaos of Basic Training 23:31 Becoming a Soldier 34:25 First Deployment (Iraq) 36:37 War Reality Hits 38:42 Coming Home Changed 39:27 Drinking & Numbness 45:22 Soldier Goes Missing 52:24 Leadership & Loyalty 57:25 Preparing to Retire 59:50 Life After the Army #military #warstories #urbanvalor #army  #warstories

    1h 13m

  6. APR 4

    Marine Describes Carrying His Friend After an IED Blew His Legs Off

    Juan Perez’s story doesn’t start in the military… it starts in the streets. Before the Marine Corps, he was involved with gangs, running with the wrong crowd, and heading down a path that only ends one way. Then he made a decision that changed everything...he joined the U.S. Marines and became an infantryman deployed to Afghanistan. During one mission, an IED detonated just feet from his team. One of his closest friends was hit... losing both legs in the blast. Juan shares what that moment was really like… the chaos, the adrenaline, carrying his friend out, and the reality of war that most people will never understand. But this story isn’t just about the explosion. It’s about what comes after. The brotherhood. The guilt. The memories that don’t go away when you come home. And the reality that a lot of veterans don’t know how to ask for help. If you take anything from this...check on your people! 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:

    1h 55m

  7. MAR 30

    The Navy Sailor Who Rescued Survivors From a Floating Graveyard

    This one’s heavy. We’ve heard a lot of military stories over the years… but this one stuck with us. Rick served in the U.S. Navy during the late 80s, and during a deployment in the South China Sea, they got a call about a stranded refugee boat. What they found when they got there… was nothing like they expected. There were bodies everywhere. Survivors that couldn’t even stand. People so far gone they had to be carried onto the ship. And the part that really messes with you… what those people had to do to stay alive. It’s the kind of story you don’t forget. But what hit us just as hard wasn’t just what happened out there. It’s what came after. We talk about the transition out of the military, losing that sense of purpose, and how moments like this don’t just disappear when you come home. A lot of guys carry this stuff for years… and never say a word. 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  00:00 – Brutal Navy Shellback Initiation 00:40 – “They Beat the Hell Out of You” 01:16 – Who Is Rick Estrada? (Navy Background) 03:26 – Why He Joined the Navy 04:15 – Boot Camp Reality vs Expectations 06:39 – Cold War Deployment & Russian Encounters 10:26 – Crossing the Equator Ceremony (Full Story) 14:18 – Mission Redirected: Refugee Distress Call 14:54 – Finding the Boat… Something Was Wrong 15:43 – Bodies Everywhere (First Discovery) 16:09 – 107 People… Only 57 Survived 16:41 – Signs of Cannibalism 17:20 – Carrying Survivors Onto the Ship 18:01 – The Most Disturbing Moment 18:50 – Burning the Boat 19:15 – Searching for More Survivors 20:12 – Dropping Them Off & Moving On 20:23 – Port Calls & Wild Deployment Stories 22:07 – “Peso Show” Culture Shock 27:40 – Wanting to Go to War (Desert Storm) 28:44 – Life After the Navy 29:28 – Losing Purpose After Service 30:40 – Reuniting With Shipmates 31:48 – Trauma From the Rescue Mission 32:34 – Getting Help & VA Struggles 33:31 – Advice to Veterans

    35 min

  8. MAR 23

    DEA Threats, Drug Labs, & Violence, the Army Vet Shaking up the Gun Industry!

    Ryan Spadafore grew up surrounded by chaos. His father, a former LAPD officer, was eventually caught running a drug manufacturing operation that exploded and triggered a federal investigation. Soon the DEA, FBI, and federal prosecutors were involved, and Ryan found himself caught in the fallout of a criminal case that shattered his family. At the same time, his older brother was battling addiction during the height of the OxyContin epidemic, creating a violent and unpredictable environment inside their home. Ryan describes growing up in constant fear, dealing with threats, family breakdown, and the psychological toll of living in a house filled with instability and danger. Trying to escape the chaos, Ryan eventually turned to the military. He enlisted on an Army 18X contract, entering the pipeline designed for candidates pursuing the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets). Although his military path didn’t unfold exactly how he planned, the experience gave him the discipline and direction he needed to rebuild his life. Today Ryan is working in the firearms industry, developing new technology and products that have sparked lawsuits, controversy, and intense debate among some of the largest companies in the industry. In this episode of Urban Valor, Ryan shares the full story of growing up in a violent household, the moment his father’s drug lab brought federal agents to his door, the death threats that followed, and how joining the Army became his way out! 👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Chapters:  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy  #warstories

    1h 37m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Welcome to Urban Valor, where we hear the stories of our veteran heroes in their own words. Within these vet interviews, you'll hear everything from combat stories, life stories pre/post military, military transition, and everything in between. Our interviews aren't just war stories or combat veteran interviews, but interviews from any military veteran willing to share. Our mission is to educate the masses with what military veterans go through while serving their country and how life has been since their military transition back to civilian life. Join our cause, online community, and show your support for Urban Valor at https://urbanvalor.com 

Information

  • Creator
    Urban Valor
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    231
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sport of Business, LLC
  • Show Website
    Urban Valor: the podcast

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