Beyond The Beret

Spencer Lewis

Spencer Lewis spent years as a Special Forces Green Beret making decisions under pressure, leading teams in places most people will never see, and operating at a standard the civilian world doesn't have a name for. Beyond The Beret is what comes after — the honest account of building a business, raising a family, competing as a hybrid athlete, and figuring out who you are when the mission is yours to define. No fluff, no highlight reel. Just the work, the mindset, and the standard Spencer holds himself to every day.

Episodes

  1. 28 June

    TRT, Peptides, and Men's Hormones: What 10 Years of Experience Actually Taught Me | Ep. 11

    Most of what's online about TRT, peptides, and men's hormones is either AI-generated influencer slop trying to sell you a stack, or it's academic research papers that don't translate to real life. In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer Lewis and his wife MJ have an honest, first-person conversation about what they've each learned over the last several years of getting blood work done, getting on hormone replacement therapy, experimenting with peptides, working with a clinic, and figuring out what actually matters versus what's just noise. Spencer goes all the way back to age 19 in the Army, when he first started experimenting with testosterone on his own without guidance — and walks through what he's learned since, including the difference between abusing testosterone and using it responsibly under medical supervision. He's currently off TRT while he and MJ are trying to conceive after a vasectomy reversal, and he's open about what coming off feels like versus being on it. MJ shares her own first experience with blood work during her 2024 bikini competition prep, finding out her testosterone was extremely low even though it fell inside the "normal" range, and what HRT has done for her since. This is not a stack-of-the-week episode. There is no "buy this peptide using my code" pitch. The whole point is: get blood work done, talk to an actual specialist (not your primary care doctor, who probably isn't a hormone specialist), and build the foundation before you stack anything on top. If you're a man feeling off and wondering if it's hormonal, a woman who's been told your levels are "in range" but you still feel terrible, an athlete trying to optimize, a veteran or first responder whose body has been through it, or anyone tired of getting recommendations from influencers who get paid per click — this episode is for you. Topics covered: The difference between "in range" and actually optimizedWhy your primary care doctor probably isn't a hormone specialistSpencer's first experience with testosterone at 19 in the ArmyWhat being in the 200s vs. the 1200s actually feels likeThe misconception about "roid rage" and TRTWhy TRT is a need and peptides are a wantMJ's first blood panel during bikini prep — and finding out she was severely low while "in range"Coming off TRT for fertility — what that actually feels likeThe vasectomy reversal and trying to conceiveHCG, Enclomiphene, and what each one actually doesBPC-157 after the 100-mile ultra and recovery from leg damageWhy the military won't let combat arms guys be on TRT — but will let them drink themselves stupid in the team roomThe honest truth about black market and research-grade peptidesWhy alcohol is the most socially acceptable poison and what it actually doesThe tiered system for optimization: foundation first, blood work second, peptides lastWhy most people skip the foundation and go straight to the stackMedical disclaimer: Spencer and MJ are not doctors. Nothing in this episode is medical advice. Everything discussed is personal experience. If you're considering hormone replacement therapy or peptides, work with a licensed medical provider who specializes in this area. Mentioned in this episode: Telegenix — the clinic Spencer and MJ use and partner with personallyTelegenix Home Page - https://www.telegenix.com/ref/SPELEW-HV5XTestosterone Replacement Therapy - https://www.telegenix.com/ref/SPELEW-HV5X?page=testosteronePeptides - https://www.telegenix.com/ref/SPELEW-HV5X?page=peptideTri NAD+ - https://www.telegenix.com/ref/SPELEW-HV5X?page=nad-plusWeight Loss - https://www.telegenix.com/ref/SPELEW-HV5X?page=weight-lossHosted by Spencer Lewis — former Green Beret, ultra runner, founder of Alpha Country — and his wife MJ. New episodes weekly. Already Decided.

    1hr 1min

  2. 6 June

    Starting a Business After the Military: How I Built Alpha Country From Nothing | Ep. 10

    Most veteran-to-entrepreneur stories skip the actual origin. The couch. The surgeries. The $25,000 you just sent to a manufacturer with no guarantee any of it works. The hours sewing patches onto hats one at a time in your living room because the orders are coming in and you don't have a manufacturer yet. In this episode of Beyond The Beret, former Green Beret Spencer Lewis and his wife MJ go all the way back to the start of Alpha Country — the supplement, apparel, and coaching brand he built from nothing while medically retiring out of Special Forces. Spencer was sitting on the couch recovering from SI joint fusion, hip, and ankle surgeries with no plan, no social media, no product, and no idea what he was doing. This episode is the real story of how it all got built. Spencer breaks down every part of the journey: the first time he sold a training program as a PDF in the DMs, the brand deal that took advantage of him and made him go all-in on Alpha Country, how he found a supplement manufacturer with zero connections, the $50,000 first production order that was every dollar he had, the 16-to-20-week supplement production timeline nobody warns you about, sourcing apparel on Alibaba and losing money learning, the years of late nights packing orders out of his house, and the standards he holds for every single touchpoint with the customer. If you're a veteran thinking about starting a business after the military, a service member with a brand idea, an entrepreneur trying to bootstrap a real product company, or someone curious about how Alpha Country actually got built — this episode is for you. Topics covered: Why Spencer started Alpha Country while still medically out-processing the ArmyBare Performance Nutrition (BPN) as the brand he studied to learn the playbookSelling training programs as PDFs in Instagram DMs to make first revenueThe brand deal that taught him to never give his work away againBuilding the first supplement formula (Bangalore pre-workout) without white-labelingThe $50,000 first production order and what it actually buys youThe 16-to-20-week supplement production timeline nobody talks about40/60 payment structures with overseas apparel manufacturersSewing hats in the living room: 20 minutes per hat, then 10Building relationships with USPS and UPS when nobody at the counter wants to helpThe standard for fulfillment, packaging, and the customer experienceWhy the last physical touchpoint with the customer matters more than anythingHiring, the three-strike rule, and why "sexy" jobs are the wrong goalPrevious episode (Ep. 9): Spencer covers losing his identity after the military and how to build a new one. That episode is the why. This one is the how. Hosted by Spencer Lewis — former Green Beret, ultra runner, founder of Alpha Country — and his wife MJ. New episodes weekly. Already Decided.

    1hr 11min

  3. 4 June

    Losing Your Identity After the Military (And How to Build a New One) | Ep. 9

    This episode of Beyond The Beret started with a listener email asking exactly that: how do you find your identity and purpose after leaving the military? Former Green Beret Spencer Lewis and his wife MJ break it down without sugar coating it. Spencer goes back to the first time he lost himself — when high school sports ended and he turned to drugs and partying — and traces it all the way through his medical retirement from Special Forces, the years it took to set the old rucksack down, and the identity he's built since: husband, father, Christian, coach, founder. The hard truth Spencer keeps coming back to: nobody is coming to save you. No one is going to hand you purpose, structure, or a new chapter. You have to build it yourself, one day at a time, starting from wherever you are right now. If you're medically retiring, getting close to your ETS date, recently out and feeling lost, a military spouse watching your partner struggle through this, or anyone facing a major life transition where the thing that used to define you is gone — this episode is for you. Topics covered: Why identity loss hits harder after the military than almost any other transitionThe parallel between leaving sports and leaving the serviceThe "rucksack" you have to set down to move forwardWhy the military's structure is something you can keep (and should)Getting bitter at the organization vs. still loving the jobWhat no one tells you about the exit processWhy nobody is coming to save you — and why that's actually good newsHow Spencer rebuilt purpose through Alpha Country, coaching, and helping othersThe difference between chasing what you want and helping others get what they wantPractical advice for guys who feel completely lost right nowNext episode (Ep. 10): The origin story of Alpha Country — how Spencer turned post-military purpose into a brand. Drop your questions in the comments and we'll answer them on the next one. Hosted by Spencer Lewis — former Green Beret, ultra runner, founder of Alpha Country — and his wife MJ. New episodes weekly. Already Decided.

    27 min

  4. 1 June

    What Ranger School Is Actually Like (From a Green Beret Who Recycled) | Ep. 8

    Ranger School is the most asked-about school in the U.S. Army, and most of the content out there is either polished recruiter talk or guys who went straight through and skipped the hard parts of the story. In this episode of Beyond The Beret, former Green Beret Spencer Lewis sits down with his wife MJ for a full, unfiltered breakdown of what Ranger School is actually like — from a guy who got pre-Ranger honor grad, recycled mountain phase, found out about his ex-wife's miscarriage between phases, and still walked out with the tab. Spencer covers all three phases (Darby, Mountains, Florida), the pre-Ranger course at 82nd Airborne, the 12-mile ruck that smoked the whole class, what platoon tactics actually look like at the squad and platoon level, how you really get graded, what the food and sleep cycle does to you (one MRE at 5 a.m., another at 2 a.m., repeat), peer evaluations, the truth about recycling, and the moment he knew he'd recycled mountains before the mission even ended. He also breaks down the mindset shift between his first and second look at mountain phase — and why trying to be everybody's friend doesn't get you a Ranger tab. If you're getting ready for Ranger School, just got your slot, recycled and trying to come back, or you're an NCO trying to prep your guys — this episode is for you. Topics covered: Pre-Ranger course at 82nd Airborne (and why it was harder than first phase)All three phases: Darby, Mountains, FloridaWhat a typical day looks like (5 a.m. MRE, planning, patrols, 2 a.m. dinner)The 12-mile ruck and what really cuts the class downLand nav and the golden compass awardPlatoon-level tactics vs. squad-level tacticsGetting recycled in mountain phase and what the 10-day reset looks likePeer evaluations and integrity violationsSleep deprivation and food deprivationWhy Ranger School is a leadership course, not a tactics courseThe mindset shift between first and second lookWhy every combat arms soldier should be chasing the tabHosted by Spencer Lewis — former Green Beret, ultra runner, founder of Alpha Country — and his wife MJ. New episodes weekly. Already Decided.

    1hr 8min

  5. 29 May

    Obsession Is the Only Thing That Wins | Ep. 7

    Why do some people get average results while others dominate everything they touch? Everyone wants to call it discipline, motivation, consistency, or talent. Former Green Beret Spencer Lewis says all of those are downstream of one thing: obsession. In this solo episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer breaks down the trait he's seen behind every elite athlete, special operator, and successful entrepreneur he's ever met — and the reason most people who say they want success will never get it. Everybody wants the result. Almost nobody wants the lifestyle. Spencer pulls from his own experience chasing the Ranger tab, earning the Green Beret, completing a 100-mile ultramarathon, and building a million-dollar business through divorce, custody battles, and everything else life threw at him. He gets real about what obsession actually looks like — not the highlight reel, but the monotonous early mornings, the lonely two-hour training sessions, the friends you lose, and the weddings you miss. And why being okay with all of that is the price of admission. If you're chasing a Ranger tab, a pro card, your first marathon, a 200-mile ultra, a business goal, or anything that demands more than the average person is willing to give — this episode is for you. Topics covered: Why obsession is the real driver behind discipline and consistencyThe lifestyle behind the result nobody wants to talk aboutThe sacrifices required to win at anything that mattersWhy obsession is lonely and how to be okay with itLosing friends when you level upTraining, business, and family through obsessionWhy there is no Plan BHow obsession compounds across every area of your lifeHosted by Spencer Lewis — Former Green Beret, Father, Husband, Founder of Alpha Country. New episodes weekly. Already Decided.

    9 min

  6. 27 May

    Developing Discipline From Motivation | Ep 6

    In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer and MJ dig into a topic suggested by Melissa after her visit: the real difference between motivation and discipline, and why most people get this wrong. Spencer's take is that motivation isn't bad, it's just an emotional state you can fall into when you're around the right people, the right examples, or in the right environment. The problem is when motivation is the only thing carrying you. Discipline is what gets built when you keep doing the work the same way you did when you were fired up, on the days you're not. They cover what this looks like across different chapters of life: the dudes who said they'd go to Ranger School or selection after seeing Spencer come back and never did, the people who say they're going to run 100 miles next year and don't sign up, what changes inside a bodybuilding prep when the new wears off in the middle, and why your "why" doesn't have to be deep or noble to be valid. Wanting to look good, feel good, or just be a better example for your kids is a real reason. Other ground covered: the 80/20 rule Spencer lives by so he doesn't beat himself up on bad days, why quitting one thing makes the next quit easier, how the long military pipelines reshaped his relationship with timelines and patience, the role of a dark side or a chip on your shoulder when motivation runs out, and what it actually takes to build what Spencer calls a bulletproof person. If you've ever struggled to stay on track through the middle of something hard, this one is for you. Mentioned: thealphacountry.comThe Alpha Country app — training programs Spencer designed using the same methodology he used for Ranger School and SFASLeaders Circle coaching and the upcoming retreatIf this episode hit, share it with someone who needs to hear it, leave a rating, and drop your questions in the comments for future episodes.

    29 min

  7. 25 May

    Cop, Soldier, Athlete: Malissa on the Border, the Badge, and Becoming a Runner | Ep 5

    In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer sits down with longtime Alpha Country athlete and friend Melissa, who flew in from Chicago for the Memorial Day Murph. What started as a DM about a pair of shorts five years ago turned into one of the closest friendships in the brand's orbit — and this conversation goes everywhere. Melissa shares her full story: growing up on the South side of Chicago as the daughter of immigrants, water polo and swimming on scholarship through high school and college, a sorority chapter she wasn't expecting, and the road that eventually led her to enlist in the Army Reserves and join the Chicago Police Department as a fast-tracked recruit. Then she goes into the 14-month mobilization to the southern border in late 2024 — what she actually saw down there, why Border Patrol is more stretched than people realize, the reality of cartel scouts, rape trees, kids crossing alone with a phone number scribbled on them, and what it felt like to walk into a deployment as a reservist surrounded by combat-experienced soldiers. The back half of the episode shifts to her current chapter: leaving bodybuilding behind to learn how to be a runner. Spencer breaks down why he programs zone 2, bike work, and incline walks the way he does, and Melissa talks through the mental battle of her first long-distance race, her upcoming Chicago half and full marathon, and the Ironman on the horizon. Honest, unfiltered, and covers more ground than most people get to in a year of conversations. Find Melissa on Instagram and follow the journey. Mentioned: thealphacountry.comThe Alpha Country app — training programs, including zone 2 and hybrid endurance workMemorial Day Murph 2026 at Hard Work Strength & Performance GymIf this one hit, share it, rate the show, and drop questions in the comments for future episodes.

    1hr 37min

  8. 24 May

    What SFAS Is Actually Like (From a Green Beret Who Got Selected) | Ep. 4

    In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer and MJ break down the full story of Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) — the gateway course every aspiring Green Beret has to survive. Spencer walks through it all: why he chose the SF route over Ranger Regiment after a training exercise with an ODA changed everything, how he prepped his body and mind in the 60 days before reporting, and what actually happens once you're there. From PT week and unknown-distance runs, to land navigation alone in the woods with a 65-pound ruck at midnight, to team week, to the infamous final trek — he covers the phases, the standards, the mind games, and the moments that broke guys who looked unbreakable on paper. You'll also hear the stuff most breakdowns skip: what cadre are really watching for, why physical studs get cut in week one, the role of humility and coachability, how cheating gets caught (yes, they track you), and the mindset that gets you to the finish line when there's no watch, no pace, and no teammate to carry you. Whether you're prepping for selection, curious about what Green Berets actually do, or just want an honest look behind the tab, this one's for you. Mentioned in the episode: Operation Alpha Phase 1 — the exact training program Spencer used to prep for Ranger School and SFAS, available in the Alpha Country appthealphacountry.comIf this episode helped you, drop a rating, share it, and leave your questions in the comments — we're answering them in future episodes.

    1hr 22min

  9. 23 May

    Leaving the Green Berets: My Med Board, 3 Surgeries, and Losing Who I Was | Ep 3

    A former Green Beret and his wife sit down to talk about the part of military life nobody puts on a recruiting poster: getting out. In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer Lewis and his wife MJ go deep on Spencer's transition from Special Forces to civilian life — the Med Board process, three major surgeries (ankle, SI joint fusion, hip), losing 45 pounds bedridden, the identity crisis of "who am I now," and the mental framework that pulled him through: one day at a time. This isn't another war story podcast. Spencer skips the kill stories and Afghanistan highlight reels other veterans lean on, and instead goes deep on what most operators won't talk about: fighting Army PAs and physical therapists to get a real diagnosis, learning to advocate for your own medical care, navigating military retirement at 26, walking through a 3.5-year custody battle, and rebuilding a life and identity after the only career he'd ever known was gone. MJ brings the spouse's side of the story — what it looks like from the home front when your husband is medically retiring, in pain, and figuring out who he is again. If you're a veteran transitioning out, a military spouse, a service member staring down a Med Board, a first responder leaving the badge, an athlete walking away from the sport, or anyone who has poured years into something and is now asking "what comes next" — this episode is for you. Topics covered: Special Forces medical retirement and the Med Board processSI joint fusion, hip surgery, and ankle surgery recoveryAdvocating for yourself in military healthcareIdentity loss after leaving the militaryThe "one day at a time" mindset for hard transitionsSetting down the backpack: letting go of your old chapterCustody battles, fatherhood, and starting overBecoming an ultramarathon runner during recoveryMarriage through medical retirement and transitionMental health and choosing to move forwardHosted by Spencer Lewis — former Green Beret, ultra runner, founder of Alpha Country — and his wife MJ. New episodes weekly. Already Decided.

    52 min

  10. 21 May

    Afghanistan 2020: The Peace Deal, COVID in Combat, and Watching It All Fall Apart | Ep 2

    In this episode of Beyond The Beret, Spencer takes MJ and the listener inside his 2020 deployment to Afghanistan with 7th Special Forces Group. It's the longest, heaviest conversation they've had on the show so far, and it explains a lot of what came later in 2021 for anyone who watched the country fall and wondered how it happened. Spencer starts with the train-up: how a Bravo on an ODA carries the load of planning every range, every shoot, every coordination across the country, and what 2019 looked like with the team gone 10 out of 12 months. Then the deployment itself. Landing at the wrong airfield in a snowstorm, getting stuck three days in Herat, finally linking up with his team at a small outpost out near Farah, and getting shot at on day two while meeting the partner force. The middle of the episode is where it gets heavy. Spencer talks through the rocket attacks on his FOB, identifying spotters on ridgelines, getting in trouble for engaging them, and the conventional first sergeant who pulled him aside the next morning with drone footage that proved him right. The Taliban tactics. The two POO sites. Why these dudes have been fighting on this terrain for centuries and you underestimate them at your own cost. Then the turn. The peace deal gets signed and COVID hits at almost the same time. Suddenly the team can't see their partner force, can't go outside the wire, has to mask up for VIPs, and watches helplessly as the Afghan checkpoints they trained get hit one by one with VBIEDs from infiltrated allied vehicles. Spencer talks about being in the Intel room watching drone feeds of attacks he knew were coming and couldn't stop, and what that does to a person. He's honest about falling in love with Afghanistan and the Afghans, about the moment he stopped telling most of his team what he was learning because they had stopped caring, about the contradictory orders from up the chain to retrograde one day and build up the FOB the next, and about the seeds that were planted in that second half of the deployment that he'd carry home and into his exit from the military. This is not a war story for entertainment. It's the unfiltered ground-level version of what 2020 in Afghanistan actually felt like, told by someone who was there and saw 2021 coming. Next episode picks up with the medical retirement, the surgeries, and how Alpha Country was born out of all of this. Mentioned: thealphacountry.comThe Alpha Country appIf this episode hit, the best thing you can do is share it with someone who'd want to hear it, rate the show, and drop a comment. The algorithm only spreads this kind of conversation if listeners tell it to.

    1hr 57min

  11. 13 May

    The Origin Story: From Omaha to the Army to the Green Berets | Ep 1

    Welcome to Beyond The Beret. In this first episode, Spencer and MJ sit down in the garage studio to lay the foundation for the whole show. The idea: the brand and the videos cover the present, but a lot of people who follow Alpha Country don't know where any of it actually came from. This podcast is for the deeper stories that don't fit into a reel. Spencer starts at the very beginning. Born in Belleview, Nebraska, parents divorced when he was around six, splitting time between two houses on two very different schedules. Strippers and college football players as roommates at his mom's place who, in a strange way, taught him everything he knows about hard work and falling in love with sports. The grease fire that burned down his mom's apartment when he was 14 and how losing the little they had pushed everyone into darker ways of coping. He gets honest about the years that followed: an all-state football and basketball career running in parallel with addiction, partying, and pain pills. Almost dying more than once. Walking away from a Nebraska Cornhuskers walk-on opportunity. Waking up one night in a college dorm and realizing he had to enlist or he wasn't going to make it. From there: the recruiter's office, the Marines plan that died over half-sleeve tattoos, getting clean enough to pass a drug test, basic training in 2014, the note handed to him a week before graduation telling him he was about to be a dad, airborne school, the 82nd, the platoon sergeant who asked him if he was a [redacted] and then handed him a Ranger School packing list six months later, getting promoted to corporal, the Jade Helm exercise with an ODA that changed his trajectory, selection, the Q course, language school, military free fall, and getting picked up by his ODA at 7th Special Forces Group. This is the foundation. Future episodes go deeper into Ranger School, SFAS, Afghanistan, and everything that came after. If you've been following Spencer for the brand, this is the part of the story you haven't heard yet. Mentioned: thealphacountry.comThe Alpha Country appIf this resonates with you, share it, rate the show, and stick around. We're just getting started.

    1hr 35min
  • 11 Episodes

About

Spencer Lewis spent years as a Special Forces Green Beret making decisions under pressure, leading teams in places most people will never see, and operating at a standard the civilian world doesn't have a name for. Beyond The Beret is what comes after — the honest account of building a business, raising a family, competing as a hybrid athlete, and figuring out who you are when the mission is yours to define. No fluff, no highlight reel. Just the work, the mindset, and the standard Spencer holds himself to every day.

Information

  • Creator
    Spencer Lewis
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Spencer Lewis
  • Show Website
    Beyond The Beret

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