Pipe Hitter Podcast Sean Gallagher

It has been an incredible year for the Pipe Hitter Foundation. We've been able to support some amazing service members, first responders and their families, raise and then distribute millions of dollars in grants, and advocate for important causes. This is all thanks to our supporters. This episode is a recap of just a few of the accomplishments of 2021, and a preview of things to come next year. 



 

Today I speak with Rob O’Donnell, a PipeHitter Board member who has decades of experience as a police officer in the New York Police Department, beginning in 1991 as a NYC Transit Police Officer before merging into the NYPD in 1995. He was promoted to Police Officer Special Assignment in 97, and then to Detective in 2000 before retiring out of one of the department’s Homicide task forces in 2004. On this 20th anniversary of 9/11, Rob shares his experience running in to the city after the planes hit and recounts the days and weeks that followed, and what this upcoming anniversary means for him and his family. We also have the opportunity to talk about the state of policing in the America and what is missing from the current conversation about the police and those who serve.  

Today I speak with Dan Luna, a retired Navy SEAL Chief who served at SEAL Team One, and Naval Special Warfare Development Group sometimes referred to as SEAL team 6. In addition to his decades of experience in combat and leadership in the SEAL teams, Dan has a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from University of Charleston, a Master’s Degree in Leadership from Georgetown University and is currently working on a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership at the University of Southern California – much of which we discuss during our conversation. But the main reason for this episode is that in the wake of the debacle that was our exit from Afghanistan, I think it’s more important than ever to hear from veterans of the Afghan war and those who served in the military like Dan about their experiences, their perspective, their criticisms and critiques of leadership, and the lessons they want their country and the countrymen to learn. 

Timothy Parlatore is a former Naval Surface Warfare Officer who represented Eddie Gallagher in his 2019 war crimes trial and remains the Gallagher family lawyer and friend today.  We discuss breaking news in the lawsuit Eddie and Andrea have against the Navy for all their wrongdoing, where the Navy admitted all parties involved in the investigation of Ed, who are subsequently now being criminally investigated, have illegally deleted their phones and hard drives. It is one of the clearest showcases of corruption by the Navy, prompting me to ask Tim if I’m taking crazy pills for how blatant it is. But this is the reason this podcast and the Pipe Hitter Foundation exist, to try and shine a light on many of the injustices like this, and to fight back. 

Caitlin Julian is an Army veteran who specializes in mental health who lost her son Stephen, a combat medic, to suicide. June is suicide awareness month, and this is our second episode dedicated to this tough but very real issue. As Caitlin discusses, suicide is a complex topic deserving of a more thorough analysis and discussion than the often simplistic dialogue we frequently see and hear. Caitlin lists a number of resources available for anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts, which are listed below. 
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, AFSP
American Association for Suicidology, AAS
Operation Restored Warrior
Stop Soldier Suicide
The Trevor Project
Speak of Stand Up Save a Life
Under the Shield Foundation

In this episode Andrea Gallagher speaks with Adrina Shields, mother of Robbie Graves, an Air Force veteran who tragically took his own life on Memorial Day of 2017. June is suicide awareness month, and for the next two episodes we’ll be hearing from the mothers of two service members who committed suicide. It is a heavy topic, but as you’ll hear discussed it is one that needs to be talked about more – to remove the shame, the stigma, and to be open about all aspects of this harrowing phenomenon. Andrina discusses her experience, what she’s learned, how she copes, and the steps we all can take to bring an end to this crisis like supporting the work of folks at Camp Hope, TAPS, Project Refit, and Operation Restored Warrior.