The Vanguard Wall Podcast

The Vanguard Wall Podcast
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The Vanguard Wall Podcast bridges the gap as a fortress of strength and resilience, where modern-day warriors—veterans, law enforcement, and those forged in adversity—share their untold stories of bravery, discipline, mental health, perserverance and personal triumph. Each episode is a shield wall, defending the spirit of honor, courage, and brotherhood that binds warriors across time.

  1. 6D AGO

    EP 25 Part 2: CIA Operator: The Sacrifices Nobody Talks About | Bob "Ninja" Porras Interview

    Send us a text Bob Porras served 20 years in Delta Force before joining the CIA's Global Response Staff, where he spent another decade protecting intelligence operations in the world's most dangerous places. In this conversation, Bob shares the reality behind the headlines—from the Benghazi aftermath to evacuating the Tripoli embassy in 2014, earning the CIA's highest medal in the process. This interview covers the sacrifices that come with a life in service, the broken training pipelines that put operators at risk, and what it takes to lead teams when failure isn't an option. Bob discusses his transition out of the CIA, why he started teaching tactical skills, and the personal costs of three decades at the tip of the spear. Topics include: CIA Global Response Staff operations, leadership under fire, the Khost Bombings, Benghazi Attacks, faith and family through adversity, and building resilience after service. Content Advisory: This conversation contains discussions of combat operations, wartime casualties, and the psychological toll of sustained operational tempo. Presented in documentary/educational context. 🎯 FOLLOW Bob “Ninja” Porras: Instagram: @Ninjabobsolutions Tik Tok: ninjabobsolutions7 Facebook: Ninjabobsolutions Website: https://ninjabobsolutions This Episode is sponsored by Dr Taylor Bosley 🌐 Fuel Your Momentum and Get started Now → www.precisionwellnessgroup.com  📲 Follow → @precisionwellnessgroup  Because true strength starts from within — and optimal health is the edge you deserve.  🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast  Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com Social Media: ⬇️ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297 Want to sponsor the show? Email: ⬇️ thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com #BobPorras #CIA #DeltaForce #SpecialOperations #GRS #Benghazi #MilitaryVeterans #TacticalTraining #LeadershipLessons #WarriorMindset #VeteranPodcast #TheVanguardWall @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    4h 3m

  2. DEC 15

    EP 25 Part 1: From Engineer to Delta Force: The Untold Journey Nobody Expected | Bob "Ninja" Porras

    Send us a text Few operators earn the right to walk away from Delta Force on their own terms. Bob "Ninja" Porras did exactly that—after building a legendary career from nothing. This episode covers Bob's journey from Los Angeles to becoming one of Delta Force's most respected operators. Starting as an Army engineer, he battled bureaucracy, survived Panama combat operations, earned his Green Beret, and fought his way into the Unit—the most selective special operations force in the world. Bob shares what Delta selection really tests, the truth about peacetime military life in the 1980s, and the leadership lessons that carried him through two decades of combat rotations. From hostage rescue training to the opening chapters of the War on Terror, this is the story of a warrior who never stopped evolving. Content Advisory: This episode contains discussion of military combat operations, wartime experiences, and deployment stress. All content is presented in historical/educational context. If you're interested in military history, special operations, or leadership under pressure, this conversation delivers truth without the Hollywood filter. 🎯 FOLLOW Bob “Ninja” Porras: Instagram: @Ninjabobsolutions Tik Tok: ninjabobsolutions7 Facebook: Ninjabobsolutions Website: https://ninjabobsolutions This Episode is sponsored by Dr Taylor Bosley Grab your FREE Top 5 from Doctor Bosley PDF here → https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/ad-the-vanguard-wall-podcast 🌐 Fuel Your Momentum and Get started Now → www.precisionwellnessgroup.com  📲 Follow → @precisionwellnessgroup  Because true strength starts from within — and optimal health is the edge you deserve.  🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast  Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com Social Media: ⬇️ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297 Want to sponsor the show? Email: ⬇️ thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com 🔔 Subscribe for more stories from America's quiet professionals 👍 Like if you want to see Part 2 (CIA GRS career) 💬 Comment your questions for Bob #DeltaForce #SpecialOperations #BobPorras #MilitaryHistory #ArmyRanger #GreenBeret #Panama #DesertStorm #CombatVeteran #Leadership #MilitaryPodcast #TheVanguardWall @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    5h 33m

  3. NOV 11

    Ep 24 Part 2: There's People Who Need You That Haven't Met You Yet" - Ranger CSM Michael Burke on His Darkest Day & Recovery

    Send us a text From a 12-year-old kid in Montana wearing hand-me-downs to Command Sergeant Major—this is the story of what happens when you almost lose everything, and the fallen hero who saved you one last time. Command Sergeant Major Michael Burke (Ret.) served 14 deployments, completed 1,000+ combat operations, and rose from struggling private to the top enlisted ranks. But on October 22, 2015, when he learned his mentor MSG Joshua Wheeler was killed in action, everything came crashing down. WHO WAS MSG JOSHUA WHEELER? Master Sergeant Joshua Wheeler was a Delta Force operator and Ranger Regiment legend with 11 deployments. On October 22, 2015, he was killed during a hostage rescue in Hawija, Iraq—the first American KIA against ISIS. Wheeler charged enemy positions to protect his team and 70 hostages, earning the Silver Star posthumously. For Burke, Wheeler was the man who believed in him when no one else did. The man who made him feel like he belonged. Because of Josh Wheeler, Burke served 22 more years. When Wheeler died, Burke reached his breaking point. THIS EPISODE: "I don't want to be on this earth anymore"—Burke's darkest momentThe therapy session that broke the dam"I kind of broke my brain"—TBI, trauma, and childhood woundsWhat would Josh do? The question that saved his life"There's people who need you that haven't met you yet""I quit in my mind a million times. Just not today."The Focus Framework: Leading with 3 prioritiesFrom lacking empathy to making it your superpowerVeterans got veterans: Why peer support saves livesMessage to 12-year-old Mike in Montana: "Everything is worth it"⚠️ Recorded on the 10-year anniversary of MSG Wheeler's death. Contains discussion of suicide ideation, PTSD, and trauma. Burke shares to save lives. 🆘 IF YOU'RE IN CRISIS: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Call/Text)Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255, Press 1🔗 Michael Burke: @mike_s._burke or www.legendsofthe75th.com "There's people that need you that don't even know you yet. You never go on a target alone. This is just a new mission—and we need you." — CSM Michael Burke This interview will save lives. Share it. @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    4h 12m

  4. NOV 10

    EP 24 Part 1: I Almost Quit Rangers... Until This Delta Operator Changed Everything | CSM Michael Burke

    Send us a text A 16-year-old mom. No father. A troubled Montana kid who didn't fit anywhere. Three days after graduation, he shipped out to become an Army Ranger—and almost quit before the war even started. Retired Command Sergeant Major Mike Burke takes us inside the pre-9/11 Ranger Regiment—when money was tight, morale was low, and the mission wasn't clear. He shares the brutal truth about toxic leadership, nearly throwing his rifle at his platoon leader, and the moment Delta Force legend Josh Wheeler kicked down his door at 4:30 AM and changed his trajectory forever. From that first chaotic Afghanistan deployment in 2002 to watching the Takur Ghar footage before shipping out, Mike pulls no punches about the fog of early GWOT operations, the Rangers who didn't want war, and what it really took to become the leader who would go on to command thousands across 14 deployments.This is the raw, unfiltered origin story of a warrior who survived bad leadership to become great leadership. 🎙️ Subscribe for untold special operations stories, leadership lessons, and the real cost of 24 years at war. ⚠️ Viewer discretion: Discussions of combat, trauma, profanity, and the realities of military service.#MichaelBurke  🎯 FOLLOW CSM(r) Michael Burke: Instagram @michael_s._burke @legendsofthe75th Website: https://legendsofthe75th.com This Episode is sponsored by Dr Taylor Bosley Grab your FREE Top 5 from Doctor Bosley PDF here → https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/ad-the-vanguard-wall-podcast 🌐 Fuel Your Momentum and Get started Now → www.precisionwellnessgroup.com  📲 Follow → @precisionwellnessgroup  Because true strength starts from within — and optimal health is the edge you deserve.  🔗 Connect with The Vanguard Wall Podcast  Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com Social Media: ⬇️ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297 Want to sponsor the show? Email: ⬇️ thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    4h 17m

  5. NOV 4

    7 of 7 | Kevin Robbins | From Detroit Streets to Green Beret: CSM Robbins Honors MSG Gregory Trent

    Send us a text The Vanguard Wall Podcast Presents: The Quiet Professional - The MSG Gregory Trent Series (Final Episode) In this emotional series finale, Command Sergeant Major Kevin Robbins (ODA 3422) shares his perspective as a member of the sister team that fought alongside MSG Gregory Trent's ODA 3424 during their 2012 deployment to Afghanistan's Herat Province. The Sister Team's Story: While MSG Trent's ODA 3424 conducted Village Stability Operations, Kevin Robbins' ODA 3422 ran Afghan Commando missions from the same area. These two teams from 3rd Special Forces Group weren't just co-located - they were brothers who trained together, laughed together, and ultimately faced the worst day of their lives together. This Final Episode Reveals: 🎖️ The unique perspective from the sister ODA during that fateful July 31, 2012 🎖️ Kevin's journey from Detroit poverty to Special Forces leadership 🎖️ The 24-hour retribution operation - what happens when you attack America's elite 🎖️ Why Greg could "defuse any situation" even during 18-hour training days 🎖️ The crushing weight of continuing the mission for months after loss 🎖️ Kevin's heartbreaking answer: What he'd say if he could sit with Greg one more time Most Powerful Moment: "I couldn't talk about myself. If I had any time with Greg, I'd want to hear everything that he used to say. I don't think I could ever look him in the face and say anything that's prideful to me, knowing that it's something that was taken away from him." - CSM Kevin Robbins The Complete Series Has Featured: Episode 1: Dave Coloumbe ODA 3424  Team Captain Episode 2: Tim Bostion ODA 3424 18C Episode 3: Karl Hoover ODA 3424 Team Sgt and Senior 18D Episode 4: CSM David Waldo, 1st Special Forces Command CSM Episode 5: Dovid Berg ODA 3424 18E Episode 6: Mike Swenson ODA 3424 Tm Warrant Officer Kevin's Final Thoughts on Greg: "He was everything you would expect from a Green Beret... but then there was so much more. A thirst for knowledge, sense of humor, approachable, easy to talk to. He was the guy who could get everybody to lighten up and relax when they were stressed out." MSG Gregory Trent made the ultimate sacrifice on August 8, 2012, succumbing to wounds received while protecting his brothers in Herat Province. His team and their sister ODA stayed in country until November, carrying his memory through every mission. This series celebrates not just how warriors die, but how they lived. 🎗️ Forever Remember: MSG Gregory Trent's legacy lives on through his daughter, his widow Beth, and every Green Beret who carries his example forward. ⏰ Watch the Complete Series: The Vanguard Wall Podcast has brought together the men of ODA 3424 and 3422 to ensure Greg's story - and the story of all quiet professionals - is never forgotten. This concludes The Quiet Professional: The MSG Gregory Trent Series. Thank you to all the warriors who shared their stories to honor their fallen brother. This Episode is sponsored by  Alpha Country Training + Nutrition Click the link for 20% off https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20 Or Use Code Vanguard20  Instagram @alphacountrytrainingnutrition Titan SARMS https://www.titansarms.com/?via=vanguard10 Click the link for 10% off Or Use Code Vandguard10 Instagram @titan_performance_llc The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com Social Media: ⬇️ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    1h 43m

  6. OCT 30

    6 of 7 | Mike Swenson | Green Beret Warrant Officer Reveals What Really Happened When His Brother Was Shot in Afghanistan

    Send us a text 🎯 THE UNTOLD STORY FROM THE BATTLEFIELD Former Green Beret Warrant Officer Mike Swenson breaks his silence about one of the most devastating days in Special Operations history. On July 31st, 2012, his team leader and brother-in-arms Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was shot in Afghanistan. 💥 WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER: The moment everything changed on that July day in 2012 What it's really like to call in a medevac for your wounded brother How elite warriors cope with losing someone in combat The weight of command when split-second decisions mean life or death Why even training for Special Forces can be deadly 🔥 EXCLUSIVE INSIGHTS: Behind-the-scenes of ODA 3424's final mission The reality of IED warfare in Afghanistan How 9/11 shaped a generation of warriors What happens when Special Forces teams get split up The brotherhood that lasts beyond the battlefield ⚡ MIKE SWENSON'S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY: From Long Island kid to combat engineer to Green Beret warrant officer - Mike's path to becoming one of America's elite warriors is nothing short of extraordinary. Ranger School, Sapper School, multiple deployments, and the kind of technical expertise that saves lives on the battlefield. But this isn't just another war story. This is about the moment when everything you've trained for becomes brutally real. When the helicopter with the red cross is coming in, rotor wash is blowing down, and you're carrying a real person - your brother - to that bird. 🎖️ HONORING MASTER SERGEANT GREGORY TRENT This episode is part of our special series celebrating the life of Master Sergeant Gregory Trent, who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Greg was known for his razor-sharp wit, unflappable demeanor, and the kind of leadership that inspires men to follow you into hell. 📍 TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Mike's Background: From Engineer to Green Beret 12:50 - Taking Command of ODA 3424 25:30 - The Moment 9/11 Changed Everything 45:15 - Working Relationship with MSgt Gregory Trent 58:20 - The Day Everything Changed: July 31st, 2012 1:23:00 - The Image Burned Into Memory Forever 1:24:11 - Life After the Battlefield: Hunting, Fishing, and Finding Peace 🔔 SUBSCRIBE if you want more untold stories from America's elite warriors 💬 COMMENT below with your thoughts and questions for Mike 👍 LIKE this video to honor Master Sergeant Gregory Trent's memory #GreenBeret #SpecialForces #Afghanistan #Military #Veterans #Brotherhood #WarStories #VanguardWall #MasterSergeantGregoryTrent #ODA3424 #Honor #Sacrifice #NeverForget This episode contains mature themes related to combat and loss. Viewer discretion is advised. This Episode is sponsored by  Alpha Country Training + Nutrition Click the link for 20% off https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20 Or Use Code Vanguard20  Instagram @alphacountrytrainingnutrition Titan SARMS https://www.titansarms.com/?via=vanguard10 Click the link for 10% off Or Use Code Vandguard10 Instagram @titan_performance_llc The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    1h 33m

  7. OCT 29

    5 of 7 | Dovid Berg | Green Beret Fights to Save Brother-in-Arms During Ambush

    Send us a text 🎖️ BROTHERHOOD BEYOND DEATH 🎖️ When Master Sergeant Gregory Trent was shot in Afghanistan in 2012, his teammate Dovid risked everything to save him. What happened next will restore your faith in American heroes. This is the untold story of ODA 3424 - the Special Forces team that epitomized what it means to be a "quiet professional." For over a decade, these Green Berets carried the weight of July 31st, 2012 in silence... until now. In this episode: How Dovid ran back into enemy fire to save his teammate Why Greg's picture still sits on Dovid's desk 12 years later The moment that haunts Dovid most from that day How one fallen hero's legacy continues to inspire warriors today The retribution mission that eliminated 200+ enemy fighters "Greg could find the silver lining in any cloud and get everyone else to see it too." - David These men didn't just serve together - they bled together, fought together, and created bonds stronger than blood. This is more than a war story. This is a testament to the brotherhood that makes America's military the most lethal fighting force on earth. #GreenBeret #SpecialForces #Afghanistan #Military #Heroes #Brotherhood #VanguardWall #NeverForgotten #MSGGregoryTrent This Episode is sponsored by  Alpha Country Training + Nutrition Click the link for 20% off https://thealphacountry.com/discount/Vanguard20 Or Use Code Vanguard20  Instagram @alphacountrytrainingnutrition Titan SARMS https://www.titansarms.com/?via=vanguard10 Click the link for 10% off Or Use Code Vandguard10 Instagram @titan_performance_llc The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com Social Media: ⬇️ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297 Want to sponsor the show? Email: ⬇️ thevanguadwallpodcast@gmail.com @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    1h 19m

  8. OCT 27

    EP 23: From Green Beret to Wildlife Warrior: British Vet Trades Iraq Combat for African Bush Survival | Kevin Garrad

    Send us a text This Episode is sponsored by Dr Taylor Bosley Precision Wellness Group Full Hormone Optimization https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/contact Mention Vanguard20 for 20% off initial consultation A British kid lands in America 24 hours before 9/11. One month later, he's enlisting in the US Army. This is Kevin Garrad's story. Born in London, Kevin arrived in the United States just one day before the towers fell. While most foreign nationals were fleeing America, he ran toward the fight—joining the US Army as a British citizen and beginning a 14-year journey that would take him from the invasion of Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division to earning his Green Beret with 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group. Kevin was there at the very beginning—breaching the berms into Iraq, watching Special Operations teams flow through, surviving deployments that lasted 12-16 months (not the 4-6 month SOF rotations). He became a Master Breacher, served in Afghanistan, trained NATO forces, and witnessed the raw, grinding reality of conventional warfare that most people never see. But Kevin's story doesn't end with retirement. After leaving the Army in 2016, he crashed hard in Savannah, Georgia—dealing with TBI, PTSD, and the soul-crushing work of recruiting young Americans for wars he'd stopped believing in. His solution seemed crazy: sell everything and move to South Africa during COVID to become a wildlife conservationist. 🦁 Today, Kevin lives in the shadows of Kruger National Park, where the morning soundtrack is lion roars instead of reveille. He's traded IEDs for rhino poachers, urban combat for bush warfare, and founded Wild Works—a revolutionary program combining wilderness therapy with psychedelic treatment to heal combat veterans in the African wilderness. The same hypervigilance that kept him alive in Iraq and Afghanistan now serves him when a six-ton bull elephant decides to inspect his morning coffee. He's tracking armed poachers through territory where leopards hunt. And he's discovered that sometimes the greatest mission begins after you take off the uniform. 🎙️ Subscribe for authentic warrior stories, mental health breakthroughs, and perspectives you won't find anywhere else. We're bringing you untold stories from the warriors who lived them. 🎯 FOLLOW Kevin Garrad: Instagram @wildwerx Website: https://wild-werx.com/ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Info Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/ @TheVanguardWall   The Vanguard Wall Merch: ⬇️ https://www.thevanguardwall.com Social Media: ⬇️ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thevanguardwallpodcast/ The Vanguard Wall Podcast Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569106772297 Want to sponsor the show? Email: ⬇️ thevanguardwallpodcast@gmail.com @TheVanguardWallPodcast

    5h 59m
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

The Vanguard Wall Podcast bridges the gap as a fortress of strength and resilience, where modern-day warriors—veterans, law enforcement, and those forged in adversity—share their untold stories of bravery, discipline, mental health, perserverance and personal triumph. Each episode is a shield wall, defending the spirit of honor, courage, and brotherhood that binds warriors across time.

Information

  • Creator
    The Vanguard Wall Podcast
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Vanguard Wall Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Vanguard Wall Podcast

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