Urban Valor: the podcast

Urban Valor
  • 4.9 (155)
  • 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. 1d ago

    I Became a Marine After My Marine Father Killed a Gangster to Save His Kids

    Marine Corps veteran Alex D’Hue served from 2002 to 2008 and was assigned to Third ANGLICO, where he worked in small fire control teams providing air support while attached to other units. In this episode of Urban Valor, Alex shares the story of his difficult childhood, growing up between America and Belgium, surviving an abusive household, and eventually joining the Marine Corps after 9/11. Alex opens up to Urban Valor about the chaos of Marine Corps boot camp, the moments that nearly broke him, and how getting assigned to Third ANGLICO changed the direction of his military career. He later deployed to Iraq, where his team supported missions outside the wire, worked alongside Iraqi forces and U.S. units, and experienced the reality of combat in a way he never forgot. One of the most intense moments of Alex’s deployment happened during a mission when his best friend Jackson took a sniper round to the helmet. Alex describes hearing “sniper fire,” seeing Jackson on the ground, dragging him back under cover, checking for blood, and realizing the helmet had stopped the round from going through. He also reflects on how the team’s movement afterward may have saved his own life. 👍 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 Marine sees his best friend hit by sniper fire 01:13 Alex D’Hue’s Marine Corps background 01:32 Growing up in a broken home 04:58 Being sent to Belgium as a child 06:09 His grandfather’s World War II legacy 08:42 Child services visits the home 11:18 Growing up American in Belgium 13:37 Losing his grandmother to cancer 17:17 Returning to America at 13 19:41 His father’s murder trial 25:38 Reuniting with family in California 27:29 Abuse inside the household 30:16 Running away from home 31:07 Getting in trouble before joining the Marines 31:27 How 9/11 pushed him toward service 34:52 Arriving at Marine Corps boot camp 36:19 Chaos inside boot camp 38:42 Getting targeted by drill instructors 43:16 The brass casing incident 45:11 Fights and hazing in boot camp 49:08 The drill instructor who crossed the line 50:21 Joining Third ANGLICO 51:22 What ANGLICO Marines actually do 52:43 Getting NJP’d before his combat unit 59:02 Arriving at a combat unit 1:00:26 How ANGLICO deployments worked 1:09:35 Deploying to Iraq 1:10:22 First moments at Camp Ramadi 1:11:19 Working with Iraqi forces 1:15:10 The mission that turned deadly 1:15:58 “Sniper fire” 1:16:20 Jackson goes down 1:16:40 Dragging his best friend to cover 1:17:16 Checking the helmet and head wound 1:18:09 How the helmet saved Jackson 1:18:53 Trying to locate the sniper 1:20:21 Running in the sniper’s line of fire 1:23:27 Why Alex wanted Jackson medevaced 1:23:58 The zigzag that may have saved his life 1:24:57 Nearly falling while crossing open ground 1:26:10 What war does to brotherhood 1:27:24 Almost fighting an Army leader over a helmet strap 1:30:00 Reflections on deployment and Marine Corps culture #military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines

    1h 52m

  2. Jun 15

    Special Operations Marine Tells Stories from Force Recon, Blackwater, and CIA!

    Former Marine Force Recon veteran Kirk Spradely, call sign “Tadpole,” shares his powerful life story...from surviving a brutal childhood and orphanage violence, to becoming a Marine Force Recon operator, working for Blackwater in Iraq, serving in OGA special programs, flying Blackhawk and Apache helicopters, and later supporting the Kurdish military. In this episode of Urban Valor, Kirk opens up about the day his teammate Tommy Jenner was killed by an enemy sniper in Ramadi. Kirk says the sniper was likely Juba, one of the most feared enemy snipers in Iraq. He describes watching Tommy fall beside him, hearing his teammate yell “sniper, get down,” and realizing a follow-up round had just cracked over his head. Kirk also talks about Marine Force Recon training, combat diving, counter-narcotics operations, Blackwater convoy work, OGA special programs, the moment he met a Taliban-contracted assassin, flying medevac missions for wounded troops, and attempting to help build a Kurdish Air Force before the referendum fallout.  👍 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 #marines

    2h 45m

  3. Jun 8

    This Soldier Tells the Most Insane Army Stories You’ll Ever Hear!

    Army infantry veteran Tyler Hoover shares the truth about serving in the U.S. Army, going through airborne school, deploying to Iraq, surviving the constant threat of EFPs and IEDs, and trying to come home after war. Tyler opens up to Urban Valor about Army basic training, the culture shock of infantry life, Fort Bragg, the 82nd Airborne, Baghdad in 2008, convoy missions, lead truck gunner danger, post-deployment drinking, losing friends, and the reality of veteran reintegration after combat. Tyler talks about joining the Army after seeing the war on TV, signing an infantry contract, losing his Ranger contract, becoming airborne, getting sent to Iraq, and realizing that some days survival came down to nothing more than a left turn or a right turn. But the most powerful part of this story may not be Iraq itself. It’s what happened after. The alcohol. The car crashes. The murders. The friends who didn’t make it home emotionally, even when they physically made it back. Tyler’s story is a reminder that war does not always end when the deployment does. Chapters:  00:00 - Intro: Crazy Army Stories & Close Calls 01:26 - Growing Up in Pennsylvania & Virginia 02:21 - Playing in Bands & Learning Branding 02:45 - Growing Up as a Cop’s Son 05:04 - Why Tyler Decided to Join the Military 07:46 - Trying to Join the Marines 08:26 - Joining the Army Infantry 08:45 - Signing a Ranger Contract 09:47 - Arriving at Army Basic Training 10:51 - Finding Out He Was a Mortarman 12:37 - Culture Shock in the Army 17:09 - Drill Sergeants, Integrity & War Prep 21:58 - Army Airborne School 24:03 - Getting in Trouble With an Officer 25:50 - The Army Friends Who Never Made It 26:28 - Getting Sent to Fort Bragg 28:34 - Assigned to the Support Battalion 29:42 - Finally Getting Sent to the Line 30:23 - Deploying to Baghdad, Iraq 30:52 - EFPs, IEDs & Convoy Danger 31:58 - Life as the Lead Truck Gunner 34:37 - The Left Turn That Saved His Life 36:26 - Living Like Every Day Was Extra 37:19 - The Photo That Got Him in Trouble 39:58 - Coming Home From Iraq 40:42 - Losing Friends After Deployment 42:18 - Why Coming Home Is So Hard 43:35 - Drinking, DUI & Leaving the Army 51:14 - Becoming a Police Officer 51:57 - Working Night Shift in Orlando 52:27 - The Baby Not Breathing Call 57:05 - The McDonald’s SWAT Call 59:21 - The Adrenaline Crash After the Call 1:00:37 - Why Police Work Wasn’t Like the Military 1:02:06 - Getting Kicked Off SWAT 1:05:03 - The Clothing Line That Caused Problems 1:06:20 - Starting the Anti-Hero Podcast 1:08:11 - Turning the Podcast Into a Broadcast 1:09:07 - Building a Community for the 99% 1:10:23 - Why Regular Veterans Get Overlooked 1:12:01 - Smoke Pit Humor & Veteran Culture 1:18:07 - Lessons From Military & Police Work 1:19:02 - What the Anti-Hero Broadcast Is Today 1:20:25 - Final Thoughts on Regular Service Members

    1h 21m

  4. Jun 1

    This Soldier Sat on an IED and Watched the Enemy Try to Detonate it

    David Aceron served in the United States Army from 2003 to 2012 as a combat engineer and counter-IED specialist, conducting deadly route clearance missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. His job was simple in theory, but brutal in reality: find the bombs before they found his convoy. As a Husky operator and combat engineer, David spent years hunting hidden IEDs, landmines, command-wire explosives, and roadside bombs designed to kill American soldiers. In this episode, David Aceron shares what it was really like to serve as an Army combat engineer during the Iraq War and Afghanistan War, including the moment he sat directly over an IED while watching the enemy try to detonate it. This conversation goes far beyond war stories. David talks about growing up in Southeast San Diego, joining the Army after 9/11, becoming a 12 Bravo combat engineer, deploying with 10th Mountain, surviving route clearance missions, and the psychological toll of spending every day looking for bombs. He also opens up about the moments most people never hear about: the guilt, the anger, the moral injuries, the loss of innocence, and the terrifying point where hunting IEDs became an obsession. 👍 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 #warstories

    1h 41m

  5. May 25

    Marine Says Force Recon in the 90s Was Absolutely Insane

    Marine Recon veteran Rob Blanton sits down with Urban Valor to share one of the wildest, funniest, and most honest Marine Corps stories we’ve ever had on the channel. From growing up in Santa Rosa, California, to joining the United States Marine Corps almost by accident, to becoming a Force Recon Marine. Rob served in the Marine Corps from 1993 to 2014, retiring as a Master Sergeant. In this interview, he walks us through the chaos of joining the Marines on the buddy program, getting stuck on open contract, becoming an 0311 infantryman, earning his way into Force Recon, and eventually deploying into some of the most intense moments of modern military history. 👍 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 - Saddam’s Palace, Tomahawks & Baghdad Chaos 01:18 - Meet Rob Blanton: Marine Recon Master Sergeant 01:35 - Growing Up Around Addiction, Loss & Family Pain 08:09 - Joining the Marine Corps by Accident 14:32 - Boot Camp, Open Contract & Becoming Infantry 22:25 - 3/1 Marines, Blood Stripes & Wanting Recon 38:30 - Failing Force Recon Selection the First Time 48:07 - Coming Back and Earning His Spot 54:25 - Basic Recon Course & Life Inside Force Recon 1:08:41 - Jump School, Dive School & 90s Recon Culture 1:28:23 - Iraq, Saffan Hill & the Start of the War 1:53:11 - Saddam’s Palace, Baghdad Ops & Aftermath 2:33:10 - PTSD, Warfighter Made & Saving Veterans #military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines  #warstories

    2h 50m

  6. May 18

    18-Year-Old Combat Medic Forced to Make Life-or-Death Decisions Under Fire!

    Army Combat Medic Daniel Jimenez served from 2003 to 2023, deploying with the 82nd Airborne into Afghanistan as an 18-year-old medic during the height of the Global War on Terror. In today's Urban Valor's podcast, Daniel shares what it was like to survive Taliban ambushes, treat casualties under fire, face grenades, RPG attacks, firefights, trauma, and the reality of becoming an Army medic in war. This is the real story of a young soldier thrown into Afghanistan, learning fast, carrying an aid bag, and being forced to make life-or-death decisions before most people his age had even figured out who they were. Daniel talks about joining after 9/11, choosing the Army over the Marines, becoming a combat medic, going through Fort Benning, Airborne School, and eventually arriving at the 82nd Airborne — where the real world hit hard and fast. From a nighttime ambush where an RPG hit above his Humvee… To rolling over an enemy body and realizing he was lying on a grenade… To treating wounded soldiers and civilians with limited resources… 👍 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 #marines  #warstories

    2h 12m

  7. May 11

    He Was Selling Drugs at 11 Before Getting Into Gunfights In Iraq at 18!

    War changes people. In this episode of Urban Valor, Marine veteran Shawn Reed shares his story growing up in violent neighborhoods in St. Louis, joining the United States Marine Corps, fighting in Iraq during the height of the war, surviving brutal combat, and dealing with the aftermath that followed so many Marines home. 👍 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 – “It Was Like Star Wars” 00:43 – Marines Started Dying By Suicide After Deployment 01:00 – Meet Shawn Reed 01:44 – Growing Up in North St. Louis 05:38 – Selling Drugs at 11 Years Old  08:53 – Watching a Drive-By Shooting Up Close  10:35 – Why He Decided to Join the Military  12:52 – The Marine Recruiter Who Changed His Life 15:18 – Becoming a Marine Infantryman 16:15 – Marine Corps Boot Camp Was Hell 21:14 – Wild Stories From SOI & Infantry Training 29:35 – Arriving at 3/1 Marines 33:59 – Hazing, Fear & Preparing for Iraq 40:40 – Landing in Kuwait Before Iraq 42:01 – First Patrols in Iraq 44:28 – His First Gunfight in Iraq 47:09 – The Night He Was Left Alone in Iraq  51:13 – Trying to Survive Alone at 18 Years Old  53:34 – Reuniting With His Team Leader  1:57:34 – Why PTSD Thrived After Iraq  1:58:46 – “War Was Simpler Than Going Home” 1:59:42 – Deploying Again With the 13th MEU 2:00:56 – EFPs Started Tearing Through Vehicles  2:01:31 – An Entire EOD Team Was Killed  2:02:30 – Walking Through a Minefield to Rescue Marines  2:07:34 – His Corpsman Saved His Life  2:08:43 – Waking Up After Being Shot  2:09:48 – Doctors Said His Marine Corps Career Was Over  2:36:12 – Witnessing Mass Casualties Again  2:37:20 – The Phone Call His Mother Received After He Was Shot  2:38:41 – How the Military Changed PTSD Recovery for Marine #military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines  #warstories

    2h 49m

  8. May 4

    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
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4.9
out of 5
155 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
    238
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sport of Business, LLC
  • Show Website
    Urban Valor: the podcast

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