Boots And Chutes Unfiltered

Chris Rowe
  • 4.0 (4)
  • Personal Journals
  • Weekly

Boots And Chutes Unfiltered is a podcast for veterans, service members, and anyone else curious about the human side of military life. Our show blends gritty frontline stories, hard-won lessons, and honest conversations about military life and life after service. Boots on the ground, chutes in the air — Boots & Chutes is where humor meets heart, experience meets insight, and service meets life. Come join us!!!

  1. 5d ago

    From Mortarman to Ranger Instructor | Jon "Bax" Baxley

    SFC Jon Baxley (Ret.): Mortarman to Ranger Instructor. From combat operations in Baghdad to training the next generation of Army Rangers, retired SFC Jonathon “Jon” Baxley shares his incredible journey on Boots & Chutes Unfiltered.A former 4-31 Infantry Polar Bear, mortarman, and scout/sniper team leader in Baghdad, Jon never thought he had what it took to become a Ranger. But his first sergeant saw something in him that he didn't see in himself.That push changed everything.Jon went straight through Ranger School, returned to Iraq, and rebuilt his battalion commander's security platoon while still deployed. He later became a Ranger instructor, helping train and evaluate Soldiers facing the same challenges and doubts he once experienced.In this episode, we discuss combat experiences in Iraq, mortars, Ranger School, leadership, and the lessons learned throughout a career of service.Sometimes the greatest leaders are the ones who see your potential before you do.🇺🇸 JOIN THE CONVERSATION!Who was the leader who pushed you to accomplish something you never thought possible? Share your story in the comments!🔔 LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & SHARE!Help us keep the stories of the GWOT generation alive. Subscribe to Boots & Chutes Unfiltered and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Real Veterans. Real Stories. Unfiltered.#BootsAndChutesUnfiltered #GWOT #RangerSchool #ArmyRangers #82ndAirborne #MilitaryPodcast #CombatVeterans #MilitaryLeadership

  2. Oct 22

    Paratrooper Through and Through: Travis Cooke on Combat, Loss & Brotherhood

    28 years in uniform. Four deployments to Iraq. One to Afghanistan. A deployment to Poland as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.Travis Cooke retired in 2022 as Command Sergeant Major of 5-73 Cav, after spending much of his career with the 82nd Airborne Division.He joins Boots & Chutes Unfiltered to talk airborne life, leading soldiers, and starting a new chapter on his family’s northeast Texas ranch.With three sons who have served as infantrymen, the Army stories didn’t stop when he retired. Travis is a true warfighter, and a man that has been there and done that. Please join us for another amazing episode on Boots & Chutes Unfiltered.

  3. Oct 14

    Black Hawk Down Rescue to Task Force Falcon | Andrew Dennison

    Andrew Dennison experienced combat across multiple eras—from the rescue effort during the Battle of Mogadishu to leadership with Task Force Falcon in Iraq. In Episode 20, Andrew recounts the convoy sent toward pinned Rangers, the soldiers who fought the Mogadishu Mile beyond what was shown in Black Hawk Down, the firefight that earned him a Bronze Star with Valor, and the leadership lessons he carried forward. Subscribe to Boots & Chutes Unfiltered for firsthand military stories told by the people who lived them. #BlackHawkDown #BattleOfMogadishu #ArmyVeteran #MilitaryHistory #BootsAndChutesUnfiltered

  4. Oct 1

    Task Force Falcon to Criminal Investigation Division (CID) | Julio Escareno

    LEADING PARATROOPERS. WORKING CRIMINAL CASES. LEARNING TO BE A BETTER DAD. Boots & Chutes Unfiltered, my good friend Julio Escareno joins us for a conversation that goes well beyond his military career.We talk about his growth from a young paratrooper into a combat leader in the 82nd Airborne Division, his move into Army CID, and life as a criminal investigator.Then we get into leaving the Army, breaking into executive protection, and the advice he has for veterans figuring out their next chapter.Julio also opens up about failure, personal struggles, leadership, and the challenges of balancing service and family, and becoming a better father.An honest conversation with a good friend. You’ll want to catch this one. BOOTS & CHUTES UNFILTERED. #BootsAndChutesUnfiltered #82ndAirborne #Veterans #Leadership #ExecutiveProtection

  5. Sep 18

    Adrian Bonenberger | Afghanistan and the Road After War.

    What happens when the deployments end, but your story keeps going? On this episode of Boots & Chutes Unfiltered, we sit down with Adrian Bonenberger to talk about a life that has taken him from leading infantrymen in Afghanistan to training warfighters in Ukraine, writing about war, and eventually stepping into politics.Adrian served as a Platoon Leader and XO with C Co, 1-503rd, 173rd Airborne, deploying to Paktika Province, Afghanistan. He later commanded A Co, 1-87 Infantry, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, during another deployment to Afghanistan, this time in Kunduz Province.We get into the realities of combat leadership, the responsibility of leading Soldiers in Afghanistan, and the experiences that stayed with Adrian long after he came home.But this conversation goes well beyond Afghanistan.Adrian talks about becoming an author and journalist and using his experiences to write about war, national defense, veterans, and American foreign policy. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, Forbes, The Hill, and The New Republic.We also discuss his connection with Chris during Operation Dragoon Ride II, his decision to return overseas following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and his experience training Ukrainians from 2022–2023.Then we get into another chapter few infantry officers probably imagine while they're downrange: running for Governor of Connecticut as an unaffiliated candidate.This episode is about more than one Soldier's career. It's about leadership, war, purpose, politics, and figuring out what comes next when the uniform eventually comes off.No script. No b******t. Just a conversation about where the road after war can take you.Subscribe to Boots & Chutes Unfiltered for more conversations with the men and women who lived the GWOT—from the conventional force to the stories that don't always get told.Adrian Bonenberger: 173rd Airborne, Afghanistan & The Road After War

  6. Sep 8

    Ken Ramos: Army WTF Moments, PSYOP & Leadership

    Army WTF Moments has a mission beyond the posts. Retired Army Sergeant Major Ken Ramos shares his path from National Guard aviation into psychological operations (PSYOP), lessons from combat, and his work as an administrator behind the page. We discuss the team’s efforts to help soldiers and commanders address problems, connect veterans with opportunities, and handle information responsibly. Ken also opens up about the personal cost of going public, the importance of telling veterans’ stories, and why leadership means paying knowledge forward. Content note: Strong language and discussion of combat, death, and suicide. Follow the show for more conversations with the military and veteran community.

    Ken Ramos: Army WTF Moments, PSYOP & Leadership

  7. Aug 25

    Battlefield Discussions: Task Force Falcon (Iraq 2006-2008) with James Downing & Kevin Spooner

    Task Force Falcon was a specialized combat task force built around 1st Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. Based at Camp Speicher near Tikrit from November 2006 into early 2008, it served as a highly mobile, theater-level reaction force during the Iraq Surge. Rather than owning one fixed battlespace, Task Force Falcon moved throughout Iraq, often by helicopter assault, to strike terrorist sanctuaries, capture or kill high-value insurgents, disrupt al-Qaeda networks, and reinforce units fighting in the country's most unstable areas. Its Paratroopers operated across multiple provinces under demanding and often dangerous conditions, earning a reputation as a force capable of rapidly deploying wherever the fight was hottest. The enemy would later know the unit as the "Black Ghost." At the highest level of Army leadership, their success was known as the "Falcon effect," and it is still talked about today. #gwot #IraqiSurge #82ndAirborne

    Battlefield Discussions: Task Force Falcon (Iraq 2006-2008) with James Downing & Kevin Spooner

  8. Aug 17

    He Survived War—Then Faced the Fight to Recover | Episode 15 With Justin “Freebird” Freeman

    This one was raw and emotional. Justin talks about some really tough subjects, from surviving an IED strike in Afghanistan to life as a 13F (JFO) in Baqubah, Iraq, and Arrowhead Ripper, to recovery afterward, including some really emotional struggles that he faced with addiction and the military transition because of struggles with what happened upon coming home and going through so much. Justin gets candid about an Article 15 that affected his military career. He talks about his wife's strength and how they got through those struggles together. There are some really good leadership lessons to draw from this one, including life lessons. Justin is a good human being who has been through so much and hasn't let it defeat him, through the strength of family and a willingness to do better. He has a lot going for him, including a strong family that he plans to do amazing things with in the future. This was one of the hardest episodes to do because of the emotion and trials in his story. Please come on over and give a listen to a young guy's incredible story. Also, please come on over and give us a like, subscribe, or share on all socials.

    He Survived War—Then Faced the Fight to Recover | Episode 15 With Justin “Freebird” Freeman
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About

Boots And Chutes Unfiltered is a podcast for veterans, service members, and anyone else curious about the human side of military life. Our show blends gritty frontline stories, hard-won lessons, and honest conversations about military life and life after service. Boots on the ground, chutes in the air — Boots & Chutes is where humor meets heart, experience meets insight, and service meets life. Come join us!!!

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