Semper Try

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Hosted by Marine veteran Bill Lowe, Semper Try celebrates the people who never quit — the veterans, volunteers, coaches, and everyday people who keep showing up when it matters most. Through honest conversations, laughter, and a few lessons learned the hard way, Bill shares stories of service, community, and good old-fashioned effort. Because trying beats quitting — every time.

  1. قبل ٥ ساعات ·  فيديو

    026 P1: Is Ray Reynoso Attempting a World Record?

    Episode 26 Part 1 of the Semper Try Podcast is unlike anything we’ve done before. At 7:00 AM on Saturday morning, May 16th, I caught up with Army veteran Ray Reynoso in North Prairie, Minnesota, where he had spent the night tenting behind a church along the Mississippi River Trail Road. Ray is currently attempting to walk the entire Mississippi River Trail from source to sea — over 2,400 miles — largely unsupported while raising money and awareness for Team Rubicon. No support vehicle. No crew following behind him. Most nights sleeping in a tent. Just Ray, his gear, and the road ahead. For this episode, I joined Ray and walked roughly 7 miles with him between Little Falls and Sartell, Minnesota while recording this podcast on the move. Along the way we talked about: • Growing up poor and joining the Army • Watching 9/11 happen in high school • Why he almost joined the Marines • Korea, Iraq, and Army life • Being recalled out of the IRR after already getting out • Team Rubicon and helping veterans continue serving after the military • What it’s really like walking thousands of miles alone Because we were actively walking during the recording, there are a few shaky camera moments, changing audio levels, and some signal issues throughout the episode — but honestly, that’s part of the experience. This is the real journey. Part 2 releases next week. Semper Try — Because Trying Beats Quitting. #GearedUpAdventures

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  2. ١١ مايو ·  فيديو

    025 P2:Two veterans. Two microphones. No script needed: Steve Mills USN

    What started as a podcast interview turned into one of those conversations veterans know well — the kind where one story triggers another, then another, and suddenly you’re talking about fighter jets, aircraft carriers, PTSD, teamwork, terrible military flights, stolen couches in squadron spaces, and the moments that stick with you 20 years later. Marine Corps aviation maintainer Bill sits down with Navy Chaplain Steve Mills for a conversation that’s funny, honest, raw at times, and packed with stories from military life most people never hear. From F/A-18 afterburners and C-130 drops… to hospice care, veteran healing, and why simply reaching out to one person matters more than most people realize. Because sometimes the best conversations happen after the “official interview” is already over.

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  3. ٤ مايو ·  فيديو

    025 P1: He Said No to the Navy… Then Found His Purpose There: Steve Mills

    In this episode of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with his new friend Steve, host of Even Though I Walk, for a powerful conversation about service, faith, trauma, healing, and the stories veterans carry home. Steve shares his journey from joining the Air Force at 17, serving as a firefighter, being called into ministry, and later spending 22 years as a Navy chaplain serving alongside sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen. From the USS Cole to Iraq and Afghanistan, Steve opens up about the weight of walking with others through grief, combat stress, PTSD, and suicide loss. Bill also shares part of his own Marine Corps story, including a seven-and-a-half-month boot camp journey, stress fractures, pain, and the choice to keep going when quitting would have been easy. This episode is about brotherhood, faith, mental health, veteran suicide prevention, and why telling these stories matters. Because trying beats quitting.

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  4. ٢٧ أبريل ·  فيديو

    024 P2: Could You Handle 5 Years Underwater? | David Albert, USN

    Part 2 of Episode 24 of the Semper Try Podcast is here. In this episode, I sit back down with Navy submariner David as we go deeper into what life is really like beneath the surface. From serving on the USS Ohio and USS West Virginia to spending over a decade at sea, this conversation pulls back the curtain on a world most people will never experience. We talk about long patrols lasting 80 to 100+ days, what it’s like to have little to no contact with the outside world, and how most sailors onboard don’t even know where they are at any given time. David shares how he taught himself latitude and longitude just to stay grounded in a place designed to keep you in the dark. We also get into: • 13 years assigned to sea duty • Nearly 5 years spent underwater • The reality of “hot racking” and tight living conditions • Submarine traditions like halfway night and earning your dolphins • The truth about food on deployment • The mental side of being confined with the same crew for months This isn’t the version you see in movies. This is the real experience. Because most stories die unheard… These won’t. 📩 Questions or guest ideas: sempertrypodcast@gmail.com

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  5. ٢٠ أبريل ·  فيديو

    024 P1: He Needed Out… The Navy Took Him Under: David Albert USN

    Bill sits down with his cousin David Albert, a retired U.S. Navy submariner with 20 years of service beneath the surface. What started as a quick escape from a small town turned into a career inside one of the most demanding environments in the military. From freezing nights arriving at boot camp in Chicago… to surviving “sweat parties”… to learning how to make oxygen underwater… this episode pulls back the curtain on life inside a submarine. David breaks down: How he joined the Navy in just 3 days The reality of boot camp in winter Submarine school and the 100-foot escape tower What it takes to earn your dolphins Life on a 547-foot nuclear submarine And what it feels like when a wave pulls you underwater while you’re still on deck This is more than a military story—it’s about pressure, discipline, and doing a job where mistakes aren’t an option. Semper Try — because trying beats quitting.

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  6. ١٣ أبريل ·  فيديو

    023: 2 Ships Sunk. 3 Generations Served. The Lowe Legacy: Robert Lowe USN

    On this episode of the Semper Try Podcast, I sit down with my uncle, Robert “Bob” Lowe, for a conversation that spans generations of military service and the stories that come with it. We start with my grandfather—a World War II Navy sailor who served on LSTs in the European Theater… and survived two ships being sunk. No spotlight. No recognition. Just came home and went back to farming in Minnesota. Then we dive into Bob’s journey—joining the United States Navy at just 17 years old, leaving high school behind, and stepping into a life that took him from Iceland to Alaska, and across the ocean during the Vietnam era. As a radio man, Bob worked behind the scenes—sending, receiving, encrypting, and delivering the messages that kept ships moving and missions on track. It’s a side of military life most people never see. We talk about: Life at sea and what a “normal day” really looks like Cold War–era duty stations like Iceland and the Aleutian Islands What it means to serve when no one’s watching And honest advice for the next generation thinking about military service This episode isn’t about medals or headlines. It’s about family, sacrifice, and the kind of service that quietly shapes generations. Because trying beats quitting.

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  7. ٦ أبريل ·  فيديو

    022: He Was Crushed in the Marine Corps and Still Has No Regrets: Troy Hradsky

    A conversation with Marine veteran Troy Hradsky, who served from 1986 to 1990. From small-town Brainerd to boot camp in San Diego, Troy shares what it was really like becoming a Marine in the 1980s — when drill instructors were still hands-on and the transformation was as mental as it was physical. We dive into: The mindset shift that boot camp creates Leadership lessons forged under pressure The reality of “sock parties” and accountability Switching MOS and training alongside Navy SEAL candidates in Coronado Life in Okinawa and supporting deployments A life-changing accident that broke his back while serving The difficult decision to leave the Marine Corps before Desert Storm But this episode goes deeper. Troy opens up about: The struggles of military pay and supporting a young family Navigating the VA system then vs now Living with a traumatic brain injury Why staying connected to the VA matters more than you think And most importantly — why he still tells young people: “If you’re not laser focused… the military might be the best decision you’ll ever make.” 👉 Because trying beats quitting.

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  8. ٣٠ مارس ·  فيديو

    021:One Career. One Family. Now Two Generations Serving: Janelle Johnson

    In Episode 21 of the Semper Try Podcast, Bill sits down with Major Janelle Johnson of the Minnesota National Guard. With nearly 28 years of service, Major Johnson shares her journey from a 17-year-old recruit growing up near Camp Ripley to becoming a senior leader serving overseas in Norway through the State Partnership Program. This episode dives into: Joining the Guard before 9/11 and how everything changed after Deploying to Iraq in 2005 as a young mother Rising through the ranks as enlisted, warrant officer, and commissioned officer The critical role logistics plays in military success Leadership lessons from nearly three decades of service The full-circle moment of her daughter now joining the Guard This is a powerful conversation about service, sacrifice, and what it truly means to lead.

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Hosted by Marine veteran Bill Lowe, Semper Try celebrates the people who never quit — the veterans, volunteers, coaches, and everyday people who keep showing up when it matters most. Through honest conversations, laughter, and a few lessons learned the hard way, Bill shares stories of service, community, and good old-fashioned effort. Because trying beats quitting — every time.

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