Heat Shock Friction

This bracelet has 24 names of brothers that we have lost since 2008 in Afghanistan…. 24…. Friends… fathers …. Brothers….. sons…. Heroes……

Today was the day at 0115 in the morning , protecting our brothers and I, Justin chose to sweep a bridge crossing, standing down the lead sweeper due to him being in country 2 weeks. He turned to me and said “If I send that kid up there, he’s dead….. I’m going”.

Sweeping under NODS…… after fighting for our lives for 14 hours straight….

I am thankful for the time and life Justin has gifted me…. I am grateful that Americans like Justin existed….. and I love him for saving my life that period of darkness… and countless time before that…..

His last words before asking for help… “is everyone ok??… .. are you ok….”

We talk about that and much more on Episode 4 of the HSF Podcast with ….

Justin was a larger than life figure in the EOD community, everyone who knew him, enjoyed every moment spent in his presence… Saturday we will be at The Pug in our nations capital honoring Justin and Sean, and raising some money for . This event is put in every year by my mi hermano de otra madre, .

If your in the DC area come out to support!!

I’m thankful for doods like these that I’ve had the pleasure of serving next to. There’s decades upon decades of combat experience in this photo of multiple valor award and Purple Hearts between us…. This was on one of my recent trips back down to the sneaky freaky…. Love you guys and I’ll never forget where I came from……

HBD Marines….. I have seen the progression of our service , to not only get rid of the bias of bu****it (not 💯) when it comes to the garrison / combat Marine…. There is no difference…… honestly be who you are as added value and do your job, that’s all the military asks of you.

Thank all of you for your service, I love each and every one of you, all merch on sale for the homies.. and homegirls, use VETERANO for the discount.

Honestly we enjoy what this thing has become, and from , , and I …… this is just the beginning…..

“Tonight I’m working on some stuff, I was like what the hell propels me into these weird ass spots and to push even when the imposter syndrome is screaming and I thought of you and the work you’re doing. The answer was learning from my brothers as they push through, wade through and fight through the excuses and the blame and take that ownership in their own wellness. I tell you this because that’s what you’re doing for me and others. You’re showing us how WELLNESS happens with real people dealing with real s**t everyone can relate to. Everyone. Keep it up dude, you’re making a difference.”

We are humbled…. We are gracious…. You are loved…

The men in this picture are among the finest warriors I’ve ever served with, each one able to exist in a chaotic world of combat, and put the team above themselves.

It’s time to be selfish and heal within. Put yourself first, and deal with the lifelong effects of spending your adult life in conflict…. Chaos that you thrived in and that you asked for.

HSF EP 12 PT 1 with drops soon, we discuss this dichotomy and other things, standby…..

Link in bio……..
Episode 11 Part 1 W/ Mark Zambon is up on all platforms…. We talked to mark about his upbringing in the upper peninsula of Michigan, to Iraq , to Afghanistan, and ultimately loosing both his legs above the knee in Sangin Afghanistan.

Part 2 coming later this week…

Brotherhood: An association of men, such as a fraternity or union, united for common purposes.

This week it finally hit me that my journey with men like these is over…. I will never do rehearsals on contingencies until actions have no need to be thought about. I will never step off of a helicopter looking through the 60 degrees of view, illuminated a bright green / phosphorus white color that will always resonate with my 20’s and 30’s, into the silence of the pitch black night, as movement begins to the inevitable clash of life or death.

I will never again feel my body filled with exhilaration and anxiety, while I straddle a man made device of hate and callous, that could end my existence before I even registered what action initiated my demise….

I am happy…. I am ok….. I am accomplished …… I AM LOVED.

And above all , I… am…. ALIVE.

I’m amazed at the people I’ve been able to serve with….. seeing the next generation of individuals stepping into the fray…….. makes me want to grab my demo bag and get to work!! I know bomb techs like these guys have, and will continue to uphold what it means to be a SOF EOD technician…

“6. While tools, technology, tactics, and techniques may change and evolve, EOD operator mastery of the basics: ingenuity, innovation, and consummate professionalism are the constant. Strive to push past these basic attributes, or its time for you to leave.”

“9. We are where we are because of the EOD operators that came before you. Hard work, dedication to duty, and sacrifice are laurels of your predecessor. May future generations view you in the same light.”

Episode 10 is up in all platforms you get your morning drive/ run entertainment…. Man this was a fun one!!! and I discussed the philosopher, artist, and the warrior, in regards to Benvenudo Cellini’s quote from the renaissance period….

Keep a lookout for Episode 11 With retired Marine Mark Zambon, double amputee and a legend in the bomb tech community. Putting it down Tuesday , MTF……….

A year after leaving this place…. This was what the majority of my multiple deployments to this country looked like, searching for devices in the earth that maim or kill, braking bone and shredding flesh….I’ve pulled the bottom of a foot out of a post blast crater, the victim kneeling on the device that took his life…

I say this to highlight the fact that we will have the rest of our lives to deal with that….. THE REST IF OUR LIVES, that is the gift we have been given by the men and woman that sacrificed in this country and countless others I’ve seen the worst humanity can do.

Understand the beauty in life now. Stop, Look, Listen, Smell….. life is all around you, you just have to be willing to get out of your own way and enjoy it…..

Episode 10 in the works, summer has been busy for the HSF crew….. snapping back in this week….

Price drop for all shirts until old inventory is gone!!! 40% down, no promo code……. New shirt dropping soon…..

The man on the left, gave me perspective in one of the hardest times in my life, and never took form me , only gave to me support and love….the man on the right, saved my life by disabling a VBIED with his SASR so it detonated far enough away, and taught me what true humility was…….

One is out, the other is at the highest level of this business we have devoted ourselves to.

Both I love and will still give my life to, there is no difference between them. I learned those respective days who each one of these men were.

Be who you are and people will love you for that, not the persona you put forward….
————————————————————— Persona: The role that one assumes or displays in public or society; one's public image or personality, as distinguished from the inner self.

“The early morning patrols were my favorite because of the silence and how the silence highlighted the beauty of the landscape. Before long, the silence would disappear and the fight would begin....”

I wrote this in 2016 while on watch before the sun rose on one of the 600+ days, across 3 deployments, I spent in the mesopotamian land trapped between two rivers…..

The beauty of that place when the sun would reveal itself from the dark star filled sky….. or when the desert would swallow that same life giver in an explosion of insane colors that you could almost feel….. it moved me to contemplate what it would be like back home , without this wild ride of a profession in the art of conflict…..

I am thankful for the time I have here now, so many sacrifices for the experiences of this life of engagement….. was it worth it? YES…… I’d do every minute all over again… the good and bad…. It’s shaped my life into what it is today….

Episode 8 is going down Monday with .enabler …. We will discuss his background, military career , and what the future holds in the financial arena……
Send questions you guys have about life after the Mil , in relation to finance.

We are super excited with this one…
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equity: The state or quality of being just and fair.