The Half Percent Podcast
The Half Percent Podcast is a show that delves into the lives of the men and women who choose a career in the armed forces. Each show is an interview with a member of the military, whether active duty, reserve or veteran. We dig into the background, motivation, personality, and job (and some crazy stories along the way) of an individual who has chosen to serve in one of the branches of the armed forces.
Episodes
75 episodes
Sadr City to the Beach-Will Jones on Staying Connected with Other Vets and the Healing Power of the Ocean
Will Jones spent 4 years (2004-2008) in the US Army-1st Cav, with 2 deployments to Iraq. Will's second deployment was a 15 month hitch to Sadr City, Baghdad, where he and his fellow soldiers faced the Madhi Militia. After completing his service...
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Episode 75
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1:06:48
A US Marine in the Ukrainian Foreign Legion-James Karp
James Karp was a US Marine (1st Battalion, 3rd Marines) and fought at the 2nd Battle of Fallujah. After leaving the Corps, James joined the French Foreign Legion and went on to be an archaeological technician, working throughout North and Centr...
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Episode 74
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1:15:07
Determined to Fly, Life in Soviet Russia and The Shadow Game-Rodger Carlyle
Rodger Carlyle was part of the US Navy-AVROC (Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate) program and on track to become a Naval Aviator when a medical issue caused his Naval career to be cut short. Rodger then embarked on a civilian career that took h...
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Episode 73
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53:36
A Career in 2 Branches, Throwing Underwear on Jessica Simpson's Face and Helping Veterans Get into the Film Business
DeAnna Charett served 10 years in the US Air Force and 10 years in the US Army Reserve. She is the founder of Bad Habitz Productions
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Episode 72
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1:14:43
A Green Beret on Dreams Deferred, Mentorship, TBI and Finding a Way Forward
Nick Allen served 8 years in the US Army, earning his Green Beret. Nick's career in special operations was cut short in his first training mission where he sustained multiple concussions. Nick continued to provide value to his team for the rema...
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Episode 71
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1:20:26
30 Years in the US Army-Special Operations and Writing the Warlock Series-Col.Mike Bennett
Col. Mike Bennett (US Army-Retired) spent 30 years in the US Army and is a graduate of Ranger School and the Special Operations Qualification Course. Mike deployed 7 times around the globe during his career and is the author of the Warlock Seri...
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Episode 70
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1:26:58
A Marine's Story-Afghanistan, Coming Home From War, Rucking and The Eye of The Tiger
Mario Morales spent 7 years in the US Marine Corps (2005-2012) with deployments to Africa and Afghanistan. Mario is a board member for Ruck For Veterans, a veteran service organization that organizes bi-annual rucks every Veterans Day and Memor...
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Episode 69
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1:04:03
Hard To Kill-A Devil Dog Outside the Wire in Afghanistan
Nick Aicardi served 5 years in the US Marine Corps with a deployment to Afghanistan as an advisor to the Afghan army and police that saw him on way outside the wire on daily patrols on the most dangerous roads in the country. Nick is the host o...
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Episode 68
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1:02:11
Cyber Warfare, Special Operations, White House Communications and Shadow Sanction: A Green Beret on His 20 Year US Army Career
Steve Stratton spent 20 years in the U.S. Army in a career that was anything but typical. Starting at the White House Communications Agency supporting the needs of Presidents Ford and Carter, Vice Presidents Rockefeller and Mondale and Secretar...
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Episode 67
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1:09:40
Unbreakable-A US Navy SEAL's Incredible Life of Persistence, Will and the Power of Keeping Your Word
Thom Shea spent 23 years as a US Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments across the globe, and later as an instructor/officer in charge of the SEAL sniper course. Thom's incredible story is one of perseverance, honoring his word and exhibiti...
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Episode 66
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1:05:46
Some of You Will Not Come Home-A Field Artilleryman on Combat in Iraq, Loss, Darkness and Coming Back Into the Light
Jose Belen spent 4 years in the US Army and saw combat in the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a Field Artilleryman (13B), Jose was with Old Ironsides (1st Armored Division) as they pushed into Iraq in spring of 2003 and he speaks in...
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Episode 65
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1:31:49
A Magnificent Bastard on The Corps, Combat, Christianity, Purpose and His Day of Battle
Joe Hayes served four years in the US Marine Corps and deployed twice to Iraq in the early stages of the GWOT. Joe was part of 2nd Battalion/4th Marines (Magnificent Bastards) and his first deployment took him into the heart of the Sunni Triang...
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Episode 64
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1:49:20
Warrior-Diplomat-Scholar-A Green Beret on 23 Years of Combat, Strategy and Foreign Policy
Mike Nelson spent 23 years in the US Army, first in the 82nd Airborne and then the majority of his career in the special operations community as a Green Beret. Mike grew up in an Army family and attended Virginia Military Institute. He served a...
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Episode 63
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3:34:14
A Green Beret on Leadership, Life Lessons, America's Role in the World and Choices Faced in Combat
Fran Racioppi spent 13 years in the US Army, much of that time in Special Operations as a Green Beret. Fran's Army career saw him deploy 3 times to Iraq as well as to multiple countries throughout Africa. His service there included coo...
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Episode 62
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1:31:13
The Beaches of Hawaii to the Mountains of Afghanistan-A Marine Reflects on His Career and the Search for Balance.
Kyle Cassel spent 4 years in the US Marine Corps and another 3 years as a private contractor assigned to the US Army. In that capacity, Kyle was deployed to multiple forward operating bases (FOBs) in southern and eastern Afghanistan, where he s...
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Episode 61
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1:28:53
Watching the Berlin Wall Crumble to the Heroism of the 2nd Battle of Fallujah-A Marine Reflects on His Career
Joe Winslow served in the US Marine Corps for 21 years. Enlisting in the late 1980s, Joe's career took him to Germany as the Berlin Wall fell, to reserve status and then back to active duty and Officer Candidate School through multiple deployme...
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Episode 60
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1:33:23
Illegitimate Sun-21 Years in the US Navy-Cyberwarfare and Guarding America's Secrets.
Kenneth Earl is a retired Navy Master Chief Cryptologist who spent 21 years in the Navy. Deploying around the globe multiple times throughout his career, Earl dealt with America's most sensitive secrets and classified information, helping to ke...
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Episode 59
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1:16:29
A Legacy in the Marine Corps, Kilo Company and the Battle of Marjah and Choices Not Chances
Matthew Charette spent 5 years in the US Marine Corps. From a family of Marines and military service stretching back generations, Matthew knew early on he was going into the military, taking the ASVAB in 9th grade! Initially assigned to Fleet A...
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Episode 58
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1:12:57
Brooklyn to Baghdad-A Marine's Journey-20 Years in the NYPD, 9/11 and Interrogating Terrorists in Iraq
Christopher Strom spent four years in the US Marine Corps, twenty years as a police officer in the NYPD, retiring a sergeant with the NYPD Intelligence Division. In October 2007, Chris was recruited by the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defe...
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Episode 57
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2:00:30
The Lions of Marjah-A Decade in the Marine Corps, Leadership Under Fire and Giving Back to the Next Generation of Warfighters
Ryan Rogers served over a decade in the US Marine Corps. Inspired to join the Corps by the 9/11 attacks, Ryan's service saw him deployed five times, including Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan. Ryan also had a ten month stint on the All-M...
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Episode 56
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1:32:38
Facing a Bull in Puerto Rico, Freezing in Iceland, Sublime Cuisine in Sicily-8 Years in the US Navy
Shaniqua Cousins spent 8 years in the US Navy. Originally from South Carolina, Shaniqua's Naval service took her to frozen Maine, tropical Puerto Rico, Arctic Iceland, sunny Mediterranean Sicily and finally back to the US for a stint at Walter ...
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Episode 55
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51:13
26 Years in the US Army-Jumping Into Panama-Lessons from Afghanistan and a Career of Warrior Leadership
JB Spisso spent 26 years in the US Army, including a decade in special operations with the 75 Ranger Regiment. In a career that began with being among the first on the ground jumping into Panama and ended with a deployment to Afghanistan, Spiss...
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Episode 54
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57:36
A Jersey Marine in Iceland, International Counterterrorism and Close-Quarter Combat at the Tip of the Spear.
Maury Abreu spent 4 years in the US Marine Corps, including a year-long deployment in Iceland and being selected as a Close Combat Instructor. Maury then took a job as a corrections officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Shortly after 9/11...
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Episode 53
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1:26:45
A Decade in the British Royal Navy-Imprisoned in Zimbabwe and First Casualty-The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11
Toby Harnden spent a decade in the British Royal Navy, deploying Internationally multiple times, retiring from naval service in 1994. A graduate of Oxford, Harnden embarked on a career in journalism that has spanned three decades and sent him t...
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Episode 52
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2:10:04
Contraband in the Caribbean, Frozen Hills in Korea, Boiling in the Desert-6 Years in the U.S. Air Force
Rydelle Nelson spent 6 years in the U.S. Air Force, with deployments across the globe. Rydelle's service ran the gamut, from 15 months in the desert in support of the GWOT, to Korea (where he had to navigate a frozen hill in the middle of...
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Episode 51
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59:45