Old Ranger New Dad

Old Ranger, New Dad

Life doesn’t come with a manual, but if it did, it’d probably be written in crayon by a sleep-deprived parent and edited by an old Ranger with too many scars to count :-)

Welcome to Old Ranger, New Dad—a vlog and podcast where hard truths meet full authenticity. No fluff, no sugar-coating—just real talk about life’s struggles, triumphs, and everything in between.

Through my journey—from the battlefield to the home front—I’ll over-share the obstacles I’ve faced, the battles I’ve fought (both external and internal), and the lessons I’ve learned along the way, but like a Father would for his son, not like an influencer would for a 'Follower.'

This channel is about perseverance, faith, and finding purpose in the struggle. It’s always upbeat, always real, and always aimed at inspiring and equipping you for your own fight.

Whether it’s parenting, leadership, resilience, or faith, every episode delivers value. And while I don’t shy away from adult topics, I approach them with wisdom and respect—ensuring Old Ranger, New Dad is a Christian, family-friendly space you don’t have to worry about your kids overhearing. Because let’s face it, the world throws enough garbage their way—I won’t be adding to the pile.

Contributors

Host

Seth Ryan

A former Marine Grunt, 75th Army Ranger <1>, Police Officer, Private-Military Contractor, & Often Class Clown.

We dive into the hard topics most people avoid: Real-purpose, Servant-leadership, faith in the face of opposition, saving your marriage, & what it actually costs to “just push through" while simultaneously buring mental pain deep down so you can keep moving forward so everyone thinks you're making 'Progress'.

Deep convo with people who’ve lived it—not influencers selling shortcuts.

It's ALL FREE, except the cost of taking an honest look into the person staring at you in the mirror...Never noticed him?? Then you've come to the Right Podcast, I used to avoided him like the plague too :-) But being tough doesn’t mean being numb.

Tired of surface-level advice? Ours might punch below the belt.

Just truth—& a little dark humor and hope mixed in.

Guests

Guest

AK Dozanti

Burnout doesn’t announce itself loudly—it whispers… until it screams.

In this no-fluff conversation, AK Dozanti, a former police officer, went from Officer of the Year to complete burnout, depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation—and then fought her way back.

AK is now a career and mental burnout specialist and the author of Beat the Burnout, specifically for police & 1st responders who feel trapped, exhausted, cynical, & disconnected from a life they once cared about.

We cover:

Why burnout is not a personal failure—& why departments miss warning signs
3 pillars of burnout: exhaustion, cynicism, and loss of purpose
How dark humor, overworking, and “just pushing through” quietly destroy marriages, health, and identity

Burnout is common. Suicide shouldn’t be.
You aren't weak, You're not alone, & there is another way forward!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/akdozanti/

Guest

Jay Ly

What happens when an 11-year-old watches 9/11 unfold…and feels powerless to help?
For Jay Ly, that moment became fuel. Jay grew up in a rough neighborhood in Syracuse, NY—raised by a tough single mom who Made Sure FAITH stayed at the center even when life was chaotic.

Years later, that same Faith + Grit carried him (Not into the Navy SEALs as he planned) into the Navy EOD community (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)—Where he deployed into combat with army Rangers and other elite operators in Special Forces destroying evil men. He did get to work with the SEALs & "Team 6" (aka DevGru) where he worked a totally different mission set keeping peace and build relationships with our 'allies' in Afghanistan.

After leaving military life, he now focuses on his New Mission:
Helping high performers build Legacy, Purpose, and Financial Freedom grounded in faith and character!

Guest

Mark Grdovic

Mark Grdovic is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel who served more than 23 years in uniform, including 19 years as a Special Forces officer.

He held key assignments with the 10th Special Forces Group, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Special Operations Command Central, and the White House Military Office, with multiple deployments to Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and crisis response missions across Europe and Africa.

Following his retirement in 2012, Grdovic continued supporting the special operations community as a defense consultant and contractor. Drawing on firsthand experience as an operations officer during the early stages of the Iraq War, he authored Those Who Face Death, a powerful account of U.S. Special Forces working alongside Kurdish Peshmerga to open a northern front in 2003—shedding light on a largely untold chapter of modern warfare.