Thad Forester

Episode 027 – Carter Henry, author of The Hero Workouts

May 1, 2017 By Thad Forester

hero workouts collage Carter Henry’s new book “The Hero Workouts” features 100 hero WODs (workout of the day), with background on each fallen hero featured. Hero WODs are common in the Crossfit community. They typically add a level of difficulty that isn’t already there with normal WODs.

If you’ve participated in a Hero WOD at a Crossfit box, you know how intense they are. People often gather to honor these men and women they never knew, but who gave their life while serving others.

Carter set out to do a new Hero WOD each week for 52 weeks straight. She realized that it benefited her tremendously, but not anyone else. So, she wrote this book so we have the back story about each person featured. After all, these heroes were someone’s child, spouse, brother, parent, and of course friend.

From the web: … “By participating in these workouts, one gains the opportunity to revere an individual who has made the ultimate sacrifice. Taking the time to remember these men and women or to learn who they were can be part of a healing process… The stories behind the workouts are emotional and moving – stories of courage, family, loss, and grief collected and expressed by researcher and writer Carter Henry, herself an active duty sailor in the United States Navy.”

She also directs the reader to non-profits and organizations their families have created.

Special Operations Warrior Foundation

Carter is donating 100% of her earnings from this book to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. SOWF provides college scholarships for the surviving children of fallen Special Operations Forces, family & educational counseling, and financial grants to severely-wounded Special Operations Forces service members.

Episode 026 – former SEAL, sniper, Kyle Defoor

April 17, 2017 By Thad Forester

real kyle defoor

“I would do BUD/S again,” Kyle Defoor told me today.

I’ve been looking forward to this one a long time. Right after high school graduation, Kyle left for boot camp in Orlando. A few months later, he was in Coronado going thru BUD/S as an 18-year-old kid.

We talk about growing up together in the small town of Haleyville, AL. And since his chances of playing D-1 football were looking slim, he joined the military. He knew he wanted some type of special operations, but all he had heard of was the Army’s Green Beret’s (from watching Rambo). After meeting with an overweight recruiter who smoked, he moved along and met a decent Navy recruiter showing the old video “Someone Special”.

Kyle also shares how he prepared for the Navy and BUD/S. These were pre-internet days, so information wasn’t easy to get. He went to the library and talked with a man in town who was a SEAL from the Vietnam era.

Defoor Proformance Shooting

After serving 10 years in the Navy, he got out, did some contracting and other odd jobs and then formed his own company in 2010 “Defoor Proformance Shooting”. His bio from his site states:

“Kyle Defoor is a professional shooter who teaches firearms and tactics to military, law enforcement, and civilians. Specializing in pistol, carbine, urban sniper, and CQB, Kyle gained his knowledge from decorated combat service in multiple war fronts as a special operator and as one of the first and premier tactical trainers in the world. An active motorcyclist, hunter, climber, runner, and waterman he can be seen on multiple TV shows, magazines, websites, and on ranges worldwide.”

This episode is good stuff from an experienced special operator who was part of multiple military operations globally. He also speaks in generalities about the teams he was part of.

Read more about Kyle Defoor below and you’ll understand why he says “boot camp was the greatest thing ever.”

Defoor Proformance Shooting

Kyle Defoor supports The Mark Forester Foundation

Music courtesy of Soundroad – Believe.
Copyright 2017 Thad Forester
http://www.patriottothecore.com
email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

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Episode 025 – Blayne Smith, Executive Director of Team RWB

April 3, 2017 By Thad Forester

Blayne Smith-Team RWB Blayne Smith is the Executive Director of Team RWB (red, white and blue), a nonprofit that has become one the nation’s fastest growing veteran service organizations by “enriching the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.”

In this episode, Blayne discusses his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as a Scout Platoon Leader, and SF ODA officer, respectively. We dive into some details of leadership on the battlefield while down range. He shares how his team worked to be unified, even though they had several members attached who weren’t Green Berets who’d worked together for a few years. This was common with their Air Force combat controllers (JTAC’s), Special Operations Weathermen, dog trainers, etc.

Blayne struggled after he returned home and separated from the Army. He found he couldn’t push aside his memories and friendships during his time serving. Smith also needed to deal with the feelings of losing teammates during his final deployment. He became a different person: the tires on his mountain bike went flat. The soles of his golf shoes rotted. His guitar sat silent, and he lost confidence in himself.

Team RWB

He found therapy in getting out in his community, running, and thanks to a friend, joined Team RWB. He counsels those who are struggling (veteran or not) to “take care of it. Talk to somebody.” He also found great success at the VA. Additionally, Team RWB is in over 200 cities across the country and their shirts are easy to spot at any running event in the US.

This West Point grad was in college when we were attacked on 9/11. After his first deployment, he cross-trained to special forces and deployed to Afghanistan as a detachment commander for the 3rd Special Forces Group. It was an honor to talk to this Patriot who has dedicated his days to serving others.

You’ll also enjoy hearing Blayne Smith and J.J. Pinter on Eagle Nation podcast. Links with more info below:

https://www.teamrwb.org/

Eagle Nation podcast

Here is a little more background on Blayne:

www.teamrwb.org/blog/blayne-smith-a-soldier-in-parts/

Music courtesy of Soundroad – Believe.
Copyright 2017 Thad Forester
http://www.patriottothecore.com
email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

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Book review: The Boys in the Boat

March 27, 2017 By Thad Forester

the boys in the boat book Just finished this book and have already recommend it to several people. That’s how you know it’s a good book, right? I found myself rooting for the boys many times as they raced. What they accomplished really is remarkable.

The book focused on one particular boy, Joe Rantz. The poor guy was abandoned several times. How could a father do what he did and allow that to happen? It’s hard to imagine. Joe overcame great odds to come out a winner. As a father myself, I felt so bad for him as his step-mom made him live elsewhere, more than once. He was always left questioning what he ever did to be so unwanted. A 10 year-old shouldn’t have to feel that way.

In the end, it’s a story of overcoming all odds and winning gold in the 1936 olympics, right in front of Hitler. The Fuhrer tried to give his German team any advantage he could, even if it meant cheating; but the good guys came out on top.

It’s an uplifting book for just about all ages, especially pre-teen to adult. Inspiring, captivating, and yes, even a little emotional. Read more about the book and the author Daniel James Brown here:

http://www.danieljamesbrown.com/

Episode 024 – Wayne Norrad, Godfather of Combat Control

March 20, 2017 By Thad Forester

CMsgt Wayne Norrad Today we have the privilege to hear from one of the legends in the Combat Control field, Mr. Wayne Norrad. Many listeners probably never heard of Combat Control (CCT) before Patriot to the Core. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you’ll learn from Wayne that they are an integral part in most, if not all, of the major conflicts with which the US is involved.

First There

We talk about his participation in the Tegucigalpa Honduras hijackings in the early ’80’s, deploying to Panama with Delta Force, and the Air Force’s role in counterterrorism. In addition: Operation Just Cause in Panama, being the first CCT with the advance party in Operation Desert Shield, and opening King Fahd International Airport in Saudi Arabia. His team was in Cambodia in 1975 with no weapons or uniforms, therefore no way to defend themselves. Norrad also shares the creation of Detachment 1 at Pope Air Force Base after the failed Iranian Rescue Mission.

Among the changes made since Norrad joined CCT: PT test is much harder, and Combat Dive and Freefall schools are now required. And a little trivia: they used to wear navy blue berets. Now they’re red.

He has been instrumental in developing HAHO (high altitude, high opening) parachute tactics and integrating air/ground assets to safely and successfully employ joint special operations forces onto the battlefield.

Wayne Norrad also controlled the first fixed wing aircraft to land at Kuwait City International Airport. And through some simple thinking, figured out how to keep his and his teammates fingers from going numb while parachuting. This involved using their feet to steer.

Thanks to his efforts, today’s CCT’s can go in by any means to do their jobs (air, land, water). They are a premier elite fighting force.

We definitely will have Wayne back to further discuss his experience in CCT, Combat Control Association and the Air Force Demo Team.

For more information, read this article written by Wayne Norrad, CMSgt, USAF (Ret) (beginning on page 19):

Special Tactics in Desert Storm

Music courtesy of Soundroad – Believe.
Copyright 2017 Thad Forester
www.patriottothecore.com
email questions to thad@patriottothecore.com

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