Welcome to Patriot to the Core Podcast

Patriot to the Core 2018

This podcast exists b/c of my little brother Mark Forester. While he was serving as a full-time missionary in California, our nation was attacked on 9/11. He felt the calling then to complete his service to God with his next mission being to serve his country. He knew God wanted him to help control the world's terrorists population.

On September 29, 2010, he was killed in action on his first deployment. From his death notification to my family, to the Dignified Transfer ceremony at Dover, to his viewing, funeral, and subsequent memorials, I was amazed at the new world of heroes and warriors we met. These men and women have become close to our family and been huge supports. But they also stood out because of their willingness to voluntarily fight evil. They believed in freedom and liberty. Because of their actions, I started this podcast to interview great Americans who serve their country and communities.

By supporting this podcast, you help support The Mark Forester Foundation and its cause.

I interview those from all branches of the military, serving multiple roles (combat controllers, PJs, Green Berets, SEALs, Rangers, Infantrymen, Marines, Pilots, etc) and the US government. In addition, I speak with your everyday mom who goes about doing good--from starting a non-profit to fighting for freedom in our communities and schools. I also get to talk with Gold Star Parents, Siblings and Spouses, and Medal of Honor recipients.

This provides an opportunity to learn about everyday Americans who go above and beyond to protect us and to help others. As a Gold Star brother, many of my guests have a military connection, but I still have a wide variety of people who answer the call to serve in various ways.

We talk fighting terrorism, self-protection, exercise, mental toughness, charity, parenting, fugitives and occasionally pop culture and politics (like government overreach).

Please follow and subscribe so we can have many episodes to come. Send suggestions and questions to me at thad@patriottothecore.com. Hope you enjoy!

You can also become a patron. Your support is not considered a donation--it's a way to get something in return for helping support my cause. See link below:

Become a Patron!

Episode 028 – Matthew Glencoe: The Makings of a Hero

May 15, 2017 By Thad Forester

If you’ve read my book: “My Brother in Arms”, you’ve seen Matthew Glencoe’s name on the front cover. After I’d been working on the book for about a year, I realized help was needed if the book was ever going to be finished in reasonable time.

As he helped organize the book, Matt and I discuss what is was like for him to learn about Mark and his family. One duty was to come to Mark’s annual memorial walk in Haleyville AND take part. He did. Then quickly realized walking a continuous 31 miles in hilly northwest Alabama without training wasn’t the best idea. However, he endured and finished. This 13-hour event allowed Matt many opportunities to see and feel the support for Mark and his foundation from so many.

Glencoe also turns the tables and asks me several questions. I share the process of writing the book and why I was committed to it, especially having not written a book before.

Today’s episode is a little different because May 15 is my brother Mark’s birthday. He’d be 36 years old today. And with our big event coming up this weekend, on May 20, I thought it was appropriate to talk about Mark’s book, the race, and memorial walk.

He was ready

A portion of book sales supports The Mark Forester Foundation. This isn’t a book specifically about war, even though the majority of the book is about Mark’s military career and deployment. However, Matthew Glencoe reminds us that this book is more about the makings of a hero.

After reading, you may also feel that Mark’s life ended dramatically, but was exceedingly well lived. You can read more and purchase the book at these links (and any major bookstore):

http://markaforester.com

Book on Amazon

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

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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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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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