Veteran Chat Project
Veteran Chat Project
Tejas Fabrications own William Putnam is back to catch up!
Ever faced a challenge and felt like giving up? Found yourself in a tight spot, with nowhere else to turn? Think again. This episode is packed with stories that will inspire you to rise above your circumstances. We bring you back to the life of Captain David Van Camp, whose imprint on our lives is indelible. Listen to our conversation with a fellow entrepreneur from Tejas Fabrication, who shares his trials and triumphs of running a shop sans air conditioning. We also take a moment to honor those who've laid down their lives for our freedom, most notably our fallen commander on 6/29.
Our guest William Putnam , a seasoned entrepreneur, shares his journey of navigating challenging talks and making tough decisions. His inspiring story serves as a reminder that with self-reflection and understanding, we can rise above any situation. Ever pondered about the butterfly effect? We discuss it in depth, emphasizing its relevance and the potential perils of tampering with the space-time continuum.
I Have been live all right. This episode is brought to you by an hyzer designs. If you need any custom apparel or anything like that any custom hats, shirts, hatches, anything like that hit up an hyzer designs over there on their Facebook page. Trevor Murphy will take care of you and with that we are. Hey everybody, what's up? Kyle and KZ.
Speaker 3:Yeah, more people get their voice out there, that I think they'll realize like we're all. We're all the same.
Speaker 1:Words encouraged to not be okay all the time.
Speaker 1:What's up everybody, kyle and KZ and we are the veteran chat project and And back for the second time this week. I know you're probably tired to see in our faces, but guess what? now you guys get to watch my beard come back in. But yeah, no, so with us tonight is actually another one of our sponsors, but also one of our original Entrepreneur series. Guests will put them with Tejas fabrication out there. What's up, brother? It's good to see you again. You too, man. How's it been going? guys? dude, doing the thing, man, doing the thing, making some Making, building some bridges and talking to some cool people lately, fuck that bridge We're talking about what we were talking about the weather earlier.
Speaker 3:You, you, you said it's been in the hundreds down there.
Speaker 2:Now, baby, Yeah, like the heat. I guess the heat advisory or whatever is like a hundred, I don't know. Oh, it's about the same. I mean I love it. It's not as hot as he's gonna fan Like for the shop to make a little breeze. That's only. Bad time is when it's just it's just still dead.
Speaker 1:Ain't got nothing you get one of them, air movers like the ones that looks like a big turbo. They just sit on the floor and they just basically just made the circulate air Put one of them at the door and one of them by the window. You at least circulate a draft in there.
Speaker 2:Well, i had a guy show up the other day. He he was. He was looking inside. He was like you, you don't have AC. I never thought about it like there's a lot. There's a lot of shops that actually they do have a see and everything.
Speaker 1:So you know They're all being everything so I bet that'd be a super high cost, though, to heat it like to eight, like to condition a shop. Do you have heat, though? Is it? I got, i got a lot of you don't need heat because you don't really have a winter, i guess.
Speaker 2:Actually it gets cold. Last last winter It dropped, I think it was like in the 20s, like it. It froze up. Pretty good, it actually it got it froze up so good that when I walked in the shop one morning, my toilet was frozen. Oh, i had to sit there and take my torpedo heater, blow it into my bathroom in order to Follow my toilet, so make sure it didn't bust.
Speaker 3:Holy shit, yeah, that's called, that's cold shit.
Speaker 1:So, looking back, we've had you.
Speaker 3:It's been a minute.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I say it's been a while. Dude may fit was when I posted our episode And then I think we actually recorded that one. That's when we were doing them on Riverside and we actually were pre recording. Yeah.
Speaker 3:This one's in April.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so yeah, in the April, so, and it's almost July, dude, you know what? It's real quick. I just thought about it. I haven't thought about it all day, except for one time earlier, do, but it's June 29th.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i know, i've been thinking about it all day.
Speaker 1:Well, i get popped in. So I think Carlson was the first person to share it this morning the the picture of the You know the stands with their boots and the rifles and everything, and I was like, oh shit. Like you know, i normally I don't, i don't really think about it, i try not to and And yeah, that was a yeah. So yeah, today was what? was it? 2009? I Don't have the bracelet 629 629.
Speaker 3:We left. We left in 10, happened in 11.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so our commander, what he had went to a different troop.
Speaker 1:And they got hit with indirect fire and he died on the way to Germany, i believe, along with some other, some badass officers and shit they had over there. But yeah, yeah, yeah. So I mean that just it just kind of made it a And even a better episode for me, you know, because, like we just get to remember You know what was it? captain David BAM camp. That day we talked about him a little bit on a memorial day episode actually and how just an excellent leader he was and And you know how you don't really find that It's pretty few and far between, especially in like the officers in the military, you know, and That dude you know he was actually he remember he had got blown up before he came in rehab, didn't came back and was Heavy six. Even so, like he, he went through it just to get back with us. That's just pretty crazy. But yeah, let's move on from that.
Speaker 2:You know, it's always. It's always times like that, man, you want to. You'll be just kind of going about your day and You won't even, you won't think about it, like for me, like my days just kind of continues, they just kind of go on, but then something will kind of click, like you said, your, your buddy posted on Facebook and reminded you and I'll get the same thing. Somebody will post something. I'm like, oh shit, like that was today. Yeah, i'm kind of brings a lot, a lot back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you don't really even think about it until you see it. You know, go shit, oh, shit, oh shit Oh shit, oh shit. Yeah, it was One of those. One of those dark anniversaries is uh, well, you know, Depends on me, i don't know. Yeah, it's a shitty day, obviously, but I mean nowadays you can look at it and then how many different ways you know want to be positive about Something like that. But I mean, he's just. I Like to just remember that he was a badass dude, awesome leader but yeah.
Speaker 3:That's why I was actually actually playing on going to the cigar shop today for this, for today, and I fucking forgot, because we were like just you know, trying to trying to landscape that front yard and I was just like Like we need anything as before go home. I was like, yeah, cigar shop, it's 29 and then I fucking completely forgot you could do it.
Speaker 1:You so do it this weekend. 4th of July weekend. Oh yeah, man third of July weekend, or whatever.
Speaker 3:Are you all in the cigars like? that's a new thing for me.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, i would just wind up trying to smoke cigarettes again, probably So for me, no, first time ever smoke cigars.
Speaker 2:I never smoked one and I used to smoke cigarettes. I'm thinking you know, smoke it like a cigarette, mm-hmm, how you're supposed to smoke it. I'm like.
Speaker 1:Point and those are expensive and you're supposed to just.
Speaker 1:Yeah like what I'm. So I'm so like I still smoke weeds. I'm like, fucking like, i got inhale that shit. It's weird to me not to inhale it. But I mean like, and they? I think they smell bad, no matter what. This is a good one. No, it's not, dude, it smells like fucking dog shit. They take a good leaf. Give me a good like can a gar or something like that, and I'll smoke cigars with you And I'll just be like smoking a you know half ounce can a gar with you.
Speaker 2:I mean only. The only good cigar that I know of is the one that you cut open and reroll.
Speaker 1:That's why I said can't. Well, the can a gar is dude. I don't know if you ever heard of that. That's pretty, those are pretty dope. Yeah, they do. So they're in there, may the raft, with a dried out pot leafs Obviously, and then so it's flower, and then it has like shatter and fucking hash and all this other shit in it, and then they fucking roll them up, dude, like you can get them, like in California. Obviously, shit like that, like they have like can a gar shops that are just as nice and fancy as like a Cigar shop wants to be or it is, you know, some of those cigarettes, cigar shops are really nice, you know, like the whole cigar scene is like really nice and fancy, you know, and they try to do the same.
Speaker 1:Elegant, that's what the word I'm looking for. So try to add a little elegance to like. Basically, you're smoking a big-ass blunt, but it's like here's this hundred dollar blunt that will literally burn for you and your friends for like two and three hours, and Literally. I mean I've rolled a couple myself because I just bought this little mold and was making them myself Little small ones.
Speaker 2:They need to do one of those things like with the Peter Griffin. You know when he, when he shows up these guys.
Speaker 3:Dude, yeah, let's see since, well, since the end of April when we last talked, like a lot to like a lot has happened as far as like conversations that have sparked and stuff, and I'm glad we get to, i'm glad you're, i'm glad you're back on, because there's, you know, uh, they pose Craig questions to ask everyone else. So, like the, i think, one of the big ones since you've been on and I know you've been watching too, but the letter to myself, you, what do you think about that Will?
Speaker 2:You know, i thought it was so I like I try to catch them. Well, normally like this, but normally, you know, by this time.
Speaker 2:I'm starting to pass out, so I can't even warn you, i thought it was a like great, like it's a really great idea and I really like to see how people were actually doing it and stuff. Yeah, me myself, to me it was more. I kind of just thought about it in my head. Yeah, because I'm not one to Like. I guess really you kind of like open up a lot, right, and Like I did open up a bit on the last show. You know, like I said, i opened up more to the psychiatrist than anything, yeah, but I think I think it was a really great idea and I really liked it and just being able to read and see what other people was doing and everything was really nice. And You know, i mean I Think it really kind of shows you like if you take the time and set down and actually look at yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah and Ponder like what you're doing, and everything of that nature. It will actually it'll kind of open your eyes a little bit more for sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah that's definitely the big one. This is, yeah, that perspective. It always comes back. It's like man, i know, eddie, eddie Lowry hit me up last night. He's like dude, i'm ready He's. We've talked a few times about his and he's like dude, it's like. Every time I look at it It makes me want to cry. He's like, but uh, it's like I'm ready. So we need to get him on here to do it. Oh, maybe I'll text him and have him come on at the end of the show and read his You know one of the ones, uh, With the episodes.
Speaker 2:I can't remember the gentleman's name. He was the Thing. It was Iraq or Afghanistan. He said that he was out by the Connex and he went to pull the trigger and weapon malfunction and his NCO came and unjammed. It didn't ask him any questions or anything and And yeah, that was uh yeah, Yeah so.
Speaker 2:I was listening. I was listening to that one and it honestly it made me think, because it, like, a lot of people don't know it, like I've never really said it, it was Back in my darker days, like when I had gotten out and I was doing all my stupid shit. I Remember sitting there in a bathtub one day. Well, i was taking a shower, but I was. I was fucked up.
Speaker 2:I was hammered, dog shit fucked and I literally I just sat there and I was like I could just make this all go away, and Literally the one as soon as I thought that and it sounded like a great idea at the time.
Speaker 2:But then I remember what I always I'd always tell people like, if you want to commit suicide, you're weak as shit. Not only did you just feel yourself, you felt everybody else around you Yeah, man, stand up to what you got to do and just do it. But hearing his story about how he tried it and then he tried it again and everything it made me think about When I thought about it and I was like holy fuck, like I'm not. I guess I like you know how you kind of think, how I talked about before, you kind of think you're the only one, but you're actually not, and so I kind of thought you know, hey, maybe I was kind of the only one that thought this yeah, talk myself out of it, kind of deal. So that one, that was a really good episode. I really, i really enjoyed listening to that one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that one, tony Dayton, that was his, his episode. He Shit man, he. He was definitely a cool ass dude to talk to and and. Yeah, that was a heavy episode to sit through, for sure, but definitely, thinking back on it, it's like I don't think that episode got enough attention for what it was and it was such a positive message That episode right there.
Speaker 2:It probably I had to, so it's probably about a 45 minute drive from my house to the shop and I think I got maybe Like 20 minutes into it. Had to pause it.
Speaker 1:Listen to something else like yeah, let me take five on this one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had to take five. And Then I got back into it and I was like hot fuck, all right, i'm gonna listen, i gotta do something else. You know I gotta listen to something else and then finally know it took me almost all day to finish the episode, but when I got through with it I was like oh fuck, and like hell yeah.
Speaker 3:So Definitely one of those. Like That dude got through it. I can go through it. You know The yeah, that was probably. You know we've only been doing this for like four months. I think that was probably the hardest episode I've had to do as a host, because it's you know, it's like you want to ask questions but you also, at the same time, you don't want to like reopen wounds when you ask the questions.
Speaker 3:But, I was super thankful that he was. He shared what he shared and it's just, oh yeah, other than like my mouth Did I drop into the floor? I'm just like I didn't know what else to. That was a very hard conversation to navigate, but at the same time it was a great conversation to have That, uh, what um? going back to the letter, letter letter to yourself what um, what?
Speaker 2:what's one thing you tell your younger self well, if you could You know, honestly, one I, after really thinking about stuff, i Would honestly tell my younger self not to change a single thing that I ever did. Okay, because to me, where I'm at now and with what life experiences I have right now, all of that would be different if I changed it just one single thing. And Even though it's hard, like you know you, there's a lot of shit on your plate, a lot of shit on your mind. You know I think that's, that's who, that's, that's what made you, it's, you know, that's what's put you where you're at right now.
Speaker 1:So, honestly, i don't, i wouldn't change anything, yeah that's kind of the, it's kind of the approach I took with mine Definitely was like more of just like an encouraging, just like a hey brother, like you got. You got some tough roads ahead of you, but you know what, like you're made for it, you're gonna think you're not a few times, but Ultimately, just keep pushing and you'll get. Like you said, like right, where I'm at right now is where I never thought could even be possible to be and And yeah, i wouldn't be there without any of those holy shits. You almost fucking died tonight or you almost went to jail, or you almost went to this or you could have died in Iraq or anything like that.
Speaker 1:Dude, it's just so crazy to think how life could have just been so different. Like every time I think one I'm always just like the bone thug song comes my head's, like me, me at the crossroads.
Speaker 1:But I know it's like not what it means, but it's like in my head and like that's another crossroads moment right there like I could have. Like it went zigged when I should have zagged one of the moments you know. And Yeah, i also didn't want to fuck with the space time continuum because I've been watching a lot of ant-man and the most meta and you know all that shit. I'm like, hey, don't fuck with nothing, butterfly back.
Speaker 2:I was another movie I was more towards ancient aliens. Maybe you know they just had a marathon. I think You know honestly, like if I could grow hair, the, the main guy, that's. The main guy on the ancient aliens. He's got that crazy hair all over the place.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Does he just wake up like that and it's banned done, or does he actually?
Speaker 1:Probably he's probably bald. I bet he puts a wig on before.
Speaker 3:I think that shit. Every time I see him like like they have to like Ask him right, like hey, you good, you need makeup in you, good like well. So they have.
Speaker 2:It's called alien con and you know, i you know, honestly, i love ancient aliens because I mean, if you get They're sitting there and listening to some of this shit, man, it is like a YouTube black hole. It will make you think, oh, like your next door neighbor could be a fucking reptilian kind of deal. And you're just sitting there like, hey, this guy's got a point. Well, they got alien con. And I was like you know what? I want to go to this, i want to see what this is. Yeah, until the tickets were like five hundred something dollars, i'm like no see them Here is there's an alien.
Speaker 2:I mean they'll probe you for free, like they will land in your backyard and probe you for free. I ain't paying five hundred dollars.
Speaker 3:No.
Speaker 1:What they're doing though, is basically they're just like the aliens, are the one putting this shit on right and they're just seeing the ones like Are you dumb enough to come to this shit? And that's where people just disappear from. And no one, even everyone's like all the aliens got them. No one listens. You know what I mean? So they're gone. I mean it's smart as fuck. We're actually gonna get snatched up now that we just talked about it. We exposed a lot of their secrets tonight here on the veteran chat project expose the alien secrets one That whole area 51 thing with all the takeover.
Speaker 3:I remember like the like, what the whole, like climax of that, like people actually showed up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but there wasn't. So they made a there's actually. So there's a documentary on that. Actually I watched and the guy started out as it started out as a joke and so Then he started getting messages from, i guess, like the FBI or the government and everything. It was like hey, shut it down, like stop promoting this. Yeah, but it was already set in motion and They said like a bunch of people went out there, but literally nothing happened. Like they all just said around there was like guy out there grilling or some shit.
Speaker 3:Damn. I was ready for all hell of break place dude.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right, man, i was hoping, you know, maybe there'd be some like some will Smith shit coming out of there like something fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Not the front door, and start like showing off like It's like a little little alien from Paul dude.
Speaker 2:The ones from men in black, little little skinny guys. It's always drinking and partying and shit.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Or the plug Talking pug.
Speaker 1:Frank, oh dude, frank's the coolest fucking guy on the planet on any planet Shit.
Speaker 3:Hey, i had a quick. I don't know, maybe y'all can answer this question.
Speaker 2:So we were we're out shopping.
Speaker 3:This morning, like went to, like we like to go through shopping and good will, shopping on like, what, like at least once a month. So we went and I Found like old Air force in Navy uniforms I thought that she was illegal to sell. You can find a guy down in your for. Yeah, you probably could at least once. At least once for free. Yeah, you don't hear what I said kind of.
Speaker 3:No, like I saw like a bunch of like active, like you know, like you know, army, army, army, bdus are, like you know, multi cam and then Air Force uniforms. I thought that she was illegal to sell.
Speaker 2:No, no, so no, like it's um, it's just like, if you go down to like, just normal, oh.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i know, i know where you're going. Yeah.
Speaker 2:But then you know, i mean, you can buy that by that crap online. I mean, oh, they got, what is what is it?
Speaker 3:No spec and everything else, i forgot all about this shit. I was I don't know why that shit threw me up. I was like we can do that, we can just sell that shit.
Speaker 2:When I. So when I got out, i probably had like eight tough boxes full of equipment and shit. We're not okay, not equipment.
Speaker 3:I heard that word in so long Tough box.
Speaker 2:There's actually two sitting right here, but uh, yeah. So I called the guy because I was like, man, i want this shit out of my way, i don't need it, yeah. And he was like, well, what all do you got us that, man? Honestly, it's, it's easier if you just come come look at it, because so when I was going through CIF, like they, you know, they print your record out and everything and I'm sitting there and I'm my records got like eight pages. I'm like okay, cool, so I'm going through, I'm putting everything together, and I mean I got like woodland camo, the old desert camo, everything else.
Speaker 2:I go up to the lady and I was like what am I supposed to do with all this? She was like, oh, we don't turn that in, no more, we don't even use it. I was like, okay, well, then I'm sitting here, i'm like going through everything. I'm like why the hell do I got eight, eight, can't teens? Why do I have four black bests? Never gonna like, oh, that's, that's an old dragon skin best. Like What the hell do I do with all this crap? Well, so I just called the guy up. I said, man, just come look at it. He was like, okay, and so he comes and he was like I'm gonna make you, i'm gonna make you offer on everything, so don't okay. He looked at me. He's like 1800. I was like 1800. What? he's like $1,800. I was like done, you want help loading it?
Speaker 3:What but?
Speaker 2:yeah. So honestly, like, if you go online like, go on eBay and shit dude, or just on, get on Facebook marketplace, that's a good one right there, get on Facebook marketplace. You can find Cavalars, ibas, just literally. If you're missing TA 50, you can find it on Facebook marketplace. I got bored. The other day was looking at here. There's guys selling shit all the way around here And I mean there's not even active duty posts here. I didn't know.
Speaker 3:I didn't speak in a say. I've turned in like I didn't know You could just pay out and be done. Yeah, i don't know, it's an option. I'm just like hey, you're, you're missing all this shit, or you can just pay X amount and fucking be cleared.
Speaker 1:I didn't know that was an option.
Speaker 3:They didn't tell you that fuck No I, they didn't tell me They got to the window until I got to the window I was oh, yeah, Yeah and I had already made like six trips back to like the Whatever store to buy shit and they're like, yeah, you got everything but this. You forgot the canteen cup.
Speaker 1:I was how much is it? four bucks, yeah, and charge it, and I was like I just pay for a canteen cup.
Speaker 3:Like yeah, you could have done with all this stuff. Like you watch me leave here like six times.
Speaker 2:So after my second time being told that you know stuff's not clean enough, i got. I got so tired of so I went down to my supply guy and I said look, here's what I got left on my For turning. I say, give me a statement of charges.
Speaker 2:Because, then So they take the statement of charges, then they do the depreciation value on it and then they just deduct it. So A five dollar canteen cup is now two dollars and fifty cents or whatever. Yeah, so it's cheaper just to do that than going and buying one.
Speaker 3:They should piss me off, man. And then I was in the middle like I, my dumb ass, like I took Terminal leave. and then I I somehow like took Terminal leave. I still had one more place to clear. So I flew back from Texas to Kansas just to like get something stamped. Yeah, I did not, like that transition period was so rushed for me. I didn't, I didn't think about shit, I had no plan.
Speaker 2:I think so. I think my craziest one actually was coming from Fort Campbell to Fort Bliss. I took two weeks in between and I was hanging out back home And you know, you're having fun back home. I didn't even think about it. I look at the day and I was like shit, what day is it? I think it was like a Thursday or whatever. Well, damn, when am I supposed to sign in at Bliss? Well, i look at it, i'm like, oh shit, i'm supposed to sign in today at Fort Bliss. Well, looking for me, i mean I was, i only lived. I think it was like six hours from my house to Fort Bliss. So I was like fuck it. You know, i didn't even tell my parents by or nothing.
Speaker 2:I jumped in the truck, called balls to Fort Bliss, get in the Fort Bliss and everything you know gets set up and go to go to in processing. Well, it's like my second day of in processing. My first start calls me Hey, where you at. I was like I'm in process. He's like all right, come up to troop, that's okay, cool. So I go up to troop. And he was like well, we got to, we got to go up to squad. So we run up to squad and everything.
Speaker 2:My start major is looking at everything. He was like putt him. Yes, our major. It was like you're going to be my new gunner. I looked at it, okay, first start looks like no, he ain't, he's mine. Sorry, major, looks like no, first, he's mine. No, he's not, he is mine. First start looks right at me. Have you taken leave yet? Negative, i haven't taken leave. Cool, you're on leave. Have a nice day. Bye, see you in seven days. Oh shit, okay, seven days. I go to go back in the process, out in processing because you have to start all over. Yeah, started all over. Going through their little seven day of fucking welcome to Fort Bliss. Shit, get a call again Where you at I'm in process and come up here Once again. They did. They could not figure out who the fuck I was going to. They sent me on leave for two more weeks.
Speaker 3:Are you fucking serious?
Speaker 2:I'm serious, like they go on leave. You know, i even told them I was like, look, i already have an apartment, i already have like everything set up. I was like, when am I supposed to do? like? I'm sitting here in apartment by myself. I don't know what to do. Right, by this time, you know, i got almost like a full beer going on because I'm like, fuck it, i'm on leave. Well, finally I get in process and finally I end up going to troop.
Speaker 2:So our major missed out had somebody else come in, so they took him. But as soon as I got there, my platoon leader looks at me and he goes have you been on leave? And I looked at him. I said, look, i've had enough leave. I got him. He was like I don't have any paperwork of you being on leave. I said, well, when it's our major and a first start boat, tell you to go on leave. You don't argue, you just fucking leave and just go. And he was like all right, fine, that's what. So, yeah, i had like three weeks, like almost a whole month, of not doing shit.
Speaker 1:Like you leave to have. you didn't even have to sign off that shit, have you been?
Speaker 3:on, Hey motherfucker.
Speaker 1:Is that what you guys do around here? Just go on leave. Jesus.
Speaker 2:I'll be honest, fort Bliss was probably the most fucked up place I've ever been. I mean it was. It was horrible. Because I mean, hell, you fall under first and then you fall under fucking. Let's see What is it. You fall under first armored, then we would fall under one one cap, but then we also did all the the testing for DoD, so then we had to fall under DoD at the same time, so we had three people telling us what the fucking do.
Speaker 3:And we had like eight guys.
Speaker 2:They're like oh, we got to split all these eight guys up between 30 details. What the fuck am I supposed to do that?
Speaker 1:Sounds like heavy company. When we got back from deployment that first deployment when we were, everyone had left and there was like 13 of us And then we got stuck on start major detail, that was normally like the other troops and shit had like 70 to 100 people And then when we had it we had like 20 max and like those 20, like maybe only 10 of them could do shit, yeah, and we were maxed out. Dude, they're like fucking go cut the grass. Like we had every detail that they all have doubled because or tripled or whatever, because we didn't have people.
Speaker 3:We were on a detail when, um, when my, do you remember my wife getting into a car wreck with with our, with our oldest baby?
Speaker 3:Yeah, we were on a detail and like she got in a wreck and I don't know, i got a phone call from the hospital or something. I was like, uh, start staff sergeant Sanders. And I was like, hey, i got to go, my wife's gotten a wreck with my kid. And like, when I showed up to the, when I showed up to the hospital, i guess whoever had helped them out like help them get out of the car, like this uh, i guess he was a Lieutenant Colonel or something that was passing by He helped them out. I really appreciated that.
Speaker 3:But when I went to the front desk, he was standing right there and, um, i was like my wife you know about in here she's she's gotten a car wreck. And he's like are you the husband? I was like, yes, i am. Are you the one that helped? I appreciate it. He's like, is there a reason why she was scared to tell you that she got in a wreck? I was like I don't know, man, why are you asking me that? And he's like I don't you know, are you sure, are you sure there's nothing going on at home? I was like bro, get the fuck out of my way.
Speaker 1:Are you really doing this right now, sir? See, that's what I'm talking about earlier Get the fuck out of my way.
Speaker 3:And it was like I started, like I started saying like excuse me, and then my staff started saying it was right there. And he was like you're like go see your wife. Yeah, like a. he's like I got it. He's like is there a fucking problem? He's like it's sir. He's like is there a fucking problem, sir? Like yeah, i remember that shit. Speaking of details, I love that.
Speaker 1:Is there a reason like maybe because she was scared period because she just got in a car accident?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Maybe she was a cartoon sergeant was insane.
Speaker 1:He would. Yeah, he probably always joke around about that.
Speaker 3:We always joke around like me and her still to this day like joke around, like like you need to be careful, you're gonna get their fucking car wreck. And then she finally got one. She's like I'm sorry, i'm just glad you're alive. That shit, yeah, that was weird. That was fucking weird. Well, um, I saw some. I'm gonna pull. I'm gonna try to pull it back up here, because I saw I think it's one of the projects y'all are working on at the shop. Is it like a pink truck or something?
Speaker 2:Are you talking about the one behind me?
Speaker 3:Is that it? Is that a? is that a personal project?
Speaker 1:That paint looks like a pink truck.
Speaker 3:That's part of the. That's part of the one. Oh, that is the one I saw.
Speaker 1:Oh shit, man Walk us through what you got going on. That shit is sick dude.
Speaker 2:So let's see here That's actually. It's bagged and body dropped on 22s, so it's placed on the ground here. I don't know how to flip this damn camera around, oh you good. But we got the bed and everything We still got to finish it out and stuff.
Speaker 3:Is that for a customer?
Speaker 2:No, this is actually my buddy, steve, the one that's supposed to be on, but yeah, you know, he's too busy working trying to make money. I don't know why the hell he wants to do. That Seems pretty overrated to me. I actually probably to pay for this. I think that's really the only reason we really work is just to pay for our toys. Yeah, this one, this one of that.
Speaker 2:It was actually supposed to be a pretty quick project. It was, so we went and bought the truck in Memphis and it drove fine, like it drove, great. I didn't have an issue with it and everything. He was driving back up the Nashville from the shop and transmission went out on it. Well, he was like how much to, you know, rebuild transmission? I was like man, it's probably like 3,400 bucks, you know, and just pull it out, drop it off, we'll get it back on the road. It was completely stock.
Speaker 2:And well, he's like well, let's just LS swap it. I said, okay. Well, then we're like well, let's lower it. Well, that's no ball then too, i have a whole back half sitting here. Let's just back half it body, drop it, ls, swap it and paint it. And well, now it's hanging out at my house So I get time to get back on it. Oh shit, now he's got the. He's got the whole front clip up at the where he works at right now Body working it out on his spare time and everything. So we always got to put. You know, you always got to put your customers, vehicles, first. So it's ours is kind of a little slow, slow project.
Speaker 3:So hey, question, question for you because you like, you like me, that stuff, you know, i see me like. You know, you're one of those people that I would assume like working with your hands, like, and you talked about last time you were on. You were talking about how, like, how soothing that is, that problem solving. What's more, what suits you more, like like doing those passion projects or personal projects or fixing customers vehicles.
Speaker 2:Honestly, i would say if I had to choose anything, it would be doing customers projects, because when they bring you a project like actually so, the Bronco we just finished, yeah, it left out Saturday that belonged to her dad who was restoring it and he ended up passing away. Well, she and she inherited the vehicle And so we went through, did all the paint body on it, all the interior and everything went through the whole, went through the whole vehicle, basically made it brand new. Yeah, and just to see how happy she was and just to see like how that, just to see the vehicle driving on the road and see and then enjoy it Brings me more joy than anything Like I just I don't know, it's just something I guess you know, hey, being able to, you know how people be like I built that Well yeah it's like I built that, but it's more enjoyable to see them playing with it.
Speaker 2:With me, i'm bad like I'll. I'll build something and once I lose interest in it I'll sell it. If somebody comes up to me and it gives me a stupid offer, show me the cash. Here's the title Have a nice day, i'll go build something else.
Speaker 1:Honestly, for more fun to build it. What's that? Like you have more fun building it, then Then like enjoying it Like you said, then like you see someone just to be like I want that like what you'd hear. Have it Money talks, baby. Let's see it.
Speaker 2:If you want it that bad, then here you go. So, but now it's, it's always nice just to see the customer smile, yeah, be happy with it. So and then I guess you know, building it for my buddy, it's, it's nice. He gets to be happy and you know, if I'm lucky he'll bring me a croissant with your something.
Speaker 3:Now your buddy, your buddy, steve, is he a vexing? to?
Speaker 2:you.
Speaker 3:He is, he was actually my old NCO.
Speaker 2:Oh, he's up at Campbell and he was part part. He was a Marine before that, you know, like I had said, you know he decided to come join the good team, so we got cookies.
Speaker 1:We do, we got cookies.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i'm like. Is we? can we go the other way around, army to Marine? They don't want to. Marines don't take price service at all, do they? I don't know, i don't know, i know I wouldn't, i know personally myself.
Speaker 2:I think it's a good thing to succeed in the Marines world. Well seeing this how they only have. What is it? Two places, three places, you can go. California was at South Carolina.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean I hate both places, So that would be out for me. I mean, maybe if they put like a post in I don't know, like San Marcos or something, Maybe Corpus Christi.
Speaker 3:That would make sense. Yeah, every Marine I've met In my path That's in the army Hasn't done nothing but talk shit about the army. What are you doing? Yeah, it's like. This is what y'all do Like, yeah, man, fucking live it up Like this is.
Speaker 2:Then you got the, you got the Air Force guys over there. Yes, yes, pinkies, up with your water. What's the? what's his name?
Speaker 1:I started following these guys on Tiktok.
Speaker 2:One's like the lipstick, lipstick drill sergeant or lipstick guy, i can't remember.
Speaker 3:I think I know you're talking about. He's always he's got the camo stick.
Speaker 2:He's like yeah but at the same time, he's always teaching you something.
Speaker 3:Yeah. It's like and it's like so that guy, and then the mandatory fun guy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, have you seen him.
Speaker 1:I think, i think so, i think, so Yeah.
Speaker 3:And then the, the other guy he does the army, the space force?
Speaker 2:the Yeah, air Force guy was watching one of his today and it was like it had a little space force guy in the Air Force guy who's like there's drugs in the air And he was like we do him. He was like no, we don't do So. Those three guys right there, they'll get me going all the damn time.
Speaker 1:Do you guys remember fucking action figure therapy? Yes, oh my God, you don't remember the the PT belt skit with the fucking GI Joe's and shit? dude, how I forgot about that. Oh my God, dude, i don't know what the problem is.
Speaker 3:I do remember back in the day like that, when, like YouTube was still kind of fresh, that YouTube video was real popular about like Rangers and death blossoms, death blossom.
Speaker 1:You'll use death blossom when you fight Special forces, special forces.
Speaker 2:So whenever, whenever I would see the little PT belt guy, it always made me think it was. It was like stick, you remember, like stick deathcom, i think it was.
Speaker 1:I do.
Speaker 2:Yes, it always reminded me of that. Like I want it. You know what? I'm going to look it up. I'm going to look it up but, the time of figure there be.
Speaker 3:don't remember that shit at all. Hang on, i'm gonna look for the best one. Oh, it's okay, Actually, okay. I remember that shit YouTube was very fresh when I was in. It wasn't like it is now, Like there's social media is not like what it was now. I mean, I remember during when the whole Ukraine thing popped off, like seeing seeing tankers like make social media videos from Poland, I was like is that fucking safe? Like should you be doing this?
Speaker 2:shit. I was watching all kinds of shit whenever, uh, like some of my, some of my buddies, they would be posting shit. I'm sitting there and I'm like how the fuck are you? How the fuck are you even posting Like? you're acting like you're cell phone like look at what we got Just hanging out.
Speaker 3:And the same would like even the you know the beginnings of like basic training videos. Like I mean, it's day three of basic training. Watch me get ready.
Speaker 2:Like what Yeah?
Speaker 3:I know Yeah. They're allowed to have um like phone time, like yeah, i'm happy for them, But it's just like that, i don't think they have any more.
Speaker 2:Me. I'm not happy for them because you know what y'all need to suck too, like it fucking sucked going through basic. You need to fucking suck also Like fuck your phone. Your mama will be there when, when you get back, like maybe, i don't know, the drill sergeant might hook up with her. Who cares?
Speaker 1:Yeah if you're lucky.
Speaker 3:I you know, with the new generation of I'll only speak on soldiers, but like the new generation of like army soldiers, i've noticed a lot more and more with like close friends and their kids getting in or going in And I feel like this generation's soldier is a lot more nine to five than our generation of soldier. Oh, it is.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I'm just like you know, i'm done with work.
Speaker 1:It's like a side hustle.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's like you just seen.
Speaker 1:I mean and I'm basing all, all.
Speaker 3:I'm basing all of my videos that I see off off like social media, like TikTok or whatever YouTube, like yeah, i just finished my day, i'm going to go do this and this Like fuck man, like it's like a regular job.
Speaker 2:I think my favorite ones to see in. the girls get ready Like they'll be on TikTok and they're getting ready. Yeah, i'll get my hair done. I'm getting ready to go to work and I'm just sitting there and, like man, y'all got all this time to do all this shit. Like I remember I've been like what is it like 30, 45 minutes between PT and workout, like you didn't even shower, like you literally changed your clothes in the fucking in your truck, sometimes to make Yeah, or like 12 dudes to a barracks room sharing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Like go keep the shower running scoot over. Everyone's fucking like getting in. All right, Let's go get some breakfast.
Speaker 2:Fucking. run to the gym real quick. Fucking shower if you had time. Yeah, i got the boat as fucking water pool Monday because it was like back to back.
Speaker 3:Like you had PT in the water pool, and then you just fucking stay here. Yeah, my days were just like I'm with my wife and I, my days are just like it's my day. Like, oh shit, i'll see you at like nine. Like yeah, i'll see you at nine.
Speaker 2:Like me, i was surprised, like if, if I got out before I don't know 18, 1900, oh, it was, it was a great day It was very good, oh fuck Yeah.
Speaker 3:And it was so weird out, like being in the, i think I was in my career, i was in the middle of that transition and just because, like there were soldiers around me, like God, it's already 1600. We're still here, like we got four hours left, like tuck in, like we got. What are we going to do? I have no clue, but we'll find out, we'll find out five minutes before we have to leave, though We got to be some shit.
Speaker 1:Like we should have to get here at five 20 this morning for no reason. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So there was times like especially like, i would say like the halfway point between the deployments and stuff, like when we first got back. You know, it's like just get your work done and then send your Joe's home quick enough for staffing. And then it was the same way before we was going on. I remember when I got the bliss, i was still sitting in that mentality of deployment mentality. Yeah, i got in so much trouble because the first week I was there they were like connex cleanouts, that's literally all it was. So we worked till lunch. I kept one guy back with me and set the rest home.
Speaker 2:First, right comes up. You know, hey, where's all your guys at. I'm like, oh, i'll send them home. Why the hell did you do that? Well, we're done. Well, they could clean the latrines. And I'm like, oh my God, liz literally has a cleaning company that comes in and clean the entire fucking like your offices, your floors, your latrines, everything. Like they clean everything in the building. I'm sitting there. I'm like, why the hell is? I'm like, have my Joe's clean fucking with trains. When you got this.
Speaker 1:Oh, show them that you're in charge. Yeah, They respect me more. that sent them home and they would have. I was like scrub that shit Actually.
Speaker 2:so me and Will it was a me, will Briggs The first week I was saying we was doing connex, we was doing connex, clean out layouts, alright, so we go to our connexes and everything, and there was two, two other NCOs, i think it was. that was there, that was in our platoon. Well, our guys are in there. they're pulling stuff out. you know me and Will. we take our jackets off, throw them over, jump in The privates. just stopped in amazement and looked at us and goes what are you guys doing? We're trying to get the shit the fuck down. Let's get it done, get it the fuck out of here.
Speaker 2:Yeah you all don't. You all don't do that. What do you mean? we don't do this. Do you have any connex fucking layouts I've done in my lifetime trust me, i can do this shit blindfolded. No, so before we got there, none of their NCOs ever helped these guys Like they were in total amazement that an NCO could actually lift a fucking hand.
Speaker 3:That's pathetic dude. That sucks Oh it was.
Speaker 2:And then we started. I'm told them we're like, look, it's tragic, we will, we will always be right here with you, doing whatever the fuck it might be. And there was plenty of times I'd send them home and hell, I'd be out there pushing them over. That's my own. So but yeah, and I mean I think the leadership style has changed a lot more here in the new, Oh sure.
Speaker 2:And you know I was actually I was talking to, i was talking to my girl the other day, and what were we? what brought it up? Shit, i can't remember what brought it up, but we were talking about how, for the longest time you know it was you were just, you were rough and ragged, just war torn, fucking warriors ready to rock and roll. But then they've we've gotten rid of so many people to go back to the clean cut, presentable military. That's what it was.
Speaker 2:We were talking about how, how much of a transition it is, how much you have to relearn from stuff, because she had a bunch of the people that had worked with them at the hospital leave And so how the knowledge was lost along the way because the older people left and it was never passed out. And I told her, i said that's exactly what it is like in the military They, we all get out, they kick people out, we get out, you know, we move on because you know they won't. They want clean cut, presentable. So the lot of the knowledge that we know is going to be fucking lost, it's not passed out, and so then when another war kicks off, they have to relearn everything rapidly in order to go back into stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, dude, if war popped off right now, we'd be fucked. I think we get wiped out pretty quick. People would just be too worried about other shit and then maybe so political about everything, like our last appointment was.
Speaker 1:You know if you see him shooting at you, but he puts his rifle down, he is no longer a threat. Like what Again? no, like. You can visually watch somebody shoot at you, but if he puts his rifle down you're not supposed to do shit. He's not even supposed to touch him, or nothing. He could just go, we drive by and he picks up his rifle and shoots at the next guys.
Speaker 2:Y'all remember the hearts and minds. Oh yeah, we heart and minds.
Speaker 1:So we changed it.
Speaker 2:And I mean, I believe that we stood by the hearts and minds thing because we didn't mind if we put two in your heart. So it was kind of a heart and mind kind of deal.
Speaker 1:That makes sense To the heart one of the mind Oh yeah, dude, I mean. But yeah, you would have been in prison for even like you would have to have like a long list of reasons and like a signed, like a signed declaration of I, the guy would have to write you a letter, like I am going to shoot you now And if you don't shoot me, I'm going to shoot you. And like look, he wrote a letter, and they go okay well, he's got the letter.
Speaker 2:It's even signed by his goat. Okay, we have a witness. He licked it with his blood.
Speaker 3:I think that's what was talking about earlier, just like the different generations and how everything has changed and how you learn stuff. I mean, i take full credit and ownership of every mistake I've ever made in the military, but I think that's it that had a lot to do with why I failed as a Garrison soldier, because I cannot tell you how many times I was counseled and told, like, as a tanker, dude, you're a great tanker, you're a great soldier, but back here in Garrison you suck.
Speaker 2:I wasn't good in Garrison. I just hated it. I hated it.
Speaker 1:I hated the fact that it's just like do shit just to do shit, like you said with that, you know I sent him home. We were done Like we could have found more shit to do, but like, but fucking, but why?
Speaker 3:like that guy. I know you guys have seen that thing with the army of just the guy sweeping the water pool in the rain. I think we've done that. That shit just doesn't make it. It never made sense to me why we were doing stupid shit like that.
Speaker 2:It's like there was another video. It was like let me explain the military to you And it was two piles of rocks And the guy was carrying from this pile to this pile And then he was like all right, now move it back. And he was like why? He was like because I said he was like but that doesn't make any fucking sense. He's like welcome to the army.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there was a. I just I just watched a video yesterday this morning And he's an army officer but he was like he saw this video of like these disenlisted guys was like Hey, we're, we're fucking late for formation. It's like, fuck, hey, you want to just stop by the shop that can get some tornadoes, you know. And it's like, and he's like he was, he was like this is what's wrong with fucking enlisted. Like oh, fuck it, you're already late, might as well be more late, and I watched it. I'm like, i mean, that makes sense to me.
Speaker 1:You might as well, if I was already late for something.
Speaker 2:You know I'm not going to be in a hurry, I'm already fucking late, I'm already in trouble. I'm just, oh, suck it up and fucking move on. How many?
Speaker 3:times that she has crossed my mind because I've been, i've been I don't know how many arson 15s I've gotten for being late, just kids like it's insane. But that was my mentality. I'm like, fuck, 636, 30, 635. I'm a little fucking slow down because I'm not going to make 630.
Speaker 1:Yeah, passler, sorry.
Speaker 1:There was already going to get smoked Yeah, all they said. After my son was born, i came back to work after two or three days or whatever it was, and I was at Hassler had him scheduled for a CU. That's great. Had to be asked. I don't remember Hasselman, hassler, that guy. I wonder where he's at. Well, actually you couldn't say anything around this dude And, like, to his credit, he knew like everything, or at least he thought he did for the most part. But yeah, you couldn't say anything without him being like well, actually, actually, shut the fuck up.
Speaker 2:So that. So the voice, I'm not, I'm not going to say his name. So we had this guy. He was prior Navy, Okay, And he comes in and literally every time Well, actually that's literally what he would fucking sound like. You would say something, but he wasn't, He was not right at all Half the time, And so you would sit here and correct him and be like, no, And so I would just start coming up with some stupid aspects, shit that made absolutely no sense, just to piss him off and driving crazy.
Speaker 2:And I remember this one time we were, we was back in the back of LMTV in Iraq and he was sitting there and I don't remember what brought the subject up, But we was all talking about girls and stuff And he was like yeah, so you know my wife, you know she's got long strawberry, like blonde hair and she's got titties that like hang down to here. And I looked at him. I was like so actually she's an orangutan, Like everybody busted up laughing. This guy got so pissed up, He stood up lunch forward, but at the same time the LNTV fucking hits the brakes. He goes flying out the back. We all peek over and we look out and we're like are you good, Fuck you guys. I'm just gonna fucking walk. This motherfucker walked. He walked all the way back to the juice, But ever since then, like I had not even thought about this guy for the longest time, I was like you just said that.
Speaker 1:Well, actually, oh dude, oh shit. I remember all that shit. Dude just talking shit and that one person just had just had enough. That day It was like I'm gonna fuck you up, like all right, come on, just to help.
Speaker 3:I remember what was it.
Speaker 1:Henny, when we had all them clean, like we had all that shit laid out of our shoes and they had that mirror and he like looked over it and a little ginger and was like, he was like and like, but he tripped over a rock or something as he was like backing up I think he might even like play backing up. He was like, oh, and then fucking this fall through this mirror And then it's just like, all of a sudden it's just like this huge, like you know, everything stops, the whole world stops. And here comes Batoon Daddy and it's like.
Speaker 3:What the fuck, dude? Oh shit.
Speaker 1:He wasn't really that serious Man, just people. I heard that first deployment new people would just line up in the rocks every night and fucking go after it wrestling and shit.
Speaker 2:Well, you know, i think that's one thing I missed. That was actually so going back to Bliss, that was one good thing. I got to become an instructor over there teaching level one and level two combatives Nice. But I think that's one thing I fucking missed. I used to fucking love combatives. Like that was the greatest fucking thing. Like Fridays, everybody's pissed off at each other. Fucking we're doing combatives for PT. Fucking 10 o'clock rolls around, everybody's still beating the shit out of each other. And you know they come over and like what are you guys doing? Oh, we're still doing PT.
Speaker 1:We'll see you guys at lunchtime. I think we only actually did that once in our Patoon like a combatives PT day.
Speaker 2:No, yeah, i don't think it was.
Speaker 3:When I went to fucking for Raleigh dude, they were all about that shit.
Speaker 1:Well it was pretty new, i think. As we were leaving I remember like the squadron did remember Doc Sealy like one, like a. They did like a squadron formation in SART major was just like we're all doing combatives right now. Because our medic was Doc Sealy, who was a I mean, he's a bad motherfucker.
Speaker 3:This dude still runs triathlons and Oh, he just ran one without any prep and got third place Yeah.
Speaker 1:He's like.
Speaker 3:I forgot He's like yeah, i remember he was like he says something like I forgot I had this coming up. I'm gonna have to do hard.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i only got third place And he was like an MMA fighter. He was like one of them dudes, it's just a freak athlete at everything you know And he won that. he won like the whole squadron tournament, like the random, like here's the tournament. right now we're doing it.
Speaker 2:I thought that was a freak. You know, always you always get those one or two guys that can just like wake up and fucking score 300 on a dam. It's 300 plus on a PT test of like 30 minutes of notice, yeah, and.
Speaker 3:I used to get some pissed at those people.
Speaker 2:I'm just sitting there. I'm like how the fuck do you do this Like? this is bullshit.
Speaker 1:Steel used to do that shit.
Speaker 2:No, what was his name? Geyer, this guy? he would, literally he would take off, run and make it to the turnaround point in like three and a half minutes, type shit. So two cigarettes and fucking run back, And then halfway down he'd light another cigarette across the finish line with it in his mouth.
Speaker 3:Well, I remember we sat there one day and I'm fucking, I'm hungover. I'm drunk.
Speaker 2:Yeah, i'm drunk as shit still And they're like, oh, we're doing a PT test today And I'm like fucking awesome, like this is going to be great, i'm going to throw up today.
Speaker 1:Oh, I did.
Speaker 2:I threw up on a little fucking place And you know what, like passing that PT test, literally I was sitting there and I'm like what is my minimum? Like what am I? How old am I right now? Like what, am I 25? What's the minimum on that? Okay, yeah, okay, i could do that. And I remember crossing the finish line, his motherfucker sitting there smoking a cigarette again And he's like man, i envy you. And I looked at him and said what the fuck you envy me for. He was like I could never still be shitfaced drunk and do a PT test. I was like no, you can just wake up 30 minutes and just fucking knock one out of the ballpark. Though He was like, yeah, but that's easy. He was like I can still smell the alcohol just coming from you. I'm like yeah, it was a horrible fucking night man.
Speaker 2:Like I left half of it, about three quarters of a mile back back there. I don't miss out shit at all.
Speaker 1:I remember one specifically we had to travel for and it was like on the other side of Fort Hood We still I don't know was starting tolling, was doing my pushups And I remember it was like pre second deployment. Yeah, no, we did one like in a park, i remember, and there was like a we did, i don't know It was a different, it wasn't the real head, it was park, but we were there and I just remember it was like fuck, five o'clock, five, 30 in the morning or something Like you smell like a fucking brewery.
Speaker 1:And I was just like Roger I know They're fucking hurting right now Did like 37 pushups and just got up. Yeah, i was like 50 sit ups and just got up and just ran Like oh my God, just keep up with. I. Just look for someone I know is running like 15 minutes. Like just keep up with them.
Speaker 2:You know, like going through like I, no matter what my age was, i always just kept telling myself I was like, i think it was. I was like 45, 55, 15 minutes. I was like that's what I was like. If I hit those numbers, i'll pass, doesn't matter how old I am. So, oh shit, what the fuck. I guess I'm blue dots. James said I had to run.
Speaker 3:James said I had to run the track around Fort Hood Stadium. What wants to turn a rainstorm Literally running through puddles? and I did not try it. I took 22 minutes to run, two months.
Speaker 2:Oh fuck, oh fuck you know, i think those were the worst ones, Like I didn't mind going like one out one back, one out one back, kind of did a fucking run.
Speaker 1:I'm like crazy. Yeah, the real head was like that, just a mile back and a mile back. Yeah yeah, yeah, the track.
Speaker 2:The runner run track. What was it, WLC? we had to run around a track And, I swear to God, they picked the fucking shortest track where it's like, okay, you gotta run around it 10 times, It's an equal a mile. And I'm like what the fuck Like y'all can't mark out a fucking block around this motherfucker?
Speaker 3:Like damn. They had a track up at Fort Riley that was like there was like the one loop that was eight laps, or you could do the bigger loop, which is just four laps, But the bigger loop went like this and shit, like a maze. So it was like what do you want to do The maze for four laps or run eight straight, Like I don't want to do either, Like fuck, fuck, fuck laps.
Speaker 1:Yeah, i tell you what. The worst PT test I ever took was the one in Iraq, or one of them. In Iraq, i think it was our first appointment. We got there like the second day. They're like all right, we're doing PT test. I'm like what? I'm like what the fuck I just remember just like the air tasted so bad like I was like throwing up you shit yourself.
Speaker 3:You didn't know that.
Speaker 1:I mean, i'm sure I did hear it at one point. You're also the same guy that got the entire post laundry shut down.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, What was the second appointment? My bad second appointment.
Speaker 1:Oh you sure Was it the one that I missed.
Speaker 3:It might have been, but like I had to fart and I just I let it rip and I was like oh fuck, and I took my fucking sock off and like went off to the wherever in the desert And just like wipe my like I do remember that And I ran the whole thing with like one sock. They're like you fucking failed the run. I was like, oh it's missing a fucking sock.
Speaker 1:Had to shit. Let me run again.
Speaker 3:Like, let me do it again.
Speaker 2:I think my favorite one was let's see, we was in Afghanistan and JBad when we did a PT test And then we did it was a global war on terrorism, 5k or some shit. Then we had to run around this little fucking five area I think it was like seven times or eight times to get the fucking the entire distance in. I was by my like second lap. I was honestly like can I just stop? Like this is being so repetitive, like I am tired of fucking seeing the same shit all the damn time.
Speaker 3:Oh shit, Colin, what are you?
Speaker 1:gonna do next He said the invasion, adjusting the local foods when they were. He was initial invasion of Iraq. So I mean they were probably eating that, eating that goat head stew or whatever. Dude You see any chickens around here? Fuck, no, honestly no chickens.
Speaker 3:We had a guy shit in his No Mix cup. He just didn't make it. It's horrible, dude.
Speaker 1:Nasty, didn't Dutton shit in a fucking MRE box and the MRAP and it like missed, like explosively sprayed shit all over the bag of the MRAP. Yeah, cardwell told us about that on his episode.
Speaker 3:I remember the I remember what you're talking about now the PT test for the first deployment in Mosul. That was just like it was like down the way you bank a left and you run back, but the dirt was so powdery, like every time someone drove by you know, and it was hot, you might as well, breathe with, like, your hand over your fade Cause it was yeah, yeah, you mean you can't breathe.
Speaker 1:Spitting out dirt Like I got dirt in my teeth. Spitting out a little mud, yeah.
Speaker 2:You know we was in let's see, it was a, i think it was J-Bed. At the same time, i decided to be a grad. I want to go to EOD school, so EOD was doing applications and shit, so I put them in and everything, and we just so happened to have a EOD unit there with us And so I went there to do the test. Well, i showed up in, you know, full uniform and everything. I get inside the bomb suit. You know, of course, the fans don't fucking work, and so they're sitting there smoking the shit out of you, and they're well, no, they're not smoking you, it's conditioning.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's conditioning. They're conditioning you before you start doing your, your test of you know. They'll throw two quarters, five dimes and three nickels on the table And then they'll cover it up and go. How many was each one it was? And I think that honestly, i would. That was probably my worst experience fucking ever, because it was not until the end that you take the shit off and you're completely drenched to your fucking ballsack that they tell you Most of us just fucking stripped down to her skibbies. I don't know why you kept your whole uniform on, oh God.
Speaker 1:Like cause you didn't tell me that? Fuck you guys. So you guys all, share that bomb suit with your nuts Just fucking.
Speaker 2:They've got me thinking I'm like how much ballsack is in this bitch?
Speaker 1:Like how much ballsuit did we just make?
Speaker 3:I'm clipping the shit out of it. That's a promo for this week's episode.
Speaker 2:I thought it smelled funny, but damn, I can't wait until the description is like and then they, and then they talked about ball soup for about five minutes.
Speaker 1:Chapter 37, ball soup. There you go. Ball soup and poop soup. Everything turns into a soup at that. Yeah, why does this smell familiar, Oh man.
Speaker 2:What you had After so long. You really you don't get that out of your uniforms. You can, honestly, you can tell your deployment uniforms from your gear. Some kept uniforms, but the smell is a problem. Throw them, fuckers away, dude.
Speaker 3:And if you can't tell by the look of them, the smell for sure.
Speaker 1:Dengie. Yeah, it's like man, these things were brand new a year ago and now they're just not going.
Speaker 2:What was that? What was that called The AADP? You know, during deployment you could order like you'd be able to get like four uniforms. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I would, literally I'd wear the same, like wear out the same two or three uniforms, and I would just constantly order uniformed shirts and socks and I'd stack them in a tuck box, so that way, when I got back to the States, i had brand new uniforms for the whole year.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:So every deployment, that's all I would do. I'd be like fuck it, I'm just going to wear the same motherfucker. So by the time I got done, it was literally get to the house. They're in threads like there's nothing left in these damn things.
Speaker 1:Do you guys ever have like dreams that you're still in or like anything like that? So I have like a recurring dream. That happens quite often in different ways, but like I'll, i'll be in formation and then like they'll be like open ranked smarts, and all of a sudden I'm like man, i don't look like, i don't have a fucking uniform. I'm pretty sure I got a beard, you know. I'm like where the fuck is all my shit. I don't have an ID, like dude, i'm not even. I'm even in the fucking army. No more, you know my three core book right.
Speaker 1:Like oh, not my planner or my private books that I had to keep in. You know all that, i. But so, yeah, you guys have anything like that.
Speaker 2:The other the. It was like a couple of nights or a couple of weeks ago. I actually had a dream like that And I remember like I was like in full uniform the whole night, like just going about my way, like it. Literally it felt like a day in the army kind of deal. And I woke up all of a sudden and literally the first words, i shaved my fucking beard And I was like, oh damn, i was fucking dreaming.
Speaker 3:I was like shit, i was like I really thought I was still in.
Speaker 2:I was like I don't know. Yeah, dude.
Speaker 3:I don't, i don't, i don't have, you know, unless they're like really bad nightmares, but like they're good ones, or just are the ones that, like I, sometimes I still feel like I'm sleeping in a tank And it just like I don't. I don't open my eyes yet, i'm just like, fuck, i need to don't straighten your leg out all the way because you're gonna fucking hit something. And then I'm like, oh shit, i'm in my bed.
Speaker 1:I'm not in a tank, you know. I just had a thought when you said that like that tank sleep, dude, that tank sleep used to hit different bro, that driver seat, that two minute cool down. I was the king of the two minute cool down, bro. Like isn't a tank, you couldn't get out like the driver, you know. You hit the two minute cool down, you got two minutes and you're like all right, bet You're out. Yeah, sometimes I'll be sitting in my recliner and I'm like you know cause you're still in that position and everyone's still on.
Speaker 1:I'm like you get that quick and you like wake up and you're just like so energized Oh for sure, i'm talking that tank sleep.
Speaker 3:He just woke up from an app. Now go drive the 70 time vehicle five feet down the road. Yeah, james, it. I'll have a dream sometimes about deploying and panic about putting my stuff up in storage. Yeah, that sucks. Do we lose will? Oh, there he is. No, i'm here, sorry, make sure you're here. You're dreaming of the FRH. No, I'm not a fan of that either. I remember Kimo when we were on OP.
Speaker 1:He was like sorry, i'm all right. And we're like, would you fucking piss yourself down there? And he's like no, like he woke up from his nap and he was literally sitting balls deep and just FRH like the one of the one of the hydraulic pumps had busted, and then he was just sitting in a pool of FRH.
Speaker 1:It's like it can't be good for you, dude. That's not good for you. That'll reduce your sperm count for sure. That was actually the night that we called X-ray and had Chenalt basically teach us how to fix the tank over the fucking radio.
Speaker 2:You know, there was a. So we had a generator go out. And who was it? We were attached to someone. I think it was 173rd, i can't remember. Anyways, their mechanics were fucking dicks, like they would not fix our generator. Well, i called my buddy who was a mechanic. He was up in. They were in Bagram or no? they were in. Yeah, they were in Bagram at the time. And I told him I said, hey, i got a hundred K generator and I need a water pump. And he was like what? I was like, i need fucking water pump, ship me a water pump. And so he ended up shipping me a water pump. Well, this is another thing like I learned in the army is do not let them know that you know how to do construction and that you know mechanical shit.
Speaker 1:Or from another one of our guests, a ghost don't let them know that you're an artist.
Speaker 2:Because they will get you out on all that shit. Ever since that day, since I fucked up and fixed the generator. Since then it was Hey, will you go fix this? So then it was made videos. You know all the Bongo trucks and the Toyotas and shit that the civilians would all have.
Speaker 3:Well, you know, half.
Speaker 2:some of them had AC, so it was actually quite nice. And so it got to the point we would take rocks, and I put rocks on top of the tires to see how long they sat there And if they sat there more than three days.
Speaker 2:I'd go over there, pop the locks and hot wire. Well, we drive them around and join for a little while, you know, and just leave them sitting there Until one day we popped the General's lock. Well, there was a whole fucking shenanigan like you blow up about that shit. Well, so then they're looking at it and everything. Well, a small fog. Guess who they fucking come to Will. Do you know anything about this fuck? No, i don't know shit. No, no, no, nope. Didn't teach anybody how to hot wire cars.
Speaker 1:I don't even know what you're talking about. I don't even know. You can. You can what That's real. I had no idea.
Speaker 2:You take the red wire and you touch to the blue wire, like in the movie. Like, how do you do that? Why don't you just take a screwdriver and pop it and turn it?
Speaker 1:I mean, or I mean that's what I've seen on YouTube. Like I'm colorblind, anyway, i have no idea what you're talking about.
Speaker 2:Well, so so growing up. I had a bad. I had a bad habit of stealing my grandma's Honda Civic And my dad. They confiscated, i think, 15 keys from me because I would go buy, i would go get key blanks.
Speaker 1:I don't know why I just bought keys like kilos.
Speaker 3:I was like God damn, damn, damn No actually.
Speaker 1:I was doing, they didn't send you to front-round.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you know I was. I was 15 years old, going to pick up 15 kilos. Got the keys, baby, my grandma's Honda Civic. You know that's when fast the beers came out.
Speaker 1:So you know I don't want to, So I guess that gives away how I grew up. Not personally, but like 15, like I knew motherfuckers that were doing that shit.
Speaker 2:I mean so you, so your guys, was picking up kilos. I'm over here filing keys, the fucking Jack cars.
Speaker 1:Not me.
Speaker 2:Actually don't want shit about shit Man you know, I was thinking about your.
Speaker 2:What was it? the episode before last, the Adjusting Fire, which I did, and I was listening to that the other day and I cannot remember what it was, but I was listening to it because I had my son down here and he looked at me. He was like, yeah, you know, i I listened to your episode, your first episode. I looked at it because, i'll be honest, i was surprised. I said you did what. He was like, yeah, i listened to it And I was like, oh, okay, cool. Well then y'all said something and I should have rewatched it just to remember. But he looked at me and he was like, exactly, and I looked at him. I said what the fuck do you know about that? He was like I listened to veteran chat, dad, i know. I looked at him. I said I'm about to take away from you, like I'm going to be a fucking Spotify, hey dude.
Speaker 1:That's one of our five listeners. bro, You better chill.
Speaker 3:I know you've got a little homie Listen.
Speaker 2:He's just trying to get to know his pops Right. I mean honestly, hey, I was, I was, I was happy, That's dope though.
Speaker 2:That's fucking dope. But now I was sitting there and it you know it made me go in with that. you know how you had to adjust fire And it. It kind of makes me think of times that just in your daily lives how you have to adjust fire and stuff because you know you could go in with the most laid out plan and it's fucked, like it'll be fucked. So you got to adjust And I mean I deal with it a lot, especially with parts and stuff.
Speaker 1:I was going to say. The first thing that popped in my head for you was parts Like oh fuck. I can't get this part. This guy's closed. I need this shit by today, Like who's who can get it to me now, You know we need to have the tax in.
Speaker 2:So two weeks ago, you know, i had a. I had a bad ECM. I had to send it back to the company. I called the company and they're like yeah, you know, we got you, we'll warranty it out. I'm like awesome, we're. They're like we're going to send you a shipping label. I said I don't fucking need that. I went and overnighted it. Well, i called him about a week later. Oh well, we're, we're, we're going to get that out to you. Well, it's been three weeks. I just got it today. So it's been three weeks and everything. But with that, you know, i had to adjust because the vehicle I was working on should have already been gone, so I had another one scheduled. So now I had, you know, i had to call and explain to him. Look, you know this is taking a little bit more time. You know, I know you're supposed to be in here right now, but you know, give me another week, we're going to get you in, kind of this.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And there was one thing we used to. my instructor taught me during combatives and I would teach people whenever I was teaching it. He said that the most you can go into any fight with the most laid out plan, as soon as the first punch is landed, or thrown and landed, all plans go out the door and survival mode.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think, for if you kind of think about that in life, like it applies to almost everything you do daily, even the most simplest plan can go haywire. And I think with a lot of us we are how I had talked before about that a to b personality deal. We like to kind of be in control, we like to plan things, and if something fucks those plans up, that fucks our data And so it kind of I think that all just kind of wraps itself around it, like it. Oh yeah, so hell yeah.
Speaker 3:It's, it's a never ending process of adjusting fire. Yeah, it's, it's never ending, it's? I mean, i've been dealing that with that shit, you know, myself for three days trying to put rocks into this. You know, freaking whatever you want to call it out here, but I'm trying to landscape this little area. You know, first thinking I need like, yeah, 20 bags of rocks. Good. Like no, you need to go by 30 more. No, go by 20 more, go by 10 more, like fuck. But yeah, this is a. I mean pretty much exactly what Alder said. Plans are great until the mission start starts and the plan goes out the window.
Speaker 2:Okay. It goes out the window dude, Yeah The you know, one thing real quick. What we really need to get in on is we get these guys to sponsor.
Speaker 1:We haven't said their name once. This episode. Last time it was, we said about 36 or 37 times, but they're not paying us, so I'm not saying it.
Speaker 2:We're just we're just getting a slight keys.
Speaker 1:Not saying to they paying.
Speaker 2:What is that Y'all ever listen to, like Chris Callico and Tech mind? Yeah, you know how he goes with the Malibu loop. He was like you know, i drank it but they ain't paying me. But if you want to, yeah.
Speaker 1:We had my I remember one of my birthday parties over at Morales apartment. I remember I made that caribou and I made like three jugs of it, dude. We got fucked up. That was a good time. I miss Morales, man. This is another shout out to where the fuck are you at Gabriel Morales. If you have seen or heard of Gabriel Morales, i know there's probably a lot of them, but he's our mojo and we need him.
Speaker 3:It's a hard person to find What's the name. Gabriel Morales. Where did you live?
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:Narrows it down quite a bit. Well that's where he's from. That's why I assume that's where you went back to.
Speaker 2:Gabriel Morales Maria he.
Speaker 3:He went back there for for a hot minute.
Speaker 1:I want to have to ask a walker to start looking for him. Go find our boy.
Speaker 2:What you need to do is you need to get you a picture and hashtag Chukotown and see if he starts popping up around there.
Speaker 3:Oh shit, that's a good idea. The hey, i'm going to help my dog out here. You want to ask me that question that you asked Pam about the offer, what you like, what you offer as a human being.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:You want to go ahead and you want to finish off with that, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, i'm just saying give me like 10, 10 seconds, i'm going to let my dog out.
Speaker 1:No, no, so what we? yeah, pam, our last guest, uh, pam Bear Bergen Bodigan, uh, from 2200 taps, um, we, she brought up a question. Well, she brought up through a conversation just kind of like uh, almost like a words of affirmation type deal, and then she kind of talked about yesterday or not yesterday um. Tuesday. So it was basically like um, just like, what do you think, like as a as a human being, as a man, as a father, as a husband? uh, like, what do you bring to the table?
Speaker 1:No, i mean um like, what makes you, you and in, uh, the aspect of, like I said, like father, husband or you know um that whole deal.
Speaker 2:I guess I would have to say dedication, and the unwillingness to give up on anything Like it doesn't matter how hard something gets or how easy it gets. I will always be there to make sure that everybody needs what they, everybody has what they need, and that just to be that continuous driving force. like, um, like in my previous episode how I said you know I wasn't there for my son growing up a lot.
Speaker 2:And so now it's, it's really made me want to be there even more, and so I think, just you know, a lot of people could be like you know, i'm a caregiver, uh, i'm a protector, i mean that's, that should be a given. But you actually, you have to be that, that driving force like you have to encourage them, you know, help them accomplish their goals. Just as much as you accomplish They help you accomplish yours.
Speaker 1:For sure, Absolutely. Yeah, I feel that for sure. That's um, that's pretty dope. I keep hearing my echo and it's fucking me up, I mean yeah, i like that dedication and unwillingness to give in.
Speaker 3:That's, that's a good one. I like that. Yeah, well, it was, um it's. I appreciate you coming to hang out, dude. Um, yeah again, um, definitely, definitely do it again, kyle, you got you got anything before we wrap up?
Speaker 1:I don't, man, just shout out to Will's son for fucking listening to us, yeah.
Speaker 3:We never would just say don't get me in trouble, dude. Yeah, yeah. but with that being said, um, yes, i want to thank Will for for hopping back on and to chat with us again.
Speaker 3:It was good catching up, just talking, shooting the shit. Um, you know open conversations up. Thanks for everyone in the chat. Um, you know what what Kyle said before? um, you know about, about Will and his business over there. Um, taya's fabrication in Elma, alabama. Feel free to hit them up. They're on. Uh, they're on all. Uh, yeah, all all the platforms, uh, facebook, take talk, instagram. You'll see all their work. Um, I've been on their Instagram the whole show just looking at their stuff. It's cool. Um, but if you guys want to be in the show, you reach out. Uh, veteran Jeff project at gmailcom. Uh, messages on Facebook or um, or or on all the other social media platforms. Other slam dunka. Um, but if you uh, if you're good um, go ahead and close this out. We love you Everybody just remember. Uh, you're not alone.
Speaker 1:Um thanks, see y'all next week. Have a good weekend. Love you, bye, bye, bye.
