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Strap in, team—we're back in the team room with retired Chief Ivan Ruiz, legendary PJ, Katrina rescuer, INDOC instructor, and all-around certified badass. We’re talking about the upcoming PJ Rodeo, but let’s be honest, this episode quickly turns into a firestorm of nostalgia, brutal honesty, and unapologetic takes on what’s going right—and VERY wrong—with Air Force Special Warfare.

From the high-angle ropes event at South Point Casino to shooting comps, Monster Mash med drills, and jump events open to the public, this year’s rodeo isn’t just a reunion—it’s a mission. We highlight why the Association and Foundation still matter, why the new pipeline model might be wrecking community culture, and why having your mom at your recruiter meeting might be the red flag of the century.

We also get real about silent professionals, the identity crisis in AFSPECWAR, and the gut punch of watching “toughness” get traded for lab coats and PowerPoints.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

- PJ Rodeo 2025 is live in Vegas, June 16–21—public welcome. Bring your boots.
- Open call: small businesses, sponsors, and silent pros—support your own or stop complaining.
- The old INDOC course? Brutal. Legendary. Respected. Still undefeated in shaping warriors.
- Rocks in pools, buddy drags, and mask/snout punishment weren’t hazing.
- PJs aren’t granola-eating hippies. Except maybe a few.
- Hurricane Katrina rescues = 240+ hoists. Real ops vs Instagram ops.
- Want to be a PJ? Don’t chase the unicorn. Show up, shut up, perform.
- If your parents are talking to your recruiter... you’re not ready.

⏱️ Timestamps:

- 00:00 – Hardy Studios plug, gear discounts, intro to Ivan Ruiz
- 03:30 – What the PJ Rodeo actually is (and why it’s badass)
- 05:00 – Events rundown: jumps, shooting, ropes, Monster Mash
- 07:40 – Public welcome + building community culture
- 09:10 – Sponsorships, vendors, and how to support
- 11:30 – Association vs Foundation: who saves who
- 13:20 – Real-world impact: brain bleeds, hurricanes, grant checks
- 17:15 – Katrina rescues: 240 hoists, young guys in the fight
- 20:30 – Retirement thoughts: missing the X, not the queep
- 25:45 – Operators worry

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This one isn’t a podcast. It’s a goddamn war story. UFC Hall-of-Famer and America’s toughest mustache, Don Frye, joins Aaron and Atlas for a conversation that spans decades, back surgeries, ghost trucks, Vietnam comms tents, and mob-backed wrestling matches in Japan.

What starts as a laugh-packed swapcast quickly veers into territory most men won’t talk about: childhood trauma, fear, failure, the shame of weakness—and the rage that fuels resilience.

🦬 Don walks through fire (literally), punches his way through pain, and teaches us how to be the bison when life turns into a blizzard.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

• Integrity isn’t a tagline—it’s the only thing that matters on your tombstone
• Your pain is fuel. Your weakness is the enemy. Your mission: never back down
• Don watched one loss on VHS for four years straight—just to get better
• Ghost trucks are real. Also, so is dying. Twice. Don’s not impressed
• Ric Flair suits are expensive. Don broke ribs instead
• Life is a snowstorm. Walk into it. Be the bison
• Punch fear in the throat. Then drink whiskey and mentor a PJ

⏱️ Timestamps:

• 0:00:00 – Intro, Atlas & Aaron link up with MMA legend Don Frye
• 0:01:10 – Ric Flair suits, challenge coins, and Air Force lineage
• 0:03:00 – Don's dad, Vietnam stories, and integrity from the start
• 0:07:30 – Service before self, firefighting, and refusing mediocrity
• 0:12:30 – MMA journey: UFC wins, quitting jobs, punching for purpose
• 0:17:00 – Don’s dark past, hatred of weakness, and fire for excellence
• 0:23:30 – Wrestling, fighting, and the obsession to improve
• 0:28:30 – Advice to the broken: walk into the storm, be the bison
• 0:33:00 – Failure, rematches, and integrity in loss
• 0:40:00 – Japan matches, mob ties, and accidental rib breaking
• 0:46:00 – Hall of Fame, mindset, fatherhood, and PTSD in motion
• 0:51:00 – Back surgery, coma, literal resurrection, and relentless drive
• 0:56:00 – Why Don still shows up: fans, dogs, hate, and heart
• 0:59:00 – Final reflections, mentoring new PJs, and walking through fire

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Welcome to another savage Daily Drop where Jared sifts through the Pentagon’s greatest hits — everything from the Air Force shoving 31 more fighters into Korea, to Space Force getting table scraps for a budget, to the shocking revelation that 66% of the Guard and Reserve are apparently auditioning for "My 600-lb Life: Military Edition."

Along the way, we roast the Signal App scandal (spoiler: everyone uses it), laugh at the "makeup room" conspiracy (Hexeth allegedly turned the Pentagon green room into Sephora), and wonder why America still thinks tanks are cooler than satellites. Also: a reality check on why Uber is cheaper than ruining lives with a DUI.

Buckle up. This one’s loaded with bad decisions, hot takes, and a gentle reminder that if you can’t save someone from drowning, maybe, just maybe, you shouldn’t be rocking that uniform.

👉 Like, subscribe, comment your spicy takes, leave a review if you're feeling brave, and join the membership to support the savage honesty. Check out the merch store so you can rock your own anti-bonbon movement gear.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

• Operator Training Summit in June: 12 hours of pool work because your "doggy paddle" isn't going to cut it at SWAS.
• DIU Expansion: Kentucky, Minnesota, and Montana now have a reason to brag besides cows and hockey.
• Transgender Care Drama: It’s complicated...and taxpayer-funded.
• Signal App Hysteria: Everyone's using Signal. Calm down, nerds.
• Makeup Gate: Breaking news: men shine on camera. Film at 11.
• South Korea's Super Squadron: 31 new jets incoming; insert "Top Gun but in Seoul" montage here.
• Affordable Combat Drones: Because who doesn’t want more budget drones buzzing around?
• Obesity in the Force: Two-thirds of the Guard and Reserve are thicker than a Snickers — and that's not a compliment.
• Agile Combat Employment: Great idea. Terrible follow-through. Typical.
• Space Race (Spoiler: We’re Losing): China’s eating our lunch while we buy more tanks we don’t need.
• DUI PSA: If you can afford a $12 beer, you can afford a $20 Uber, dummy.

⏱️ Timestamps:

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Kill Cliff - Pro...