The Funniest and Most F*cked Up Stories From Retired Marine First Sergeant
This might be one of the wildest Marine Corps stories we’ve ever had on the show. Retired Marine First Sergeant Randall Parkes sat down with Urban Valor to share some of the funniest, most unbelievable, and downright fcked up* moments from his 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. From barracks inspections gone wrong, to combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, to a real-life rescue that helped spark the Abraham Accords — this episode has everything.Randall gets brutally honest about what it’s like to lead Marines, deal with chaos as a First Sergeant, and balance discipline with dark military humor. He shares raw, hilarious, and emotional moments from his time in recon, MARSOC, boot camp, and even his post-military life — from real estate success to landing a job at Anduril.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video chapters: 0:00 – Flashlight Incident & Barracks Inspection Chaos2:00 – Marine Corps Wartime Service Overview3:50 – First Deployment & Recon Battalion Life6:00 – Becoming a First Sergeant: The Good, Bad & Absurd10:00 – DUI Drama & Naked Room Inspections16:00 – Life on Ship & Wild Company Commanders20:45 – Djibouti Jump Missions & Mission Cancellations23:50 – Corpsman Save Emirati Prince's Life27:00 – Condom Bowl Fiasco30:00 – Transition to Drill Instructor Life in San Diego34:30 – Depot Life & Suicide Watch Recruit37:00 – Thumbtack Inspection & Culture Shift in Training41:00 – Screwing With Recruits (In Good Fun)44:15 – First Transgender Recruit Experience50:00 – Honest Reflection on Inclusive Boot Camp55:00 – Career Climax & Transition Plans1:03:00 – Battles with Retirement Orders1:10:00 – Hating Corporate Life After Service1:15:00 – Finding New Purpose at Anduril1:17:00 – Final Reflections: From First Sergeant to Civilian#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories
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Army Special Ops Pilot Disarms Himself to Stay Alive in Combat
What drives a decorated Special Operations pilot to unload his weapon - not in fear of the enemy, but of himself?In this Urban Valor Podcast interview, Army veteran and Night Stalker pilot Nick O’Kelly reveals the mental battle he faced during deployment in Afghanistan. A former Green Beret turned elite helicopter pilot, Nick opens up about the hidden war inside his head — a war with depression, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts that nearly claimed his life.While flying missions in an active combat zone, Nick reached a breaking point. Fearing he might harm himself, he made the chilling decision to empty his pistol and carry it unloaded for the remainder of the deployment. This episode dives deep into the culture of military mental health, the silent suffering many combat veterans endure, and what it means to survive not just physically, but emotionally!👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video chapters: 00:00 – Meet Nick O’Kelly02:45 – Special Forces Beginnings07:30 – Transition to Aviation11:05 – Deployment to Afghanistan14:10 – The Toxic Command & Losing Purpose18:30 – The Day He Unloaded His Pistol25:15 – Living in Fear of His Own Thoughts30:00 – Hiding Depression in the Ranks38:20 – Finding Help and Climbing Back44:10 – Life After the Military & Lessons LearnedCheck out https://thenickokelly.com/stigma to follow Nick’s work. #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories
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He Survived a Meth Overdose and Became a Special Forces Soldier
This is one of the wildest military redemption stories I’ve ever heard.Shawn Vance was a former college athlete who spiraled hard—stealing for the thrill, smoking weed daily, and eventually overdosing on meth he found while picking up trash on the freeway. The overdose wrecked his heart. He could’ve died. Should’ve, honestly.But instead… he enlisted in the Army through the 18X program and clawed his way into Special Forces.In this Urban Valor episode, Shawn walks us through the full ride—from near-death overdose and felony arrest, to surviving Green Beret selection, passing the Q-Course, and becoming a Special Forces Medic (18D).We break down:– How Special Forces Selection (SFAS) really works– Why so many 18X candidates fail out– What actually happens during the Q-Course and SERE– How the Army gave him the structure to turn it all aroundIf you’re into real stories about resilience, transformation, and the ugly truth behind “elite” military training—this one’s gonna hit.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video chapters: #military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
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Marine Sent to Help Afghan Kids Caught in Devastating Blast
She came to America at five. She became a Marine. What happened next will stay with you.This week on Urban Valor, we dive into the story of Gunnery Sergeant Kimmy Lamano, a Filipino-American immigrant who rose through the ranks of the U.S. Marine Corps while carrying the weight of trauma, silence, and survival.From growing up in Manila and Hawaii, to surviving a convoy explosion in Afghanistan while teaching Afghan children, Kimmy’s journey is one of grit, honor, and post-service healing. For 18 years, she served her country in combat zones, humanitarian crises, and as a trailblazing female Drill Instructor.But it wasn’t just the battlefield she had to fight on. It was the return home, the invisible wounds, and the struggle to find purpose beyond the uniform.💥 Hear how an undocumented TBI and PTSD nearly took her down — and how she came back to serve again, this time through her nonprofit Fidelis Outreach, helping veterans and communities around the world.🎙️ This is more than a Marine Corps story. It’s the story of an immigrant who became a leader, a survivor, and a voice for others who suffer in silence.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video chapters: 00:00 – Surviving a Convoy Blast in Afghanistan01:19 – From Manila to the Marine Corps02:52 – Early Struggles & Learning English05:29 – Life with Her Marine Stepdad06:13 – Decision to Join the Marines09:01 – Brutal First Days of Bootcamp12:53 – Injury, Rehab & Staying the Course17:42 – First Deployment: Hurricane Katrina23:06 – Evacuating Beirut, 200626:49 – Becoming a Resilient Leader30:45 – Combat Deployments & FOB Life34:42 – Teaching Afghan Kids on Deployment38:30 – The Blast That Changed Everything43:39 – Lingering Effects of TBI & PTSD45:51 – Fulfilling Her Dream: Drill Instructor49:32 – Transforming Recruits Through Training53:18 – Behind the Scenes at Parris Island56:28 – Wrapping Up Her Military Career59:42 – Civilian Transition & Mental Health1:04:10 – Founding Fidelis Outreach1:05:43 – Giving Back Around the World#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
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Marine Commander Blown Up, Ambushed, & Hunted by Enemy Sniper
Blown up by a 25lb IED. Hunted by a sniper. Lost six Marines in one of the deadliest provinces in Afghanistan.This is Marine Lt. Col. Mike Manocchio’s story — and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever heard, and it's right here on today's Urban Valor Episode! Mike led troops through nonstop combat in Marjah, Helmand Province — an area packed with IEDs, ambushes, and Taliban fighters tracking their every move. He survived a massive explosion, had sniper rounds miss his head by inches, and still went back out to lead his men.But the hardest part wasn’t the firefights. It was what came after. The survivor’s guilt. The PTSD. The faces of the Marines who didn’t come home.He opens up about the chaos of war, the day Kyle Carpenter threw himself on a grenade, and what it’s like trying to put the pieces back together when the war ends — but the battle doesn’t.If you’re looking for Afghanistan war stories, Marine IED survival, or veteran interviews — this one’s going to stay with you.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video chapters: 00:00 – Blown Up by a 25lb IED in Marjah03:42 – Why He Joined After 9/1107:15 – First Deployment & Losing Marines Early12:01 – Training for the Surge in Afghanistan18:30 – Marjah Patrols & Taliban Ambushes Begin27:04 – IED Blast Knocks Him Out Cold36:02 – Sniper Round Nearly Hits His Head44:50 – Six Marines Lost in Combat57:43 – Taliban Coordinated Attack Across Bases1:27:50 – Mental Health Collapse & Finding Help#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
Welcome to Urban Valor, where we hear the stories of our veteran heroes in their own words. Within these vet interviews, you'll hear everything from combat stories, life stories pre/post military, military transition, and everything in between. Our interviews aren't just war stories or combat veteran interviews, but interviews from any military veteran willing to share. Our mission is to educate the masses with what military veterans go through while serving their country and how life has been since their military transition back to civilian life. Join our cause, online community, and show your support for Urban Valor at https://urbanvalor.com
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