Urban Valor: the podcast

Marine Staff Sergeant Tony Storey served 21 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including combat deployments to Somalia and Iraq. At just 21 years old, he led Marines into Somalia during Operation Restore Hope, survived a bullet striking the sandbag beside his head, and later endured a monsoon that flooded his fighting position with human remains.

In this episode, of Urban Valor, Tony shares what it was like entering Mogadishu, serving as an 0311 Rifleman, training Iraqi security forces, and carrying the memories of combat long after coming home. 

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🗣️ 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!

Chapters: 
00:00 Marine Still Has the Bullet That Almost Killed Him
01:15 Tony Storey — 21 Years in the Marine Corps
01:44 Childhood, Abandonment & Losing His Grandparents
06:56 Growing Up in the Shadow of His Marine Father
10:45 His Father’s Brutal Combat History in Vietnam
17:02 “He Was the Marine I Wanted to Be”
20:32 Deciding to Join the Marines
26:03 Arriving at Parris Island
31:08 The Recruit Named Batman
33:30 What Marine Boot Camp Taught Him About Himself
38:32 A Massive Recruit Brawl Breaks Out
45:59 Hurricane Hugo Changes His Graduation
49:14 The Moment He Finally Became a Marine
51:03 Early Marine Combat Training
58:20 Instructor Accidentally Shoots Two Marines
01:00:07 Marine Corps Security Forces
01:05:30 Suicide in the Barracks
01:16:06 Joining 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines
01:16:40 America Is Going Into Somalia
01:19:11 Preparing for Operation Restore Hope
01:21:00 First Wave Into Mogadishu
01:24:23 21 Years Old Leading Marines Into Somalia
01:27:36 They Were Digging Inside a Cemetery
01:30:35 The Bullet That Almost Killed Him
01:34:14 Entering Baidoa — “The City of Death”
01:34:43 The Monsoon That Flooded Their Fighting Holes
01:37:36 Human Remains Begin Floating Past Him
01:43:34 Christmas Day in Somalia
01:45:59 The Child Tony Couldn’t Save
01:51:28 Leaving Somalia
01:53:27 The Marine Who Stole a Lotus
02:00:40 Transitioning Back to Civilian Life
02:04:14 Recalled by Name and Sent to Iraq
02:05:43 Training Iraqi Security Forces
02:19:56 Working Alongside SEAL Team 10
02:28:00 Coming Home From Iraq
02:29:12 Fireworks, IED Memories & Combat Trauma
02:30:38 The Things Combat Veterans Can’t Explain
02:33:38 The Faces He Still Remembers
02:35:30 The Calls From Marines Who Are Struggling
02:37:03 “I Wouldn’t Trade a Damn Thing”
02:37:49 What Tony Lives for Today
02:40:45 Final Thoughts & Semper Fi

Army Major Mandy Feindt says Navy jet fuel contamination from the Red Hill water crisis poisoned her family — and when she spoke out, the military came after her.

In this episode of Urban Valor, Mandy breaks down what happened after her family moved onto Ford Island in Hawaii, began getting severely sick, and later learned they had been exposed to contaminated water connected to the Red Hill fuel spill.

She talks about her son’s health issues, more than 800 family medical appointments, confronting Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, filing for whistleblower protection, and the retaliation she says followed.

Mandy also shares what happened years later when her son was mistreated at a military Child Development Center, the fight to obtain video and records, and why she believes military systems too often protect the institution before the family.

This is a story about Red Hill, military toxic exposure, whistleblower retaliation, military families, institutional betrayal, and what happens when a career Army officer decides she can’t stay quiet.

Mandy’s message:

Take a mess and turn it into a message.

If you or your family were impacted by Red Hill, military toxic exposure, or a similar situation while serving, share your story below.

Subscribe to Urban Valor for more unfiltered veteran and military stories.

Chapters:
0:00 Navy Jet Fuel Poisoned Our Family
1:29 Meet Army Major Mandy Feindt
2:43 Growing Up in a Military Family
4:00 How 9/11 Changed Her Life
6:17 Becoming an Army Officer
8:07 Afghanistan & Casualty Operations
12:48 Command, ROTC & Special Operations
16:25 Moving to Hawaii
18:50 The Dream House on Historic Ford Island
20:19 Her Family Suddenly Gets Sick
21:20 The Red Hill Fuel Spill
24:39 The Navy Said the Water Was Safe
27:54 Her Entire Family Ends Up in the Hospital
29:23 Fighting for Military Children
34:08 Speaking Out as an Active-Duty Officer
38:40 From Hospital Bed to Public Advocacy
41:06 Walking the Halls of Congress
42:45 When the Retaliation Escalated
44:55 Confronting the Secretary of the Navy
46:52 “Nothing in Life Is Pure”
48:31 Investigated After Confronting Navy Leadership
49:08 Filing for Whistleblower Protection
55:22 The Military's Flushing Operation
58:21 More Than 800 Medical Appointments
1:00:48 The Psychological Trauma of Contaminated Water
1:01:15 “An American Military Asset Poisoning Americans”
1:04:47 The Red Hill Lawsuit
1:06:51 Why Long-Term Medical Monitoring Matters
1:09:39 The VA Finally Recognizes Red Hill
1:11:20 “There's the Door”
1:12:39 Why She Refused to Stay Silent
1:14:46 Native Hawaiians & Military Families Unite
1:16:15 How Does This Happen in the U.S. Military?
1:20:26 Why Families Weren't Properly Tested
1:22:39 Institutional Betrayal
1:27:26 Trusting the Military Again
1:28:24 Her Son's Daycare Incident
1:30:00 Discovering the Abuse
1:34:34 The Army Promises to Handle It
1:37:08 The Same Teacher Comes Back
1:38:01 Fighting to Preserve the Evidence
1:41:48 The Military Says It Wasn't Abuse
1:44:03 Why the Secretary of the Army Wouldn't Meet Her
1:46:24 Parents Barred From the Hearing
1:47:16 The Video Evidence Disappears
1:49:39 What the Remaining Video Showed
1:51:28 Military Daycare Oversight
1:53:36 CPS Substantiates Child Abuse
1:56:30 The Teachers Returned to Work
1:59:02 The FOIA Records
2:00:18 “You Poisoned My Kids”
2:01:06 The Fight Is Still Ongoing
2:03:31 Retaliation Over Protecting Her Son
2:06:52 Why Speaking Up Comes With a Cost
2:07:12 Her Whistleblower Case Is Substantiated
2:09:43 Will Her Children Ever Serve?
2:12:36 The Military Recruiting Problem
2:14:14 What Military Families Need to Know
2:14:51 What's Next for Mandy
2:16:13 Turning a Mess Into a Message

Marine veteran Peter Caro joined the U.S. Marine Corps expecting to become a mechanic. Instead, he was sent to Iraq as a Motor Transport operator during a time when IEDs were killing drivers across the battlefield.

In this Urban Valor interview, Peter shares what it was like serving in Fallujah, driving dangerous roads in Iraq, surviving IED attacks, taking enemy fire, and dealing with the PTSD and survivor’s guilt that followed him home.

Peter served in the Marines from 2004 to 2013 and completed multiple deployments to Iraq. During his service, he transported personnel and equipment, trained Iraqi police and military forces, and operated outside the wire in some of the most dangerous conditions of the Iraq War.

He also opens up about the moments that stayed with him most — seeing Marines he knew listed as killed in action, watching a vehicle in front of him hit an IED, and struggling with the belief that other Marines deserved to come home more than he did.

After leaving active duty, Peter began dealing with hypervigilance, panic attacks, isolation, drinking, and survivor’s guilt. His path to understanding PTSD eventually led him back to school, where he studied psychology and social work.

Today, Peter works as a therapist helping other veterans navigate trauma, PTSD, depression, and the difficult transition from military to civilian life.

Chapters: 
00:00 Marine Boot Camp & Surviving an IED Attack
01:00 Peter Caro’s Marine Corps Story
01:50 Growing Up in a Mexican-American Family
06:34 Why Pete Wanted to Become a Marine
08:34 Watching 9/11 Change Everything
11:31 Feeling Lost Before Joining the Marines
13:44 Walking Into the Marine Recruiter’s Office
16:33 The Reality of Marine Corps Boot Camp
18:32 Choosing to Push Through
19:01 A Recruit Tries to Escape Boot Camp
23:39 The Reality of the Boot Camp Bathroom
25:13 Pete’s Infamous Boot Camp Story
27:00 Marine Corps Graduation & His Father’s Reaction
31:51 Returning Home After Boot Camp
32:59 Getting in Trouble on Recruiting Duty
36:00 The Marine Corps Job He Didn’t Expect
37:30 Joining 9th Communication Battalion
40:02 When Pete’s Roommate Went UA
43:55 Preparing to Deploy to Iraq
45:31 “Dude, You’re Going to Die”
47:00 Training for His First Iraq Deployment
48:47 Accidentally Taking Night Vision Goggles Home
51:58 Deploying to Fallujah, Iraq
53:07 Training Marines & Iraqi Security Forces
54:04 Carrying Iraqi Money Into a Combat Zone
55:53 His First Experience Taking Enemy Fire
56:41 Tracer Fire Over a Marine Convoy
59:24 Becoming Desensitized to Combat
1:00:50 Seeing Marines He Knew on the KIA Wall
1:03:19 The Beginning of Survivor’s Guilt
1:04:28 Secretly Getting Married Before Deployment
1:08:55 Training Iraqi Police & Army
1:10:25 Ambushed During a Convoy Mission
1:15:43 Coming Home From Iraq
1:18:35 Pete’s Second Iraq Deployment
1:20:29 The “Code Brown” Convoy Story
1:24:32 Incoming Fire Nearly Kills Pete
1:28:12 The Mission That Changed Everything
1:31:24 The Truck in Front of Him Hits an IED
1:32:49 Thinking His Marines Were Dead
1:35:00 Guilt After the IED Explosion
1:36:45 Why Pete Decided to Leave Active Duty
1:40:48 Life in the Marine Corps Reserve
1:43:43 Being Reenlisted by R. Lee Ermey
1:45:21 Returning to College After the Marines
1:46:50 “I Hate the Fact That I Came Back Alive”
1:48:46 How Combat Changed Him at Home
1:50:54 Drinking, Isolation & Emotional Numbness
1:51:32 Learning About PTSD in Psychology Class
1:54:50 Refusing to Accept He Had PTSD
1:56:11 The Panic Attack That Changed Everything
1:57:44 His First Experience Seeking Help
1:58:53 The Vietnam Veteran Who Changed His Life
1:59:56 Finding a New Mission Through Social Work
2:00:49 Becoming a Therapist for Veterans
2:02:08 Why Transitioning Out Can Be So Difficult
2:03:18 Why Pete Almost Didn’t Tell His Story
2:05:54 What He Would Tell His Younger Self
2:06:43 “You Are Enough”

Navy SEAL Andrew Arrabito sits down to tell the REAL stories behind serving in United States Naval Special Warfare from 2002 to 2012, including time with SEAL Team 5 and SEAL Team 1.

In this episode of Urban Valor, he breaks down what BUD/S was really like, the mindset required to survive SEAL training, life as a new guy in the teams, and what combat looked like during deployments overseas.

He also tells the incredible story of a nighttime freefall jump where he lost access to his ripcord, began tumbling at low altitude, deployed his reserve chute, survived… and then got back in the aircraft and jumped again.

Beyond the military stories, Andrew opens up about growing up in Northern California, losing his father and two older brothers in a plane crash at age seven, and later returning to the crash site in Alaska.👍 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.

Chapters: 
0:00 “I Thought I Was Dead” – Parachute Malfunction
1:25 Meet Navy SEAL Andrew Arrabito
2:07 Growing Up in Northern California
5:20 Faith & Family
6:08 Why He Wanted to Become a Navy SEAL
7:11 Joining the Navy & Getting to BUD/S
14:50 How BUD/S Instructors Targeted Candidates
15:54 The Different Phases of SEAL Training
21:59 Deaths & Danger During SEAL Training
23:09 Joining SEAL Team 5
24:01 Life as the New Guy
25:34 Hazing & SEAL Team Culture
27:25 First Combat Deployment to Iraq
28:42 Combat Missions in Iraq
32:06 Hunting a Sniper in Tal Afar
33:46 Screening for DEVGRU
42:00 Fighting in Afghanistan
43:12 How Taliban Fighters Hid From Apache Helicopters
45:40 A Helicopter Crash That Nearly Included His Team
46:02 Did They Make a Difference in Afghanistan?
46:22 Training Other Navy SEALs
58:27 Losing His Father & Two Brothers
58:38 Returning to the Alaska Plane Crash Site
1:00:06 Losing His Family at Seven Years Old
1:01:08 Building His Business After the SEAL Teams
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DISCLAIMER: The views and experiences shared in this interview are those of the individual and are recounted from personal memory.

#UrbanValor #navyseal #podcast

Marine Corps Sergeant Major Jean-Paul Corville served 22 years in the United States Marine Corps from 1991 to 2013, earning the Bronze Star with Valor and rising to the rank of Sergeant Major.

In this episode of Urban Valor, Corville shares Marine Corps boot camp stories, infantry life, combat in Iraq, leadership lessons, disaster response in Japan, and the decision that ultimately changed the course of his career.

He talks about growing up shy and overweight in Louisiana, transforming himself through training, choosing the Marines, becoming an 0331 machine gunner, serving at 29 Palms, deploying to Okinawa, becoming a drill instructor, and eventually reaching the highest enlisted levels of Marine Corps leadership.

Corville also opens up about combat, loss, mistakes, consequences, and what happened when one decision cost him more than he ever expected.

From hilarious Marine Corps stories to some of the darkest moments of his life, this is an unfiltered look at a 22-year military career from someone who lived it at every level.

👍 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.

Chapters: 
00:00 Preview
01:38 Growing Up Shy & Overweight in Louisiana
07:58 Why He Chose the Marine Corps
15:10 Marine Corps Boot Camp & Becoming a Machine Gunner
22:04 Life at 29 Palms & Early Infantry Stories
27:49 Deploying to Okinawa
46:04 Life as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor
1:24:43 Deploying to Kuwait Before the Iraq Invasion
1:33:59 Combat in Baghdad & Losing Marines
1:59:40 The Battle of Karma
2:32:46 The Career Decision That Changed Everything
2:34:34 Retiring as a Sergeant Major After 22 Years
2:43:28 Hiking the Appalachian Trail & Life After the Marines
2:53:19 Motivation, Inspiration & Final Advice

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DISCLAIMER: The views and experiences shared in this interview are those of the individual and are recounted from personal memory.

#UrbanValor #usarmy #podcast