Urban Valor: the podcast

• Marine Survives Suicide Bomber That Killed 13 at Abbey Gate

  On August 26, 2021, during the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan, Marine veteran Christian Sanchez stood at Abbey Gate when a suicide bomber detonated his device—killing 13 U.S. service members and hundreds of Afghan civilians.Thrown to the ground, barely conscious, Christian opened his eyes to pure chaos. Then came the gunfire—a Taliban fighter firing from a rooftop. Despite being injured, Christian engaged in the firefight, neutralized the shooter, and was later shot himself.In this Urban Valor interview, Christian details the blast, the adrenaline-fueled battle, and the scars that never fade. You’ll hear the raw details: catching babies thrown over barbed wire, standing face-to-face with Taliban fighters, and the agonizing aftermath that changed his life forever.This is one of the most gripping episodes of Urban Valor has ever aired.📌 If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available:☎️ Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1☎️ Military OneSource: 1-800-342-9647👍 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 Bomb detonates at Abbey Gate02:14 Meet Marine Christian Sanchez08:40 Riot control with zero training10:25 Catching babies thrown over barbed wire16:20 Standoff with Taliban fighters20:40 Executions outside the barrier32:30 Intel warns of a suicide bomber40:12 The explosion hits45:00 Gunfire erupts—Taliban on the rooftop50:20 Dragging wounded Marines under fire57:50 CCP chaos & triage1:08:20 Hospital scene & triple ketamine trip1:13:50 Calling families & aftermath#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories

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• “Pinned Down in the Kill Zone” - Iraq Vet Survives Endless Ambushes

  Marine veteran Ralph Sarabia takes you inside the chaos of Iraq...convoys hit by IEDs, RPGs ripping overhead, close-quarters ambushes, and the split-second choices that decide who makes it home. In todays Urban Valor Podcast episode, he opens up about survivor’s guilt, hypervigilance, and rebuilding life after deployment with faith, family, and boxing. This is a raw, unfiltered account of Marine combat and the fight to heal.👍 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 First firefight: RPGs, incoming, “pull the trigger, find peace”03:32 Father absent, taking care of mom, finding a role model in a Ranger11:41 Caught stealing as a kid—lesson that stuck14:46 Enlisting after 9/11; boot camp identity strip, asthma scare29:24 Unit culture, hazing, and the 48-hour call to war38:26 Desert staging & push toward Baghdad41:09 “I don’t want to die” — reality of contact and wounded Marines53:48 Homecoming numbness; living like a “watchman on the wall”1:03:13 Ramadi: daily ambushes, IEDs, morale tactics under fire1:12:53 60 Minutes coverage; nonstop losses & memorials1:18:49 Close calls, survivor’s guilt after Clifton’s death1:35:13 High-profile security work, USC, brain health treatment1:51:05 Boxing, faith, entrepreneurship—turning pain into purpose1:56:50 Closing thoughts to vets#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories

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• Marine Tells INSANE Stories about Life on a Navy Ship

  Marine Corps Veteran Roger Michael Hall pulls no punches in this episode of Urban Valor. From 2017–2022, Roger served as an infantry mortarman (0341) — but this isn’t the recruiting poster version of the Corps. This is the truth about months living on a Navy ship, crammed into tight berthing spaces, working long hours, and finding ways to stay sane in a floating steel city.Roger shares it all: wild overseas port calls, boot camp fights, grueling Mountain Warfare training, and the mental grind of deployment life at sea with hundreds of Marines shoulder-to-shoulder. He opens up about the moments that made him question why he joined — and the experiences that shaped who he is today.If you’ve ever wondered what Marine Corps life aboard a Navy ship is really like, this is the story no one tells!👍 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 Boot camp fights & ship life01:34 Childhood & family background04:01 Why Roger joined the Marines08:11 Brutal boot camp training stories22:01 Mountain warfare training & fatigue35:09 Life aboard ship & dark humor50:34 Wild deployment & barracks stories1:11:09 Border Patrol mission under Trump1:19:06 COVID-era deployment in Japan1:22:04 Civilian life struggles & therapy1:24:46 Advice for veterans after service#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories

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• U.S. Airman’s World Changed Forever After One Call

  From a young immigrant kid running barefoot in Mexico to serving as a U.S. Air Force veteran in Iraq — this is the incredible untold story of Hector Cabrera.In this Urban Valor episode, Hector opens up about growing up with a single mother, losing his father, facing cultural identity struggles, and ultimately finding his calling in the U.S. military. His journey takes us through childhood adversity, immigrant resilience, boot camp discipline, and combat deployments in Iraq — where survival was never guaranteed.This is more than just a veteran story. It’s about family, grit, sacrifice, and finding purpose after trauma. Hector shares raw, unfiltered moments — from his first days in America learning English with a Roberto Clemente book, to working the register at his uncle’s taco shop when armed robbers walked in, to the night mortars rained down on his base in Kirkuk, Iraq.For veterans, immigrants, or anyone searching for meaning through hardship — Hector’s story is proof that how you do anything is how you do everything.YouTube Chapters:00:00 – Life-changing moment in the field01:28 – Hector’s childhood in Mexico03:08 – Growing up as an immigrant in America06:25 – Losing his father & family struggles07:17 – Learning English and adapting10:20 – Hard lessons from his mother11:18 – Working at Roberto’s Taco Shop (and being robbed at 14)13:08 – First exposure to the military16:30 – September 11th and the call to serve19:04 – Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force22:01 – Boot camp experiences24:42 – Culture shock & military discipline29:04 – Defending missions downrange31:03 – Deployments in Iraq & FOB life36:35 – Mortar attacks and survival routines38:10 – Reflections on resilience and mindset#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #immigrantstruggles #immigrants

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• Army Chaplain EXPOSES The Hidden Trauma Soldiers Carry

  Army Chaplain Nimrod Alcala opens up about the hidden war that no one talks about—what it’s like carrying the emotional trauma of soldiers... until it breaks you.In this Urban Valor episode, Nimrod reveals the unbearable emotional toll of his service—not on the battlefield, but behind closed doors. As a U.S. Army Chaplain, he became the safe place for soldiers fighting silent battles—suicidal thoughts, trauma, PTSD, and moral injury. But what happens when the helper needs help?From getting fired at Walmart to facing false embezzlement charges, Nimrod’s journey to the Army was anything but typical. But a deeper calling led him to chaplaincy, where he became the last line of emotional defense for soldiers on the brink.This is a story of loss, burnout, purpose, and redemption.If you’ve ever wondered what truly happens inside the mind of a military chaplain—or what it's like to lead a memorial service for someone you couldn’t save—this is the video you need to watch.🙏 Like, comment, and share with someone who needs to hear this.Video Chapters: 00:00 – The Hidden Pain of a Chaplain01:05 – Fired, Lost & Recruited: Nimrod’s Unexpected Start06:30 – Saying Goodbye to Family for Basic Training10:00 – How Faith Sparked a New Calling13:00 – Returning Home a Different Man16:30 – A False Arrest That Nearly Ruined Everything20:00 – Becoming a Chaplain: The Road Less Traveled23:00 – First Counseling: A Triggering SHARP Confession28:00 – When Burnout Breaks You32:00 – Inside a Military Suicide Memorial37:00 – The Murder That Shattered a Unit39:00 – Losing a Friend You Could Have Helped45:00 – The Cost of Trying to Save Everyone50:00 – Therapy, Stigma, and the Fight to Keep Going57:00 – Rebuilding Marriage and Fatherhood1:02:00 – Finding Mentorship in Korea1:10:00 – Hospital Chaplaincy & Civilian Trauma1:13:00 – Final Words to Veterans and Soldiers in Pain#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #elchapo #federalcorruption

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