Veterans Chronicles

Roderick Pugh enlisted in the U.S. Army less than three months before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Eighteen months later, he was partr of 1st Brigade 2-7 infantry from Ft. Stewart, leading the way into Iraq. He would serve two tours in Iraq, In between, he completed airborne school and became the first African American sniper in U.S. Army history.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Pugh details combat during the invasion of Iraq, surviving  sandstorms and enemy mortar fire, and how the A-10 Warthogs were a huge help in the march to Baghdad. He also describes the intense fighting around the Baghdad airport and the engagement that earned him the nickname "Black Rambo"

Pugh also tells us about airborne school and sniper training and explains the biggest reason why candidates fail to become snipers. He then takes us into his second deployment in Iraq with the 2-12 Cavalry out of Ft. Bliss. Pugh shares how his vehicle was hit by an IED and how he and others in his unit later dealt with enemies trying to plant IED's in the road.

Jason Redman learned love of country and the importance of service at a young age. His grandfather was a decorated World War II veteran and his father served during the Vietnam War. Before finishing high school, Redman enlisted in the U.S. Navy with one goal in mind: becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Redman tells us about the unexpected health challenge he faced in boot camp before he could pursue his dream of becoming a SEAL. He then walks us through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, why so many give up during Hell Week, and another very difficult part of training where many candidates wash out.

Redman then takes us on his 2005 deployment to Afghanistan and explains how it got off to such a devastating start. He also explains how his mounting frustrations led to some poor decisions that could have proven very costly.

Then, Redman details his 2007 deployment to Iraq and describes the enemy ambush that badly wounded him. And he reflects upon the important life lessons he learned from his service and recovering from devastating wounds.

Dick Ramsey's family had it tough lduring the Great Depression. He quit school when he was 15 years old and started working at the Brooklyn Navy Yard as a pipefitter. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he started helping to build battleships. In 1943, Ramsey joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned as coxswain on the USS Nevada.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Ramsey takes us through training to the Nevada's involvement in the D-Day landings in Normandy, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He also reveals several very close calls while in the Pacific and reveals the immense honor given to the USS Nevada and then quickly taken away.

Ramsey also shares how the Nevada survived the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor long before he came aboard and how he and his shipmates stayed close for decades after the war.

On August 26, 2021, an ISIS-K terrorist attack killed 13 American service members and wounded many others at Abbey Gate outside Kabul International Airport in Afghanistan. Scores of Afghan civilians were also killed and wounded. Nine of the American service members killed that day were U.S. Marines from G Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. Their company commander was then-Captain Geoffrey Ball.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Major Ball takes us through the chaos the company found when it arrived in Afghanistan on August 19. He tells about the heroic efforts of his unit and many others to establish as much order as possible among the many thousands of people desperate to reach the airport and leave Afghanistan before U.S. forces withdrew.

Major Ball then walks us through the terrorist attack and the horrific toll it inflicted upon his company. He also shares what impact the explosion had on him and the details the amazing work of his company's Navy corpsman and other medics to save and stabilize those who were badly hurt.

Finally, Ball tells us, in detail, about the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice at Abbey Gate, who they were, and what he appreciated about each one of them.

Mike Elmore was born in Illinois into a family with a legacy of military service. He joined the U.S. Army in 1987 with no immediate intention of pursuing special forces. But he loved the idea of a new challenge, passed selection and qualifying, and earned his Green Beret. By the time of the 9/11 Al Qaeda terrorist attacks, Elmore was part of Operational Detachment (ODA) 595, a group that would later become known as the Horse Soldiers.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Elmore walks us through qualifying and explains why being mentally tough is just as important as physical toughness in Special Forces. He also explains how his ODA's training in the months leading up to 9/11 turned out to be perfect prepartion for the fight against the Taliban.

Elmore takes us up into the Afghan mountains, explains how he and others in his detachment worked alongside Afghan General Abdul Dostum and elements of the Northern Alliance, how he adjusted to the small horses needed to navigate the mountains, and what combat was like approaching Mazar-i-Sharif.  He also explains the huge advantages of U.S. air power in their mission and some of the challenges involved in coordinating those air strikes.