Michael Easter recently visited GORUCK HQ for a book signing and Heavy Rucking Mile party. Before the big ruck, Jason and Emily talked with Michael about the search for happiness and his new book, Scarcity Brain. Michael is an author and journalist who wrote The Comfort Crisis and Scarcity Brain. Writing books takes him around the world to wild places to learn about physical and mental health and how we can live better. He lives on the edge of the desert in Las Vegas and rucks often with his wife and two dogs. Links: Michael Easter Scarcity Brain The Heavy Rucking Mile 2023 Fit Talk ..read more

Jimi talks about the early days of CrossFit and gives his secrets for building and shepherding communities particularly as part of a growing business.  Episode 024 is part two of Jason & Rich’s conversation with Jimi Letchford who wound up at the launch of the rocket ship that became CrossFit International. Episode 023 follows Jimi’s first career in the Marine Corps. This part picks up where they left off, his discovery of CrossFit before separating (the first time), through his continued life of service as a trainer, affiliate and corporate type at HQ.  Jimi talks about the uniq ..read more

Ben Bunn joins Jason and Rich in studio — also known as the champagne room — at GORUCK HQ for Episode 021. Growing up in the Tampa area, Ben was the last person anyone would have pegged as a future Green Beret. He took an unexpected and interesting route to active service in the military and quite literally grew into his future roles in the Army and Special Operations, growing 3 inches and putting on 50 pounds during his first deployment. From High School pranks to thoughtful, strong leadership in his hometown communities, this “Team Room style” conversation covers his life of service in and o ..read more

Marjorie K. Eastman joins Emily and Jason for Episode 019. Marjorie served as a US Army Intelligence officer and commander, and she wrote “The Frontline Generation: How We Served Post 9/11”. Her ten years of post 9/11 military service include two combat deployments, one in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the other in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Their conversation covers her upbringing in a large family and how that shaped her character early; her choice to enlist after college and lessons she carried forward as a commissioned officer; how she broke new ground f ..read more

Cadre DS, aka Dan Skidmore, is back with Jason and Rich in Episode 018 to talk about training. The previous part of the conversation (Episode 017) covered in more detail DS’s history and high level of physical preparedness as an Air Force Combat Controller. In this part, he dives deeper into how he trains, the origins of becoming a coach while on deployment in Afghanistan, his methods of inspiring more people to be active together, and the GORUCK Sandbag & Ruck Training program. Post military service, Cadre DS was a CrossFit and endurance competitor as well as coach to athletes of all abil ..read more

For Episode 016, Jason and Rich talk to Cadre Will Hinkson about going through transitions, perceptions versus reality, and the importance of finding an individual “why.” Will’s competitive nature - and some good advertising - led him to become a Reconnaissance Marine on the scorching rooftops of Iraq. Later during a security contracting gig in Kabul he started a side-gig which became the first CrossFit affiliate at an embassy. That experience shifted his focus to people-centered business and he returned to start a successful gym stateside. Will talks about what his veneer of success and relen ..read more

“If not me, then who?” - 1stLt Travis Manion, USMC  The mission of the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF) is to unite and strengthen communities by training, developing, and highlighting the role models that lead them. Ryan Manion, TMF’s President, joins Emily and Jason on Episode 014 to tell the story of TMF - a non-profit her mother started after the passing of her brother Travis in Iraq on April 29, 2007.  Ryan co-wrote “The Knock at the Door” as a personal history as well as a roadmap for “those with the courage to love others” to navigate the loss of a loved someone too soon through ..read more

For Episode 012, Jason and Emily are joined by Ambassador Elisabeth Millard, a career diplomat in the Foreign Service who most recently served as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. The mission of a U.S. diplomat in the Foreign Service is to promote peace, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad. Ambassador Millard led a full life of travel before and during her storied career and she talks about the role of foreign service officers; starting a career “later” while finding family and jo ..read more

In Episode 010, Jason and Emily are joined by expert Linda Mansolillo to talk about disaster preparation - be it wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, or a global epidemic. Linda is a biotech strategist with 24 years of military service, currently a medical officer in the Air Force Reserve, and is also a mom. Through projects like LadyBugOut she focuses on bringing disaster preparation and implementation strategies home to our primary community - our families - and most especially our children.  Even if you don’t have kids, you can learn key strategies for dealing with emergencies including ..read more

In episode 008 of Glorious Professionals we welcome former Quiet Professional (aka Green Beret) Brent Cooper in to talk with Jason and Rich about failure and not quitting, the sum of a team being greater than its parts, and how his unique life experience and passion brought him to be Executive Director of the Green Beret Foundation (GBF).  Brent grew up working and spent over a decade in the corporate world before getting an age waiver to go to Special Forces Selection at age 30. He credits passing and joining the storied 5th Group not to his reasons to succeed, but his drivers to not fai ..read more