Warfare and Wreckage: An Army Officer’s Deep Dive into Lost Military Aviation

What do World War II wreckage, deep-sea recovery missions, and lobbying the U.S. government all have in common? Taras Lyssenko.

In this episode of Driven: Unscripted Success, hosts Mike Mannino Sr. and Nareman Hamdan sit down with Taras, a former Army infantry officer and current defense lobbyist, author, coach, and underwater explorer. Taras shares the extraordinary story of how he and his team recovered over 100 lost U.S. Navy aircraft from World War II—many of which are now on display in museums across the globe.

You’ll hear how Taras used his leadership experience and unfiltered communication style to lobby Congress, navigate bureaucratic obstacles, and collaborate with global defense agencies. He gets candid about battling false accusations, overcoming personal setbacks, and why having brain trauma hasn’t stopped him from advocating for national security initiatives like loitering munitions and ISR aircraft.

Key Takeaways:

• The truth behind underwater aircraft recovery missions and how they started.

• How Taras became a defense lobbyist with no formal background in politics.

• His leadership insights from the military and real-world lobbying.

• The challenges he faced with government red tape and misperceptions.

• How animals, Whatsapp calls, and Capitol Hill debates are all part of a day in his life.

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