December 13, 2025 • 12 mins
Social media influencers @MandatoryFunday (Austin von Letkemann) and @VivaLaVargas (Johnny Vargas) join American Legion Tango Alpha Lima Podcast hosts Joe Worley and Adam Marr to kick off a day of live interviews from USAA Media Row in advance of the Army/Navy Game presented by USAA.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:11):
What you call me? OK, Austin, All right, Don't let
me block you all. Right.
So good morning, gentlemen. Welcome to Media Row.
We've got the Army Navy game coming up.
You know, this is one of the most meaningful times in in
American sports. And it's not just, you know,
it's not just football, but service as a whole.
You know, everybody who is in inthis process are people that
(00:33):
that are after our own, our own hearts.
And so we start from this foundation of love and then we
start the first time. So now that we've established
that it starts from a place of love, you know, this is the
bitterest rivalry that comes from the heart. 100%.
You know, there's no bad blood here, but there's some bad
blood. Right, so.
So this is our this is our second year being here.
(00:53):
And we can say this from experience because we were here
for the game last year. And look, they leave it all out
on the field. Navy left a little more on the
field last year. Little bit. 31 to 13, we're not
going to spend so much time in the past.
We're going to look forward to this big Army win that's ahead
of us. I'm going to split it 5050.
But I but they leave it all on the field for the game.
(01:16):
But that's nothing in preparation for being able to
leave it all on the field for service.
And that's every single one of these.
It's a fierce rivalry, a shared oath, and we're proud to be here
with the American Legion this week.
And all day long we're we're going to bringing you
conversations with athletes, veterans, leaders and change
makers across sports and, and service and then also you guys.
(01:38):
Also tag us on at the end. I played beer league hockey in
in Alaska. OK, that counts.
For something can I can I just say, does he not have the best
voice for radio You've. Ever heard that's pretty nice
and soothing? Best face for radio?
It's silky. OK, that joke has never been
said before. Ever.
I thought people were joking when they first started saying I
(02:00):
had a face for this, but then now it hurts a little bit every
time. Because I know they might be.
Telling the truth, The joke is too consistent.
So obviously we haven't introduced you guys, but you're
familiar faces around the legion.
So Austin active duty U.S. Army officer military content
creator best known as mandatory fund day online where the shares
(02:21):
authentic inside the lines perspective on Army life with
millions of followers and JohnnyVargas former U.S.
Army NCO military influencer known as Viva la Vargas.
And actually. With clear, relatable breakdowns
on military news, culture and service life, you guys are going
to be hitting the circuit today.You got a full day ahead.
(02:41):
Yeah. Are you guys excited?
Yeah. You did say inside the lines.
I just want to say I ride the line pretty hard.
He. Lives.
Yeah, he lives. On the line, you're drawing new
lines, yeah. He's getting Sharpies.
I'm sorry, but you are outside the line, Sir.
He's a maverick, you know. Derailed this whole introductory
What are you guys most excited about?
(03:04):
I'm most excited to see the Armybeat the Navy, and I'm
contractually obligated to do that, to say that mainly because
I joined the Army in 2013, I just have to do it.
I was told that that if the Armylost, that you'd made a a
promise to extend out for another 10 years.
Is that is that true? I.
Don't. I did make Oh, that's the ad so.
(03:25):
Pseudo promise. My my attorney has told me not
to answer any questions pertaining to my service.
All right. Teen year win streak that Navy.
Had where I. Was convinced.
That army would never win another.
Bad luck. It was your fault, yeah.
(03:45):
Like you did it. So fun.
Then they they started winning in 2016.
It's been, it's been a pretty close rivalry since then, yeah.
Yeah, honestly, that's really what we want.
I mean, it's fun as it is every once in a while to have a
blowout. Sure.
It's it's more fun to watch a a hard fog.
Yeah, I. Think that's what we're going to
a nail biter? Yeah, yeah.
To a nail biter. You know when you've run out of
(04:05):
fingers, you're like taking the shoes off.
It's it's. Really is this show's first
time? Coming.
No, I was here last year. It was.
My first time, OK. What was your favorite part?
Last year, last year, honest to God, just interacting with the
veterans and just the community.I, I, this is my favorite part
of what I get to do as a contentcreator, just interacting with
our people because it truly is the best community that this
(04:27):
country has to offer. My favorite part was when the
Apaches flew over. They have some planes too,
right? Yeah.
Joe was like the even the Navy guy, no.
I had to give credit. I was like, I had to act like I
wasn't impressed, but that was all.
That was awesome. I mean, we're being real.
It was. Clear.
(04:48):
He he said that the Apaches weremore awesome than the F
eighteens. You did say that.
Well, I think I hid it behind a joke saying, you know, the F
eighteens didn't jump out. I mean I can still.
Don't get that joke. It's.
Not really fair because the helicopters can go slower, you
know you see them for longer. Get more cameras.
Right, that's for sure. Nobody wants to get.
(05:08):
Used. Yeah, exactly.
What's going on? There's more audible, yeah.
Yeah, you got to tell the Navy guys to do a Cobra move next
time. What do they call it?
What do they call them? Top Gun A.
Barrel go inverted. That's right, yeah.
Pitch back, turn where we returnto the target to put more
munitions on the target. Yeah.
Exactly. Yeah, I know it was.
It was super fun last year, had a great time, ended up out on
(05:30):
the field at one point. It sounds like that's what we're
going to do again, not while they're playing.
Tony just had back surgery, so. I mean, my back's never been
better. Got 9 screws and three plates.
Have you done stem cells? I know.
Would you? I'm still out about it.
I'm still active so I don't think they would do.
They won't. They're not.
They're not trucking out that kind of cash.
Yeah, I mean, you may have to like, like go to Mexico
(05:52):
yourself. And my first do you want to
walk? I just keep that in your back.
Box my first back surgery they you know, they did a disc.
Surgeries on your back. No, I have 9 screws, 09 screws.
I've had two major back surgeries, but the first one
that for the disc replacement they just put floppy disks in
there. Floppy disks, yeah, that's.
Right, that's how they do. It there.
(06:14):
Yeah, I thought I heard them spooling up when?
Are they going to move that to the cloud there still?
Be softer. That's how they do it in the
Army. It's one surgery per screw.
Did so? Did you have an injury or?
Yeah, I was the the first time or OK, the the first time I was
pushing a Humvee up a hill for PT that was 1.
Platoon. Yeah, yeah.
I mean as what 'cause it doesn'trun.
(06:35):
Not my 17th. Time and as I was pushing in
Fort Benning, I I felt somethingand it wasn't a good feeling.
And apparently that was true because it like ruptured this
and that and I got the surgery. And then this last one, you
know, I had another injury whereI was rappelling out of a
Blackhawk in Alaska and I fell straight on my bum because I, I
(06:56):
couldn't see all the, the ice and snow from the rotor wash.
And that's really hard. When the back happened, was
there a sound? I heard a guy's Achilles go one
time. It was like a rubber band it.
Was beautiful. I mean, it was.
I made a sound like. Achilles is rough.
Too. Oh yeah.
That's one of those that like, even if you hate your guy,
you're like, that guy's such a break.
You go, Oh no, I'm sorry. Don't wish that, I just listen.
(07:17):
To the Mike Durant episode on Shawn Ryan it was like 5 hours
and I listened to the entire thing.
It was like that good but like he had a he had a super bad day
and he like broke his femur but then he also broke his back and
back pain like he didn't even feel the leg at all.
It's like the back is like what he really.
Felt it's used until. They tried to pull his boot off
and then his leg snapped a little more.
(07:38):
Then he felt the leg. Jeez, rough, he was having a bad
day. Very bad day.
That's a That's a incredible episode, though.
Definitely should go and check that out.
Especially aviation enthusiasts,because he, I mean, seriously,
he had like that guy was on the forefront of like some really
cool missions and he was the guythat basically helped design and
(07:58):
prototype the Dapper for the 160.
Kidding. And they were just like just
throwing stuff on there being like, yeah, I think it's going
to work so I can try it. You see a.
Legion there. Maybe a little more rigor.
Yeah, you. Know no Legionnaire.
We got it. We got to get involved.
Get the Legion. In Yeah.
Yeah, we do have to. I mean, we, we got to talk about
this a little bit. The Navy's catching up to us in
(08:19):
the national rivalry, OK? They're catching up to us in
donations and we can't allow that.
Can't let that out talk. About talk about this a little
bit, what's so what's going on with the donations?
Well, I mean, you know, Jason and I, you know, we had our
videos that we put out for that and we Army was doing great.
The Army was doing great up until recently.
And I don't know how, I don't know how we're falling behind
(08:40):
now. I mean.
Most of those guys are still asleep right now.
It's. The fourth quarter, you guys
historically tend to fall apart.Dramatically.
I'm just trying to do a dramaticcomeback.
But you. Know, OK, First off, I just want
to say the Army has the largest amphibious landing in U.S.
military history, OK. And we're not even the water
service. It doesn't matter how big it is
if you can't get it up. We gotta, we gotta, we gotta
(09:02):
bump those numbers a little bit.So talk a little bit about what
the donations are are going to and where can folks go and
donate? Dot org yeah, legion.org And
then, you know, obviously there's two pods, there's army
and Navy, but it all comes together so that the American
Legion can continue its work, you know, in in the future.
I think also like if you're Air Force or Marines or Coast Guard
(09:24):
and you're wondering like where do I put my money?
I think like Army would make for.
Sure. Yeah, 100%.
I mean. Accepting, you know, wouldn't.
Really want to want to go to theneighbor.
We all defer to the oldest branch of service.
That's right. So the the legion dot.
(09:47):
Org I've been corrected. Rivalry.
Rivalry. Yeah, yeah.
Whispering you like links to people is always like back slash
HT Tampa sand colon I. Like Westbury too.
Yeah, God. But yeah, No, it it's been a lot
(10:08):
of fun already. I mean, Baltimore's a cool city.
I've never been here before, andso I'm kind of excited to just
look around and see some sights.I like it.
It's pretty. Cool.
I mean, it's nippy outside. It was cold.
It's a cold city, I'll give you that.
There's a beautiful skyline and the, you know, the Maryland flag
is unique. It's a there's a lot, it's a lot
(10:31):
to take in. But the flag.
Somebody, I'm from California, we got a bear, OK, We just, it's
just a bear. It's pretty much it.
But Maryland, they, they got, there's a lot of stuff to intake
on that. If there's bears in Maryland,
they're, well, there's jokes I can make.
They're on a they're. On a Yeah, we're going to stop,
yeah. We'll put that one behind the
pay wall. The the joke happened after I
(10:54):
said the word, so it's not like it went there initially.
So it's all right, I'm going to get fired.
It's been nice knowing you got. Interviews.
Ever. I'm Joe Worley, Take off Lima
Podcast. Austin Von Lechman, Johnny
Vargas, always a pleasure. Thanks so much for what you guys
are doing. Have a blast today and go to
what's What's the back slash? It's legion.org back slash
(11:18):
rifle, right? And if you're in the Army, the
Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard or the Navy Space
Force, donate to the Army. There you go.
And Space Force. Oh yeah, it's a base.
Force, right? Yeah.
How's it feels, Space Force? You check the place of the Coast
Guard in being the service that nobody remembers well.
(11:38):
Listen, you wait till they get their own football team.
It's going to be. Better.
They just got a dress for them. Do they get to train like Dragon
Ball Z style like 30 times gravity?
They're, it's going to be halftime and they all step out
and they like remove their, their waiting and then all of a
sudden they're just floating through the air like.
(11:58):
Oh, wait, yeah, we got to sign this John.
We're going to sign this home all.
Right. Yeah, let's sign this baby.
Let's get your Herbie Hancock.
What you call me? OK, Austin, All right, Don't let
me block you all. Right.
So good morning, gentlemen. Welcome to Media Row.
We've got the Army Navy game coming up.
You know, this is one of the most meaningful times in in
American sports. And it's not just, you know,
it's not just football, but service as a whole.
You know, everybody who is in inthis process are people that
(00:33):
that are after our own, our own hearts.
And so we start from this foundation of love and then we
start the first time. So now that we've established
that it starts from a place of love, you know, this is the
bitterest rivalry that comes from the heart. 100%.
You know, there's no bad blood here, but there's some bad
blood. Right, so.
So this is our this is our second year being here.
(00:53):
And we can say this from experience because we were here
for the game last year. And look, they leave it all out
on the field. Navy left a little more on the
field last year. Little bit. 31 to 13, we're not
going to spend so much time in the past.
We're going to look forward to this big Army win that's ahead
of us. I'm going to split it 5050.
But I but they leave it all on the field for the game.
(01:16):
But that's nothing in preparation for being able to
leave it all on the field for service.
And that's every single one of these.
It's a fierce rivalry, a shared oath, and we're proud to be here
with the American Legion this week.
And all day long we're we're going to bringing you
conversations with athletes, veterans, leaders and change
makers across sports and, and service and then also you guys.
(01:38):
Also tag us on at the end. I played beer league hockey in
in Alaska. OK, that counts.
For something can I can I just say, does he not have the best
voice for radio You've. Ever heard that's pretty nice
and soothing? Best face for radio?
It's silky. OK, that joke has never been
said before. Ever.
I thought people were joking when they first started saying I
(02:00):
had a face for this, but then now it hurts a little bit every
time. Because I know they might be.
Telling the truth, The joke is too consistent.
So obviously we haven't introduced you guys, but you're
familiar faces around the legion.
So Austin active duty U.S. Army officer military content
creator best known as mandatory fund day online where the shares
(02:21):
authentic inside the lines perspective on Army life with
millions of followers and JohnnyVargas former U.S.
Army NCO military influencer known as Viva la Vargas.
And actually. With clear, relatable breakdowns
on military news, culture and service life, you guys are going
to be hitting the circuit today.You got a full day ahead.
(02:41):
Yeah. Are you guys excited?
Yeah. You did say inside the lines.
I just want to say I ride the line pretty hard.
He. Lives.
Yeah, he lives. On the line, you're drawing new
lines, yeah. He's getting Sharpies.
I'm sorry, but you are outside the line, Sir.
He's a maverick, you know. Derailed this whole introductory
What are you guys most excited about?
(03:04):
I'm most excited to see the Armybeat the Navy, and I'm
contractually obligated to do that, to say that mainly because
I joined the Army in 2013, I just have to do it.
I was told that that if the Armylost, that you'd made a a
promise to extend out for another 10 years.
Is that is that true? I.
Don't. I did make Oh, that's the ad so.
(03:25):
Pseudo promise. My my attorney has told me not
to answer any questions pertaining to my service.
All right. Teen year win streak that Navy.
Had where I. Was convinced.
That army would never win another.
Bad luck. It was your fault, yeah.
(03:45):
Like you did it. So fun.
Then they they started winning in 2016.
It's been, it's been a pretty close rivalry since then, yeah.
Yeah, honestly, that's really what we want.
I mean, it's fun as it is every once in a while to have a
blowout. Sure.
It's it's more fun to watch a a hard fog.
Yeah, I. Think that's what we're going to
a nail biter? Yeah, yeah.
To a nail biter. You know when you've run out of
(04:05):
fingers, you're like taking the shoes off.
It's it's. Really is this show's first
time? Coming.
No, I was here last year. It was.
My first time, OK. What was your favorite part?
Last year, last year, honest to God, just interacting with the
veterans and just the community.I, I, this is my favorite part
of what I get to do as a contentcreator, just interacting with
our people because it truly is the best community that this
(04:27):
country has to offer. My favorite part was when the
Apaches flew over. They have some planes too,
right? Yeah.
Joe was like the even the Navy guy, no.
I had to give credit. I was like, I had to act like I
wasn't impressed, but that was all.
That was awesome. I mean, we're being real.
It was. Clear.
(04:48):
He he said that the Apaches weremore awesome than the F
eighteens. You did say that.
Well, I think I hid it behind a joke saying, you know, the F
eighteens didn't jump out. I mean I can still.
Don't get that joke. It's.
Not really fair because the helicopters can go slower, you
know you see them for longer. Get more cameras.
Right, that's for sure. Nobody wants to get.
(05:08):
Used. Yeah, exactly.
What's going on? There's more audible, yeah.
Yeah, you got to tell the Navy guys to do a Cobra move next
time. What do they call it?
What do they call them? Top Gun A.
Barrel go inverted. That's right, yeah.
Pitch back, turn where we returnto the target to put more
munitions on the target. Yeah.
Exactly. Yeah, I know it was.
It was super fun last year, had a great time, ended up out on
(05:30):
the field at one point. It sounds like that's what we're
going to do again, not while they're playing.
Tony just had back surgery, so. I mean, my back's never been
better. Got 9 screws and three plates.
Have you done stem cells? I know.
Would you? I'm still out about it.
I'm still active so I don't think they would do.
They won't. They're not.
They're not trucking out that kind of cash.
Yeah, I mean, you may have to like, like go to Mexico
(05:52):
yourself. And my first do you want to
walk? I just keep that in your back.
Box my first back surgery they you know, they did a disc.
Surgeries on your back. No, I have 9 screws, 09 screws.
I've had two major back surgeries, but the first one
that for the disc replacement they just put floppy disks in
there. Floppy disks, yeah, that's.
Right, that's how they do. It there.
(06:14):
Yeah, I thought I heard them spooling up when?
Are they going to move that to the cloud there still?
Be softer. That's how they do it in the
Army. It's one surgery per screw.
Did so? Did you have an injury or?
Yeah, I was the the first time or OK, the the first time I was
pushing a Humvee up a hill for PT that was 1.
Platoon. Yeah, yeah.
I mean as what 'cause it doesn'trun.
(06:35):
Not my 17th. Time and as I was pushing in
Fort Benning, I I felt somethingand it wasn't a good feeling.
And apparently that was true because it like ruptured this
and that and I got the surgery. And then this last one, you
know, I had another injury whereI was rappelling out of a
Blackhawk in Alaska and I fell straight on my bum because I, I
(06:56):
couldn't see all the, the ice and snow from the rotor wash.
And that's really hard. When the back happened, was
there a sound? I heard a guy's Achilles go one
time. It was like a rubber band it.
Was beautiful. I mean, it was.
I made a sound like. Achilles is rough.
Too. Oh yeah.
That's one of those that like, even if you hate your guy,
you're like, that guy's such a break.
You go, Oh no, I'm sorry. Don't wish that, I just listen.
(07:17):
To the Mike Durant episode on Shawn Ryan it was like 5 hours
and I listened to the entire thing.
It was like that good but like he had a he had a super bad day
and he like broke his femur but then he also broke his back and
back pain like he didn't even feel the leg at all.
It's like the back is like what he really.
Felt it's used until. They tried to pull his boot off
and then his leg snapped a little more.
(07:38):
Then he felt the leg. Jeez, rough, he was having a bad
day. Very bad day.
That's a That's a incredible episode, though.
Definitely should go and check that out.
Especially aviation enthusiasts,because he, I mean, seriously,
he had like that guy was on the forefront of like some really
cool missions and he was the guythat basically helped design and
(07:58):
prototype the Dapper for the 160.
Kidding. And they were just like just
throwing stuff on there being like, yeah, I think it's going
to work so I can try it. You see a.
Legion there. Maybe a little more rigor.
Yeah, you. Know no Legionnaire.
We got it. We got to get involved.
Get the Legion. In Yeah.
Yeah, we do have to. I mean, we, we got to talk about
this a little bit. The Navy's catching up to us in
(08:19):
the national rivalry, OK? They're catching up to us in
donations and we can't allow that.
Can't let that out talk. About talk about this a little
bit, what's so what's going on with the donations?
Well, I mean, you know, Jason and I, you know, we had our
videos that we put out for that and we Army was doing great.
The Army was doing great up until recently.
And I don't know how, I don't know how we're falling behind
(08:40):
now. I mean.
Most of those guys are still asleep right now.
It's. The fourth quarter, you guys
historically tend to fall apart.Dramatically.
I'm just trying to do a dramaticcomeback.
But you. Know, OK, First off, I just want
to say the Army has the largest amphibious landing in U.S.
military history, OK. And we're not even the water
service. It doesn't matter how big it is
if you can't get it up. We gotta, we gotta, we gotta
(09:02):
bump those numbers a little bit.So talk a little bit about what
the donations are are going to and where can folks go and
donate? Dot org yeah, legion.org And
then, you know, obviously there's two pods, there's army
and Navy, but it all comes together so that the American
Legion can continue its work, you know, in in the future.
I think also like if you're Air Force or Marines or Coast Guard
(09:24):
and you're wondering like where do I put my money?
I think like Army would make for.
Sure. Yeah, 100%.
I mean. Accepting, you know, wouldn't.
Really want to want to go to theneighbor.
We all defer to the oldest branch of service.
That's right. So the the legion dot.
(09:47):
Org I've been corrected. Rivalry.
Rivalry. Yeah, yeah.
Whispering you like links to people is always like back slash
HT Tampa sand colon I. Like Westbury too.
Yeah, God. But yeah, No, it it's been a lot
(10:08):
of fun already. I mean, Baltimore's a cool city.
I've never been here before, andso I'm kind of excited to just
look around and see some sights.I like it.
It's pretty. Cool.
I mean, it's nippy outside. It was cold.
It's a cold city, I'll give you that.
There's a beautiful skyline and the, you know, the Maryland flag
is unique. It's a there's a lot, it's a lot
(10:31):
to take in. But the flag.
Somebody, I'm from California, we got a bear, OK, We just, it's
just a bear. It's pretty much it.
But Maryland, they, they got, there's a lot of stuff to intake
on that. If there's bears in Maryland,
they're, well, there's jokes I can make.
They're on a they're. On a Yeah, we're going to stop,
yeah. We'll put that one behind the
pay wall. The the joke happened after I
(10:54):
said the word, so it's not like it went there initially.
So it's all right, I'm going to get fired.
It's been nice knowing you got. Interviews.
Ever. I'm Joe Worley, Take off Lima
Podcast. Austin Von Lechman, Johnny
Vargas, always a pleasure. Thanks so much for what you guys
are doing. Have a blast today and go to
what's What's the back slash? It's legion.org back slash
(11:18):
rifle, right? And if you're in the Army, the
Air Force, the Marines, the Coast Guard or the Navy Space
Force, donate to the Army. There you go.
And Space Force. Oh yeah, it's a base.
Force, right? Yeah.
How's it feels, Space Force? You check the place of the Coast
Guard in being the service that nobody remembers well.
(11:38):
Listen, you wait till they get their own football team.
It's going to be. Better.
They just got a dress for them. Do they get to train like Dragon
Ball Z style like 30 times gravity?
They're, it's going to be halftime and they all step out
and they like remove their, their waiting and then all of a
sudden they're just floating through the air like.
(11:58):
Oh, wait, yeah, we got to sign this John.
We're going to sign this home all.
Right. Yeah, let's sign this baby.
Let's get your Herbie Hancock.
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