Hazard Ground

Hazard Ground

Servicemembers from across the military, sharing their accounts of combat and survival. Hosted by sports talk radio host and Army veteran, Mark Zinno, this podcast brings you firsthand accounts of war, with a perspective you only get from someone who has lived through it. From WWII to Vietnam, Somalia, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hear inspirational stories of service and resiliency from those who have fought on and off the battlefield!

Episodes

December 19, 2023 98 mins
At eighteen, Ian Fritz joined the Air Force out of necessity and was soon selected to become an Airborne Cryptologic Linguist in the war in Afghanistan. Over the course of two tours, Fritz listened to the Taliban for hundreds of hours, all over the country night and day, in moments of peace and in the middle of battle. WHAT THE TALIBAN TOLD ME (Simon & Schuster; November 7, 2023) is the powerful memoir of his harrowing experiences ...
Mark as Played
Patrick Brown joined the Army in 2005 as an Infantryman in the US Army, deploying to multiple combat zones throughout his service. Immediately after service, he became a US Army Survival, Escape, Resistance, Evasion (SERE-C) instructor to soldiers who were at high risk of being captured while overseas. Patrick would go on contract work for various government agencies teaching survival techniques. Patrick is married with 4 kids, now...
Mark as Played
Mikael Cook is a former U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. During the August 2021 evacuation of Afghanistan, Mikael was a part of the #DigitalDunkirk team that saved thousands of Afghan allies who had been left behind. He was personally responsible for the evacuation of 20 of our allies, most of whom have now joined him in Michigan. Mikael is an active member of the veteran community and continues his a...
Mark as Played
November 28, 2023 87 mins
Nickolas Yost spent a total of 13 years between the National Guard and Active Duty for the U.S. Army before exiting as a Staff Sergeant. Nickolas had multiple deployments to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He was injured in Iraq, awarded a Purple Heart, then returned to duty to deploy to Afghanistan. After his military career, Nickolas decided to work in the pharmaceutical industry. Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at...
Mark as Played
Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Scott Mann is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with tours all over the world including Colombia, Iraq, and multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a warrior storyteller and the founder of Rooftop Leadership where he shares the rapport-building skills he learned in Special Forces to help today's leaders make better human connections in high-stakes, low-trust engagements. Scott is the author of the instant New...
Mark as Played
Sergeant First Class Chris Corbin entered military service in July 1995. Prior to becoming a Green Beret with the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), he served in various Army units such as the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division (1995-1999), and the 1st Battalion, and 75th Ranger Regiment (1999-2002). On February 17th, 2011, Corbin was on his third tour to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). That day, he w...
Mark as Played
John Ballenger comes from a background of 20 years in the US Marine Corps where he primarily served as a CH-53E helicopter pilot during 4 combat tours, and was one of 7 pilots to fly Marine One for two Presidential administrations over the course of his last 5 years in uniform. Preceding his decorated military career, John had experience in railcar logistics and marketing for Trinity Chemical Industries out of Tulsa, OK. John major...
Mark as Played
Sergeant Major Jamie Karnes enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in August of 1988 and spent 30 years in the military. Jamie served two deployments to Iraq and multiple overseas assignments throughout his career, including in Mortuary Affairs. Jamie spent time as a civilian law enforcement officer and part of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, working Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit and multiple other tasks. Support the p...
Mark as Played
October 17, 2023 82 mins
Ryan Neel is a retired U.S. Army CW3 who spent almost 25 years in uniform, 17 of those years with the Green Berets. Ryan had eight total deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, plus multiple other deployments around the world. Ryan Neel had his alive day back in 2005. Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The De...
Mark as Played
Ben Bateman, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sportsmen For Warriors, is a Veteran of the United States Army. After graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, Ben served for nine years as a Commissioned Officer initially as an Infantry Officer, and then after being selected serving as a Special Forces officer, "Green Beret." Ben is married to Cresta, also a West Point graduate and Army Combat Veteran. B...
Mark as Played
Jay Dorleus joined the military in 2003 as a 12B combat engineer and completed basic training and AIT in July 2003. In 2003, Jay deployed in support of Iraqi freedom and redeployed in 2004. After his second Iraq deployment, Jay applied to attend Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) and was selected to attend the qualification course. Once he graduated the qualification course, Jay was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group ...
Mark as Played
Daniel Fielding is a former Special Forces Green Beret, a loving husband, a father of three children, a celebrity bodyguard, and a bestselling author. He developed the tools he puts forth in his book, 'The Asset Mindset', through his life experiences, including his time in the Special Forces. Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying...
Mark as Played
Neil Hansen began his aviation career as a pilot for Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa. He later spent more than a decade in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era as a captain for Air America, the CIA’s airline that operated there during the Vietnam era and the ‘Secret War’ in Laos. Neil reveled in the risky flying that fed his adrenaline addiction. Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors Shop ...
Mark as Played
Richard 'Dick' Stroud joined the U.S. Navy at age 17 during World War II, and he continued his service through the Korean War. Richard served as a U.S. Naval Aviator with seven years active duty plus ten years of service in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He was selected to be a member of the U.S. Blue Angels – the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron — in 1951 after the Korean War but was released to inactive duty in August of 1951 beca...
Mark as Played
Brian Tally is a former Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps who enlisted in 1994 and served active duty from 1995-99. He was stationed in Camp Lejeune NC; Okinawa Japan; and Camp Pendleton California during his service while also serving abroad in six different countries. Brian was a successful small business owner prior to his life changing VA medical malpractice injury in 2016. Brian now spends his time advocating for Vete...
Mark as Played
August 29, 2023 73 mins
Michael Cataldi joined the U.S. Marine Corps in January of 2003 and would go on to serve in the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion as a Light Armored Vehicle Repairman from August of 2003 to February of 2007. When vehicles weren't broken, Michael deployed as a Dismount Scout (Infantry), Vehicle Driver, Vehicle Commander, and a Designated Marksman. Michael was honorably discharged in February 2007 as a Corporal. Support the...
Mark as Played
Jason Roncoroni graduated from West Point and spent over 20 years in the United States Army reaching the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and served in multiple high level roles including battalion command, brigade executive officer and deputy director for strategic plans and policy. Jason also deployed his battalion to Afghanistan along with several other deployments in his career. It was those deployments that led Jason down a dark pat...
Mark as Played
JJ Leonard was born in Dallas, Texas in 1972. JJ received a nomination to the US Naval Academy in 1991, and began his college career there on Induction Day. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1995. He then served as an intelligence officer in the US Marine Corps for five years, specializing in aviation intelligence and strategic targeting. Currently, J.J. is the managing director of the Dallas division at Stream R...
Mark as Played
Pamela Zembiec is the Gold Star Spouse of Major Douglas Zembiec, a.k.a. “The Lion of Fallujah.” Major Zembiec served in “the Ground Branch of the CIA's Special Activities Division in Iraq when he was killed by small arms fire while leading a raid in Sadr City, a neighborhood of Baghdad, on May 11, 2007. Zembiec was leading a unit of Iraqi forces he had helped train. Reports from fellow service members that were present when he was ...
Mark as Played
This week's guest is Barclay Murphy, the wife of late Army Major, Ed Murphy. Ed spent 16 years in the U.S. Army; his last assignment was in Afghanistan in 2005. He was killed in a helicopter accident on April 6th, 2005. Since her husband's passing, Barclay has worked extensively with The Gold Star Wives of America to change laws that were written many years ago for survivors' benefits and spouses' benefits after their spouse was ki...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Betrayal: Weekly

    Betrayal Weekly is back for a brand new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-4 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    The Joe Rogan Experience

    The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.