Episode notes
What happens when a life of service is interrupted by a life-threatening diagnosis? In this powerful episode of SOFcast, hosts Matt Parrish sits down with Major David Carr and his wife Lauren to share their extraordinary journey—one that takes them from the frontlines of special operations to the frontlines of a deeply personal medical battle. After experiencing unexplained symptoms, David—a Green Beret—was diagnosed with a large brain tumor, requiring emergency surgery and resulting in a stroke that left him temporarily paralyzed. Lauren, a longtime government contractor and now caregiver,…
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SOFcast
SOFcast is the official podcast of U.S. Special Operations Command. Listen to members of America's elite special operations forces discuss leadership, overcoming challenges, and current issues for the force. Hear from special operations personnel like Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, Army Rangers, Mar
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S6 · E12 · 24 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 11 min
S6 E12 - GEN Fenton and CSM Shorter - We Owe It to the Force
What does it take to lead the most elite warriors in the world? For GEN Bryan Fenton and CSM Shane Shorter, it starts with listening. In this rare and candid episode, the Commander and Senior Enlisted Leader of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) sit down with SOFcast to reflect on the privilege and responsibility of leading at the highest level. They pull back the curtain on what it means to steward the force through strategic change, generational evolution, and the demands of global competition — while staying grounded in people-first leadership. They discuss everything from…
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S6 · E10 · 2 Jul 2025 · 54 min
S6 E10 - Xavier Scruggs - Control What You Can Control
What do the locker room and the team room have in common? A lot more than you’d think. In this episode, SOFcast host Matt Parrish sits down with Xavier Scruggs — former Major League Baseball player, ESPN and MLB Network analyst, and all-around grinder — to unpack the parallels between elite athletics and elite military service. From the grind of the minor leagues to stepping into a second career in broadcasting, Xavier’s journey is all about resilience, faith, and refusing to quit when the dream feels out of reach. He opens up about the mental battles in a sport where you fail seven out of…
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S6 · E9 · 25 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
S6 E9 - Jim O'Brien - Leadership, Legacy & the Global Brotherhood of SOF
From dreaming of being a commando at eight years old to commanding the Special Forces Qualification Course, Colonel (Ret.) Jim O’Brien’s career is a blueprint for service, humility, and transformational leadership. In this episode, Jim sits down with SOFcast to unpack a lifetime in Special Forces — from chasing insurgents in the Balkans to shaping the next generation of Green Berets. He shares powerful lessons from time in Iraq with partner forces like El Salvador’s elite troops, reflects on the enduring influence of mentors like Tim Norris and Joe Dawson, and opens up about passing the…
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S6 · E8 · 18 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
S6 E8 - John Dailey — Forging the Foundation of MARSOC
🎙️ Before there was MARSOC, there was Det One — a hand-picked Marine unit tasked with proving that the Corps could integrate into U.S. Special Operations Command. And at the center of that mission was Force Recon Marine and plank holder John Dailey. In this episode, John joins SOFcast to talk about his journey from rural Virginia to becoming a team leader in Det One — and how that experimental unit would ultimately pave the way for what we now know as Marine Raiders. He shares how the Recon community bridged the gap into SOCOM, how his team picked their operators by reputation and character,…
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S6 · E7 · 11 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 16 min
S6 E7 - Michael Rodriguez — Service With & Without a Uniform
🎙️ Green Beret veteran, father, artist, and advocate — Michael “Rod” Rodriguez has lived a life marked by deep service, both in and out of uniform. In this powerful episode of SOFcast, Rod shares his journey from multiple combat deployments to post-9/11 healing, and how his own traumatic brain injury and his son's military service redefined his mission. Rod reflects on the power of storytelling, the burden of unseen wounds, and how art, policy, and advocacy became his new battlefields. From serving on the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to leading the Global War on…
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S6 · 4 Jun 2025 · 38 min
SOFcast Brief | The OA-1K Skyraider II: AFSOC’s Newest Weaponized Workhorse
🎧 In this SOFcast Brief, host Matt Parrish sits down with Maj. John Bendokas from Air Force Special Operations Command to break down the newest addition to the AFSOC arsenal — the OA-1K Skyraider II. Born from hard-earned lessons in places like Tongo Tongo and designed to support geographically isolated SOF teams, the OA-1K is a modular, cost-effective platform built for armed ISR, precision strike, and close air support — especially in austere environments. From collapsing the traditional “air stack” into a single, multi-role aircraft to landing on rough terrain with just a small team, the…
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