Episode notes
🎙️ From a childhood of poverty and violence in Los Angeles to the ranks of the 75th Ranger Regiment, Angel Cortes’ story is one of grit, growth, and relentless purpose. In this raw and moving conversation, Angel shares how he escaped gang life, found a new mission in the Army, and eventually became a leader in the Ranger Regiment — even after setbacks, doubters, and near-fatal exits. Today, Angel’s mission is still about service. Through his business OG Pumpkin, he’s built a community that gives back to veterans and low-income neighborhoods. He co-leads Defense Strategies Group, bringing…
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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 · 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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S6 · 21 May 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
SOFcast Special Episode: “Moments That Matter” — Medal of Honor Panel at SOF Week 2025
🎙️ In this extraordinary SOFcast episode, we step away from the studio and onto the stage of SOF Week 2025, a premier joint conference co-hosted by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the Global SOF Foundation. Recorded live in Tampa, this powerful panel titled “Moments That Matter” features three living SOF recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor: Sergeant Major Pat Payne, U.S. Army Ranger Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee, U.S. Army Green Beret Command Sergeant Major Matt Williams, U.S. Army Green Beret Moderated by SOFcast host Matt Parrish, the conversation goes far beyond…
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S6 · E5 · 14 May 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
S6 E5 - Rob Zackery — Calling the Fight, Building the Team
🎙️ From calling in airstrikes with Green Berets and Rangers to leading Airmen across the globe, Rob Zackery’s career as an Air Force TACP is one of purpose, adaptability, and impact. In this episode, Rob shares what it takes to step into any team room and earn trust — not by rank or reputation, but by performance. He reflects on his early combat deployments, including Afghanistan in 2001, the push-pull of old-school and new-school warfighting, and how humanity often shows up in the unlikeliest places. As he climbed the ranks, Rob talks about shifting from trigger-puller to team builder, what…
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S6 · E4 · 7 May 2025 · 1 hr 17 min
S6 E4 - Jariko Denman - Standards, Legacy, and Life Beyond the Regiment
SOFcast | Season 6, Episode 4: Jariko Denman — Standards, Legacy, and Life Beyond the Regiment 🎙️ From being “the demon cadre” at RIP to advising Hollywood directors and embedded reporting in Kabul, Ranger veteran Jariko Denman brings unapologetic honesty and hard-won wisdom to SOFcast. In this wide-ranging episode, Jariko shares what made him choose the Ranger Regiment, how strong leadership shaped his path, and why the right first team can make or break a career. He opens up about the pressure of sustaining elite standards, the toll of years at war, and the challenge of transitioning to…
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S6 · E3 · 30 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
S6 E3 - Nick Lavery - Choosing to Fight Forward
SOFcast | Season 6, Episode 3: Nick Lavery — Choosing to Fight Forward 🎙️ Few stories embody the spirit of SOF like Nick Lavery’s. The first Green Beret to return to combat as an above-the-knee amputee, Nick shares his incredible journey of resilience, mindset, and service — and how his fight didn’t end with recovery. Now an author, speaker, and mentor to warriors and leaders across the country, Nick talks about legacy, leadership, and why choosing to get better every single day is the real victory. From the team room to the sidelines of pro sports teams, Nick’s mission is clear: empower…
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S6 · E2 · 30 Apr 2025 · 56 min
S6 E2 - Melissa Johnson - Accelerating Innovation for SOF
SOFcast | Season 6, Episode 2: Melissa Johnson — Accelerating Innovation for SOF 🎙️ How do you rapidly deliver cutting-edge gear and tech to the world’s most agile warriors? USSOCOM Acquisition Executive Melissa Johnson joins SOFcast to pull back the curtain on how her team connects the team room to the tech world — fielding solutions faster, smarter, and closer to the fight. From counter-UAS breakthroughs to partnering with small businesses and startups, Melissa explains why investing in relationships and removing bureaucracy is key to giving SOF operators the decisive edge. This episode is…
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