Fragout Podcast

Drew Stokes Coast Guard Veterans and Retired US Customs and Border Protection Officer. On September 26, 2017, Drew Stokes was ambushed in a sudden, violent attack while walking out of a Publix grocery store just outside Jacksonville, Florida. From start to finish, the entire attack lasted approximately five seconds. Drew was shot five times once in the center of his torso, once in his right buttock, once in each hip/leg, and once in his left forearm. His injuries were catastrophic. One bullet lacerated his liver, another compromised his colon, and three bullets remain in his body today one in each hip and another near his spine. For several days, Drew wavered between life and death, crossing to the other side twice. He completely bled out and required 78 pints of blood to keep him alive. His survival was made possible by the heroic actions of bystanders, the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Clay County Fire Rescue, and the trauma staff at Orange Park Medical Center. Drew credits them with saving his life. What followed was an extraordinary road to recovery. Through relentless hard work, an incredible rehabilitation team, and tremendous support from his family, friends, coworkers, and people across the country, Drew fought his way back. On January 2, 2018, just over three months after the shooting, he returned to light duty. After undergoing eleven surgeries, Drew returned to full duty on April 9, 2018. By June 2018, he had returned to the sky.

Great Podcast with my friend Austin L. Owner of Ares Armament Austin is a proud U.S. Army veteran who served in the artillery. We sat down to talk about his military service, firearm safety, hunting, and his upcoming Range Safety Day on September 5th from 11:00 AM–5:00 PM. FREE admission no purchase required. There will be a great lineup of companies, vendors, and sponsors on-site, plus opportunities to learn from industry professionals. And yes… they're giving away 60 suppressors at the event. You read that right. Come out, learn something new, and you might just leave with a brand-new suppressor.

Adam Jones, an FMX sensation from Warrendale, PA. Starting motocross at ten, he quickly dominated with eight IFMA event wins in his first year. Despite a setback in 2004, Jones secured a Bronze at the X Games X Los Angeles. Riding since 1995, he's an eight-time X Games medalist, globally renowned for his skills. In 2007, he earned the title of International Rider of the Year, showcasing his work ethic and commitment to perfecting new tricks. Adam will be at Appleton Nitro Circus August 14th.

Jonny is Co-owner of Tagged and Bagged. They make and sell high quality taxidermy kits for various types of waterfowl, upland birds, turkeys, and fish. Their mission is to provide outdoor enthusiasts with the highest quality packaging products to ensure the preservation of their prized trophies. We had a great podcast about waterfowl hunting, entrepreneurship, business growth, their philanthropic ventures to help all types of nonprofits raises money. Jonny and Mitch are crushing it everyday and really excited to see where they go and watch them grow.

Very informative podcast with my friend Dean Nemecek Dean served our country for 26 years 4 years on active duty and 22 years with the Wisconsin Army National Guard. Throughout his career, he held numerous leadership positions and commands, deployed to Iraq in 2005–2006, and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. Today, Dean is on the front lines of another mission: helping companies build effective veteran hiring programs and connect with exceptional veteran talent. We had an in-depth conversation about military transition, veteran employment, and the macro and micro factors that influence success after service. Whether you're a transitioning service member, a veteran, or an employer looking to hire veterans, there's something in this episode for you. Check out Dean's free resource for transitioning service members and veterans: Transition Ops https://transitionops.org/ You can also visit his business page and pre-order his upcoming book: https://vbs-veteran-hiring.netlify.app/tools

ALL NEW NITRO CIRCUS TOUR COMES TO APPLETON! NITRO CIRCUS 2.0 TOUR PRESENTED BY RAM TRUCKS FRIDAY, AUGUST 14 NEUROSCIENCE GROUP FIELD NEVER BEEN DONE. NEVER BEEN SEEN. ABSOLUTELY UNREAL. You gotta see it to believe it! 100+ STUNTS. 20 ATHLETES. BUILT FOR BIG AIR AND BAD IDEAS. Tickets on sale now! Visit nitrocircus.com for more info

Rob is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, diplomat, best-selling author, and co-owner of Horse Soldier Bourbon. With more than 35 years of leadership and service, he has been recognized with the prestigious OSS Veterans & US SOCOM Award of Excellence. Rob joined the Fragout Podcast to discuss leadership, military service, transition, entrepreneurship, and the experiences that shaped both his military and business career.

Jake is running for Wisconsin's 1st Senate District seat here in Northeastern Wisconsin. He served 13 years in the military and completed two deployments to Iraq. He's also the founder of DC Farm for Vets, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting veterans through agriculture, purpose, and community. We spent some time sharing plenty of funny stories from our military days, but also had a serious conversation about leadership, public service, veteran issues, economic growth, education, and what motivated him to run for office. No matter where you fall politically, it's always valuable to hear directly from the people willing to step up and serve their communities.

My friend Eric Jansen Government Affairs Coordinator for Balanced Veterans Network. Eric took the time to walk me through current legislation focused on removing barriers for veterans to access Innovative Therapies. That's the term being used now but we know what we're talking about.. Psychedelics. Eric isn't just talking about it, he's in Washington doing the work. Lobbying. Networking. Advocating at a high level. Pushing to cut through the red tape that's been holding veterans back from the full spectrum of care they've earned. We shouldn't need permission to heal. This isn't theory. It's backed by top tier research and real data. The results speak for themselves. Innovative Therapies are showing real impact for veterans dealing with PTSD, TBI, depression, Parkinson's, anxiety, and more. If you're not paying attention to this space yet, you should be. Download the BVN App, available on all platforms, and see what's being built. BVN.vet

Jeremy and I go back almost 20 years. We worked private security together at the Kikkoman Soy Sauce Factory in Walworth, WI… and yeah, we probably had a little too much fun along the way. But behind that is a story of transition, resilience, and pushing through real hardship. Jeremy's journey isn't easy but it's real, and it's powerful. Proud of the man he's become. Proud to call him a friend. This one's dropping soon. Don't miss it. See you at work.

Had the honor of sitting down with my friend, Iraq War Veteran and former POW Jessica Lynch, to talk about the importance of National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. We dove into the history, what this day truly means, and how it's impacted her and other POWs. Perspective like that changes you. We also mixed in some good conversation on turkey and elk hunting because that's how real conversations go. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge, and every time we talk, I walk away better.

Sharp and Witty Podcast with my friend Tyler Hackbarth. Tyler is an Iraq War Veteran and owner of Wolf River Forge. He was on Season 6 of Forged In Fire Battle of the Branches and was the overall winner of that season. He makes incredible knives here in Wisconsin. He's a Journey Knife Smith and working on his master knife smithing certification. Lots of laughs and serious moments. Please follow Fragout Podcast for all updates.

Exciting episode of the podcast with my friend Sam Parker, owner of My Credit Guy Credit Restoration widely regarded as #1 in the mortgage industry. Sam was in town, so we laid a track and broke down the fundamentals: • Credit scores • Credit repair vs. reality • VA Home Loans • Mortgages • Bankruptcy • How lenders actually look at your file This was an entry-level, no-BS conversation designed to educate and empower. Sam is an absolute nerd when it comes to credit and I mean that as the highest compliment. If you've ever wondered how your credit actually impacts your buying power, this one's for you.

Great Podcast with my friends from House In The Woods Jeff Shock and Jason Seavey. Jason, an Air Force Veteran originally from Maine and now planted in the Fox Valley with his wife, and Jeff proud volunteer and guide are gearing up for Sturgeon Spearing opener this weekend. They've got 13 veterans from across Wisconsin coming in to try their luck on the ice. That's what it's about camaraderie, purpose, and the outdoors. In 2023, I traveled to Maine and had a successful bear hunt with them. Firsthand experience: this organization is the real deal. Phenomenal mission. Real impact.

Spiritual and exciting podcast with my friend Franki Moscato. Franki was on American Idol and she founded the Franki Moscato Foundation that focuses on young adults to preventing suicide and promote mental wellness through inspiration, education, and kindness. We talked about both our experiences with bullying and how we used it to better our lives. We talked about music and her strong faith. This was a super fun podcast and I learned a lot.

Great podcast with my new friend Rick Crosson. Rick is a retired LT. Colonel running for congress for the 8th Congressional district in Wisconsin. Rick and I talked about his 20 years of service in the Army and how he decided to run for congress. This was fun and light hearted. Politics are not our usual type of content but this was just about his vision and mission.

My Senior Drill Sergeant from Infantry School Michael Fletcher, drove all the way up from South Carolina for a podcast and to chase some geese with me. Exactly 19 years ago, I graduated Infantry School on Sand Hill, Fort Benning, GA. Sitting down with him again after all these years was surreal—fun, emotional, and a full-circle moment. We talked about my time at Sand Hill, deployments, and even had surprise messages from guys who graduated with me. This podcast means alot to me to share with the world. I've had alot of great mentors but Mike really established a great foudation for my military career but also how achieved my goals. He taught me to never quit. Thank you to all my fellow Platoon members that sent videos in for Mike!

Surprised a very deserving veteran with a free elite OnX Membership and I shared my thoughts and feeling about veterans day. Have a great Veterans Day be safe and have fun.

We caught up on all his travels for work and talked about his ongoing recovery journey. The conversation went in all directions—from sandhill crane hunts to hog hunting and everything in between. Got an update on the biopic about his brother Chris. After recording, we grabbed lunch at The Mad Apple Burger & Billiard and shot a few games of pool… which confirmed that neither of us will be joining a pro league anytime soon. Thanks for the great day, brother!

Part 3 - Dan is an Iraq War veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and one of the most selfless people I've ever met. After serving his country, he dedicated his life to helping veterans — opening two gyms, creating jobs, and giving others a place to belong. But in the process, he lost everything: his house, his car, his relationship, and his sense of self. Dan hit rock bottom and spent 30 days at the Milwaukee VA Domiciliary. That time changed everything. Today, he's rebuilding his life — working as a personal security guard, back in the gym, and rediscovering who he is beyond the uniform. His story is raw, emotional, and full of redemption.