Urban Valor: the podcast

• Army MP Recounts Combat Missions in Iraq & Haunting Investigations

  Meet Richard Aviles, a U.S. Army Veteran and former Military Policeman whose story is as raw as it is remarkable. In this Urban Valor episode, Richard recounts growing up in Puerto Rico, navigating culture shock in the U.S., and enlisting in the Army to escape homelessness and pursue purpose.Within months, he found himself deployed to Iraq, running combat missions, clearing houses, and collecting biometrics in high-risk environments. But the weight of war wasn’t left overseas. Richard opens up about his experiences with domestic violence calls, soldier suicides, and the haunting cases he faced while working the road stateside.This is a story about survival, service, trauma—and healing. It’s about chasing validation, confronting your past, and learning to live with the scars you carry. Whether you’re a veteran, military family member, or civilian seeking to understand the true cost of war, this one will hit home.🪖 Watch to hear Richard’s brutally honest account of Army life, combat in Iraq, and the battles he still faces today.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:00 - Opening: Responding to a Crisis00:21 - Introduction to Richard Aviles01:18 - Growing Up in Puerto Rico02:08 - Strict Parenting & Early Lessons03:03 - Community Respect & Culture Shock06:28 - Homelessness and Enlistment09:26 - Basic Training Realities13:03 - Arriving at Fort Leonard Wood18:11 - Picking His Job: Military Police23:32 - Volunteering for Iraq Deployment25:43 - Missions, IEDs, and Reality Sets In28:17 - Getting Reassigned After Article 1530:54 - Raids & Detention Operations35:28 - Challenges Working with Iraqi Police38:00 - Transitioning Back Stateside39:15 - Working the Road as an MP40:28 - Responding to Suicides & K2 Abuse47:49 - Crazy Cases & Barracks Life50:07 - Deciding to Leave the Army53:52 - Struggles with Civilian Reintegration57:49 - Life Now: Family, Podcast & Purpose59:25 - Final Message to Veterans#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

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• Marine Suffers Severe Burns From AAV Blast in Final Training Exercise

  A Marine's worst nightmare came true in a split second.In this episode of Urban Valor, Marine veteran Kyle Hansen recounts the devastating moment his AAV (Amphibious Assault Vehicle) ran over a natural gas line, sparking a massive explosion that left him severely burned and changed his life forever.Kyle served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 2014–2018, starting in Marine Security Forces guarding nuclear assets at Naval Submarine Base Bangor. He later transitioned to 1st Marine Division’s 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, training for overseas deployment. But during his final exercise, the explosion tore through the vehicle, injuring several Marines and a Navy corpsman.In this interview, Kyle shares the mental and physical aftermath of combat trauma, what it means to lead under fire, and how brotherhood shaped him. He also opens up about recovery, Wounded Warrior Battalion, and reclaiming purpose after being medically retired.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:00 – The Day of the Explosion  02:12 – Inspiration Behind Joining the Marines  04:03 – Boot Camp & Culture Shock  13:30 – Infantry Training Battalion & Leadership  19:18 – Security Forces & Advanced Combat Training  28:45 – Assigned to Bangor, WA  36:15 – Brutal Patrols & Brotherhood Lessons  43:45 – Transitioning to the Fleet  54:24 – The AAV Explosion Incident  56:22 – Recovery & Wounded Warrior Battalion  1:01:54 – Medical Retirement & Mental Health Struggles  1:07:47 – Finding Purpose After Service  1:11:08 – Final Words on Leadership & Giving Back  1:13:22 – How to Support Recycle for Veterans  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

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• F/A-18 Marine Pilot Takes Down a Russian MiG-29 in Dogfight

  What really happens when a U.S. Marine fighter pilot faces off with a Russian MiG-29 at 8Gs? In this week’s episode of Urban Valor, we sit down with Major Ed Rush, a decorated Marine Corps F/A-18 pilot with nearly 2,000 hours of tactical flight time and over 50 combat missions under his belt.Raised by a legendary basketball coach and an NBA referee, Ed’s journey took him from a high-pressure family legacy to the skies over Iraq and Afghanistan. In this episode, he shares how a lie at a bar landed him in the Marines, what it feels like to be shot at during takeoff, and the second-by-second breakdown of an epic simulated dogfight against a Russian MiG-29.Ed didn’t just fly F/A-18s—he became the #1 dogfighting instructor in the Marine Corps, helped shape the F-35 training program, and later launched a successful entrepreneurial career by applying fighter pilot tactics to leadership and life.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:00 Surviving 8G Combat Against a MiG-29  00:18 Meet Ed Rush: Marine Corps Major & F/A-18 Pilot  01:00 Growing Up in a Family of Legends  09:29 A Lie That Changed His Life  16:32 First Steps into the Marine Corps  30:20 Flying the Legendary F/A-18 Hornet  44:40 Breaking Down the MiG-29 Dogfight  59:14 The Most Dangerous Moments in Combat Flying  1:08:41 Balancing War & Fatherhood  1:15:10 From Warfighter to Online Entrepreneur  1:24:13 Ed Rush’s Advice on Finding Purpose After Service  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

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• Marine Survived Desert Storm, Invaded Iraq with His Son, Then Survived Fallujah

  Meet Marine Corps veteran Armando Garcia, a dual-branch warrior who served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps. In this episode of Urban Valor, Garcia recounts his incredible journey from Desert Storm to Fallujah, including surviving a grenade blast, building military infrastructure, training future Marines, and even serving alongside his own son in Iraq.From enlisting to escape poverty to being handpicked by General “Mad Dog” Mattis for Ranger School, Garcia’s path includes everything from infantry combat to drill instructor duty to command-level strategy in some of the Marine Corps' most intense operations.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 0:00 – Bomb Crater Crash & Military Beginnings0:26 – Childhood in Del Rio, Texas1:34 – First Enlistment in the Air Force5:07 – Transition to Marine Corps7:27 – Boot Camp and Early Lessons10:10 – Infrastructure Design at Camp Pendleton12:31 – Reenlistment & Weapons Company Role20:30 – Desert Storm Deployment30:21 – Life as a Drill Instructor40:38 – Selected by General Mattis for Ranger School50:20 – Warrant Officer Commission & Iraq Deployment58:05 – Battle of Fallujah Prep & Firefight1:11:00 – Memorials, Sacrifice & Coming Home1:20:44 – Post-Service Reflections & Mental Resilience1:26:27 – Final Words on Brotherhood & Purpose#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

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• Iraqi Kid Leads Marines to Buried American Soldiers

  Former U.S. Marine Michael Delery joins us on Urban Valor to share a powerful and haunting story from his time in Iraq. During the 2003 invasion, Mike’s unit was approached by a young Iraqi boy who led them to a shallow grave—revealing the remains of four missing American soldiers.Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, Mike faced nonstop pressure to join gangs. Instead, he chose the Marine Corps and built a life of service and sacrifice. In this episode, he recounts the intensity of Marine Corps Security Forces training, the chaos of combat deployments, and the moment that would stay with him forever.He also opens up about the emotional weight carried by veterans after service—navigating PTSD, losing friends to suicide, and the harsh reality of returning home. From sleeping on a living room floor weeks after deployment to the frustrations of Marine Corps recruiting, Mike offers an unfiltered look at military life before and after combat.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:00 – Iraqi Boy Leads Marines to a Shocking Discovery  01:12 – Reflecting on the First Ever Urban Valor Interview  01:29 – Life at Banger: Security Forces & Nuclear Protocols  03:45 – Peer Pressure and Gangs in South Central LA  10:12 – Brotherhood and Discipline in the Marines  20:46 – Losing Friends in Combat & Harrowing Iraq Memories  26:59 – 9/11 and the Chain Reaction that Led to War  30:08 – Fast Roping, Field Ops & Overseas Deployment  43:34 – Coming Home: Homeless with a Family Weeks After Iraq  50:19 – The Mental Toll of Marine Recruiting Duty  1:03:10 – Leaving the Corps for His Family’s Future  1:16:33 – Civilian Life as a Cop: Danger, Trauma, & Tension  1:33:21 – PTSD, Suicide, and the Tragic Loss of Marco Sanchez  1:46:28 – Stories of Camaraderie and Marine Brotherhood  #military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #warstories

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