The Old Paratrooper Podcast

As the world marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11, former New York firefighter James Hanlon joins The Old Paratrooper Podcast to share his personal experience of the day that changed America forever.James reflects on witnessing the attacks unfold, the courage and sacrifice of his fellow firefighters, and the lasting impact 9/11 had on New York’s fire service and the wider world. He also discusses his work as a documentary filmmaker, preserving powerful real-life stories and bringing audiences closer to the people behind some of history’s most significant events.A deeply personal conversation about service, loss, remembrance and the responsibility to ensure these stories are never forgotten.The Old Paratrooper PodcastReal people. Real stories. No bullshit.🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with veterans, emergency services personnel, special forces operators and extraordinary people who have lived extraordinary lives.Interested in supporting the podcast ??? The check out the merch range on the link below.https://theoldpara.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOooekmN5nuMemozCBSlXndH8wu7y8z-c_pbTYvpezFBuFwRsjuieEx British military? struggling with your hearing ? Click the link below to see if you’re eligible for compensation.https://veterans-for-veterans.co.uk/affiliates/chris-binchhttps://www.booksamillion.com/p/Legacy-Child/James-Hanlon/9798996072927#FDNY #Firefighter #Firefighters #NewYork #FirstResponders #FireService #TheOldParatrooperPodcast #JamesHanlon #veteran #paratroopers #military

What really happened when former British soldiers swapped military service for the dangerous and rapidly expanding world of private security in Iraq?In this episode of The Old Paratrooper Podcast, Chris sits down with Gary Roberts, author of Seven Point Six Two: The True Story of Soldiers for Hire in Iraq.Gary takes us inside the extraordinary world of armed security contractors operating in Iraq—where former soldiers suddenly found themselves protecting people and assets in an environment where ambushes, roadside bombs and attacks were an everyday reality.This isn't Hollywood or a polished war story. It's a first-hand account of the men who went to Iraq after their military careers, the realities of working as armed contractors, the risks they accepted and the experiences that stayed with them long after they came home.We talk about Iraq, private military contracting, firefights, weapons, fear, brotherhood, leadership and what happens when professional soldiers enter a world where the rules are very different.Gary also explains the story behind Seven Point Six Two, why he decided to write it and the men and experiences that inspired the book.Raw. Unfiltered. No politics. Just the story from someone who was actually there.Interested in supporting the podcast ??? The check out the merch range on the link below.https://theoldpara.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOooekmN5nuMemozCBSlXndH8wu7y8z-c_pbTYvpezFBuFwRsjuieEx British military? struggling with your hearing ? Click the link below to see if you’re eligible for compensation.https://veterans-for-veterans.co.uk/affiliates/chris-binch#veteran #britisharmy #viral #veteran #britisharmy #viral #royalmarinecommando #motivation #parachuteregiment #interview #military #algorithm #youtubeshorts #facebook #instagram #mentalhealthawareness #sas

Former United States Navy SEAL Dusty Turner went from serving in one of the world’s most elite military units to being convicted of a murder he did not commit.Sentenced to 82 years in prison, Dusty ultimately spent 31 years behind bars before being released.This is a story of a night that changed everything, a controversial murder conviction, more than three decades inside the American prison system, and the fight to prove that the truth was not what the jury had been told.On The Old Paratrooper Podcast, Dusty tells his story in his own words from the SEAL Teams to a prison cell, what 31 years took from him, and what it feels like to finally walk free.🎙️ The Old Paratrooper Podcast — raw, unscripted and unfiltered conversation.Interested in supporting the podcast ??? The check out the merch range on the link below.https://theoldpara.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOooekmN5nuMemozCBSlXndH8wu7y8z-c_pbTYvpezFBuFwRsjuieEx British military? struggling with your hearing ? Click the link below to see if you’re eligible for compensation.https://veterans-for-veterans.co.uk/affiliates/chris-binch#veteran #britisharmy #viral #veteran #britisharmy #viral #royalmarinecommando #motivation #parachuteregiment #interview #military #algorithm #youtubeshorts #facebook #instagram #mentalhealthawareness #sas #navyseals

The views expressed in this clip and podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect those of The Old Paratrooper Podcast.

⚠️ VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED ⚠️This podcast contains graphic descriptions and discussions that some viewers may find distressing.

You asked for him back — so we got him back.After the incredible response to his first appearance, Chris Ryan returns to The Old Paratrooper Podcast for a second conversation that goes into territory we simply couldn't cover the first time.Chris begins by talking about his first-hand experience of Gaza, after joining a military delegation that received an intensive briefing on the October 7 attacks before entering Gaza and seeing the tunnel network for himself. He describes the footage he was shown, the devastation he witnessed, the complexity of fighting above and below ground, and why he believes misinformation and propaganda have made an already horrific conflict even harder for the outside world to understand.This isn't presented as a comfortable conversation or an attempt to tell people what they should believe. It's Chris explaining what he personally saw, what he was told and what conclusions he drew from the experience, while also acknowledging the suffering of innocent civilians and the complexity of the conflict.Then we hand the episode over to you.After hundreds of questions and comments following the first podcast, I put some of the ones you wanted answered directly to Chris.We get into Bravo Two Zero, his thoughts on the criticism and controversy surrounding the patrol, his relationship with Andy McNab, the men who didn't come home, and some of the claims that have been made about what happened.Chris also talks about women serving on the front line, why he believes the standards should remain exactly that — standards — and why anyone capable of meeting them deserves their place.We discuss life inside the SAS, the early joint SAS/SBS selection, how dramatically the operational tempo changed during Iraq, whether he misses the Special Forces world, writing The One That Got Away, the psychological impact of revisiting old memories, becoming a bestselling author and dealing with the fame that followed.It's raw, at times uncomfortable, sometimes funny and completely unfiltered.

Chris Ryan. Gaza. The SAS. Bravo Two Zero. And your questions answered.

Another huge episode of The Old Paratrooper Podcast.Real people. Real experiences. No bullshit.

Check out his book on the link below.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Breakout-breakneck-2026-thriller-bestselling/dp/1838779841/ref=asc_df_1838779841?mcid=7397fdd1e2633714a29aeacfed1c3ca6&th=1&psc=1&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=797309076872&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12699108331387211369&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9213842&hvtargid=pla-2500422134114&psc=1&hvocijid=12699108331387211369-1838779841-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=4

Interested in supporting the podcast ??? The check out the merch range on the link below.https://theoldpara.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOooekmN5nuMemozCBSlXndH8wu7y8z-c_pbTYvpezFBuFwRsjuie

Ex British military? struggling with your hearing ? Click the link below to see if you’re eligible for compensation.

https://veterans-for-veterans.co.uk/affiliates/chris-binch

#veteran #britisharmy #viral #veteran #britisharmy #viral #royalmarinecommando #motivation #parachuteregiment #interview #military #algorithm #youtubeshorts #facebook #instagram #mentalhealthawareness #sas

This is a very special episode of The Old Paratrooper Podcast.I sit down with former Ranger and Delta Force operator Mark Meadows for a fascinating conversation about his own incredible military career but also about the extraordinary man he called Dad.
Major Richard “Dick” Meadows was one of the most influential figures in the history of American Special Operations. From Korea and the early days of the Green Berets, to serving alongside the British 22 SAS, covert operations with MACV-SOG in Vietnam and commanding the assault group on the legendary Son Tay Raid, his career reads like the history of modern Special Forces itself.
Even after retiring from the Army, Dick Meadows wasn't finished. He played an important role in the establishment of 1st SFOD-D — Delta Force, and later operated covertly inside Tehran during the planning for the 1980 Iran hostage rescue attempt.But this episode isn't simply military history.Mark gives us a rare insight into the man behind the legend — what Dick Meadows was like as a father, the standards he lived by, the lessons he passed down, and what it was like for Mark to forge his own path through the Rangers and ultimately Delta Force while carrying the Meadows name.Two generations.
Two extraordinary Special Operations careers. One incredible story.
This is an episode you won't want to miss.

00:01 — Introduction and Mark Meadows’ first podcast
03:07 — Following in his father’s footsteps
04:02 — Dick Meadows, SAS exchange, and meeting Mark’s mother
07:00 — Vietnam, Special Forces, and career progression
08:57 — Son Tay Raid and POW rescue efforts
12:18 — Building blocks of Delta and the special operations legacy
15:41 — Dick Meadows’ passing and the family’s connection to the reunions
17:09 — Meadows Field, memorials, and preserving the legacy
19:39 — Why Mark chose infantry over Special Forces
21:52 — Delta politics and the shadow of his father’s name
23:51 — Dick Meadows and the early days of Delta Force
31:14 — Mark’s own attempt at Delta selection
32:27 — Military paths: West Point, ROTC, and commissioning routes
34:33 — Ranger School and Airborne School
38:38 — Panama invasion and first combat deployment
40:36 — Desert Storm, Bosnia, and Iraq deployments
42:33 — Commanding in Iraq and leading the squadron
49:49 — Talking about Delta selection and how it works
50:51 — The selection process, interviews, and OTC
56:32 — Comparing Delta selection with SAS selection
58:02 — Military politics and the cost of success
66:00 — Ross Perot and the corporate world lesson on leadership
71:13 — Post-military careers in ammunition and the UAE
73:34 — Retirement, purpose, and life after service
77:24 — Purpose, legacy, and being a good human being
79:31 — Final reflections on service, leadership, and family legacy
80:17 — Closing thoughts on the UAE team and international camaraderie

🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with veterans, special forces operators and extraordinary people who have lived extraordinary lives.Interested in supporting the podcast ???
The check out the merch range on the link below.
https://theoldpara.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOooekmN5nuMemozCBSlXndH8wu7y8z-c_pbTYvpezFBuFwRsjuie

Ex British military? struggling with your hearing ? Click the link below to see if you’re eligible for compensation.

https://veterans-for-veterans.co.uk/affiliates/chris-binch

#veteran #britisharmy #viral #veteran #britisharmy #viral #royalmarinecommando #motivation #parachuteregiment #interview #military #algorithm #youtubeshorts #facebook #instagram #mentalhealthawareness #sas #deltaforce