It’s rare that we get the opportunity to talk with someone who’s life has taken the full arc of going from a family in need, to leading the very non-profit dedicated to helping those families. In this episode of the Proud American podcast, Marine Corps Veteran and host Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to the CEO of the Independence Fund, Sarah Verardo. After seeing the gaps in care and assistance offered to her husband, a severely wounded soldier, Sarah began as a volunteer for Independence Fund ...
Nov 23, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 19
To leave an impact, to make a difference, to build something with your hands, to create a legacy others can enjoy... These may be some of the most rewarding, proud American goals anyone could achieve, and today's guest is doing just that. Tyler Merritt is the CEO and founder of Nine Line Apparel, a military inspired apparel company here in my home state of Georgia. He's a veteran and entrepreneur, a philanthropist, a family man, and today he's our guest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...
Nov 16, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 18
This month, November, starts my favorite time of year. The holiday season. And not just because I get to eat all my favorite foods, but because I get to spend time with all my favorite people. For most Americans, this means thanksgiving and Christmas, but for me and those who have served, it starts with Veterans day. So for this podcast, I wanted to bring on someone who’s connected these holidays in a way that’s truly a Proud American tradition. Washington D.C. native and businessman Fletcher Gi...
Nov 09, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Some folks take a little warming up to, others bring you coffee at 4:30 in the morning to warm you the first time you meet them. That’s exactly how I met Country and Rock music star, and all around Proud American, Tim Montana. From his music to his viral social media posts, to his American Threads sporting clay shoot event supporting military veterans, Tim has a ton of energy and puts it all into entertaining his fans and supporting companies and causes he believes in. Tim joins the podcast toda...
Nov 03, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 16
At Fox News I get to work with some extraordinary people. Being a talented reporter is impressive, but one of my colleagues has a unique story of perseverance and dedication. I’m excited to welcome Fox News Congressional Correspondent Aishah Hasnie today as my guest. She's every bit an Indiana girl as she is a migrant from halfway around the world, and that is what the American Dream is all about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Sep 28, 2021•24 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Immediately after 9/11, war correspondent Terry McCarthy went to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he reported on the ousting of the Taliban from Kabul. He continued covering the US invasion of Iraq, and went on to win several Emmy awards for his reporting, including his coverage of my team in Afghanistan in 2010 as we swept for IEDs. Now the CEO of the American Society of Cinematographers, it's Terry's fight to tell the truth that makes him a truly Proud American. Learn more about your ad choices...
Sep 21, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 14
NASCAR is the top level of auto racing in America, but perhaps more importantly, it may also be the last remaining grassroots sport through and through. Today's guest is a true cross section of the humble roots of American past time and the full embrace of technology to get the fastest time. Kurt Busch is a NASCAR champion who accomplished some of the most significant feats in racing, and after two decades is still competing for the same bragging rights! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...
Sep 14, 2021•30 min•Season 2Ep. 13
On the Proud American Podcast, we try to bring you stories and perspectives of Americans who are not only proud of their accomplishments, but humble in their work. People who embody selflessness, hard work, dedication, commitment and resilience. Today's guest make these uniquely American traits his everyday routine. Randy Couture is a six-time UFC Champion, Army veteran, actor, writer, and -most importantly- proud American. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Sep 14, 2021•39 min•Season 2Ep. 12
It's a Fox News Podcasts crossover! The Will Cain Podcast host and Fox and Friends Weekend co-host Will Cain joins the Proud American podcast to discuss his experience as a sports commentator at ESPN, his transition to Fox News, the importance of spreading truth no matter what the critics say, why it's so hard to share your political opinions today and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Sep 01, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 11
"After serving 14 years in both the Navy as a chef to the Commander of the US 6th Fleet and then transitioning on to becoming an Army team leader in one of the military’s most dangerous jobs, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Staff Sergeant Aaron Hale was blinded by an IED. Not letting his injuries hold him back, Aaron became an EOD instructor, motivational speaker, mountain climber, white water kayaker, and marathon runner. Four years later tragedy struck again when Aaron contracted bacterial ...
Jul 27, 2021•20 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Proud Americans make this country and the people around them better with their actions and dedicated service. Karen Worcester is the co-founder and Executive Director of Wreaths Across America, a national nonprofit dedicated to remembering our fallen, honoring those who serve and teaching the next generation about value of freedom. Karen and her husband Morrill have taken a quiet idea for a solemn purpose and inspired millions of Americans to honor those who have given their lives with their bea...
Jul 20, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Most people aspire to do one exceptional thing that inspires others and makes a difference. For some that means charity work, for others public service or military service, and for many of us its simply having a family and raising kids. For Army veteran Amber Smith, she has excelled in all the above as one of the few female pilots to fly the KIOWA armed reconnaissance helicopter on combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, a TV analyst and trusted voice for national security, and most recently sh...
Jul 14, 2021•28 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Who doesn't love good music that tells good stories? For many, that’s country music. But music is more than the background noise to a good time. It inspires us to dream about tomorrow and reminisce of yesterday. It connects us on a shared emotion or lifestyle, the music we love doesn’t just tell a story - it tells our story. Granger Smith is a country music star, but he's also so much more. His Yee-Yee brand and its leading persona Earl Dibbles Jr. reaches our most recent generation of adult Ame...
Jul 06, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 7
From the battlefield to the newsroom, veterans in mainstream media are rare and important. Proud Americans believe in freedom, fight to protect it and exercise their own rights with respect and courage. Pete Hegseth is arguably one of the largest veterans voices in television news, and a necessary perspective when it comes to questioning decisions made that affect our military and their families. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jun 29, 2021•16 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Proud Americans like you and I come from all walks of life, and our guests are no different. From regular folks doing extraordinary things, to celebrities who’ve put time into making this country a better place for all of us, Proud Americans are worth celebrating. And today’s guest is no different. Mark Zinno is the host of the Hazard Ground Podcast where war heroes share their stories of combat and survival, as well as a sports talk radio host and a Lt. Col. in the United States Army National G...
May 25, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Last year we introduced you to a Proud American named Emily Domenech, who used her smartphone and patriotic spirit to bring the headstones of our heroes to their friends and family on Memorial Day, when COVID-19 restrictions prevented them from visiting Arlington National Cemetery in person. This year, Emily has teamed up with Ryan Manion of the Travis Manion Foundation for a collaboration called "The Honor Project." Emily and Ryan join the podcast to share more information about this special pr...
May 18, 2021•23 min•Season 2Ep. 4
From Homer’s Odysseus to Wilfred Owen, the idea of a warrior poet has captured our attention for generations. For a man or woman to go from the brutality of combat to the vulnerable expression of creating art may seem odd or unnatural, but for many of us, whether it be making something with our hands or writing how we feel in words, self expression and vulnerability are a necessary part of healing our minds after war and injury. Richard Casper is a Marine Corps veteran, Proud American, and found...
May 11, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Politics has become perhaps the most intense team sport in our country today. Differing political views often divide people, but in the case of today’s podcast guest, having conversations about politics has brought an important friendship into my life with documentary film maker, Gotham Chopra. Growing up in Boston he became an avid sports fan, and after starting his career with Channel One News covering the war in the Middle East, he became one of the most highly regarded sports documentary fil...
May 04, 2021•32 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Often in life we meet people who just don’t stop. They don’t stop at the first sign of adversity, they don’t stop achieving goals, they don’t stop trying new things, and perhaps most importantly they don’t stop inspiring others. These people aren’t as rare as you think, but those who use this passion for life to become elite are. Christmas Abbott is one of those people. If you’re a fan of the CrossFit games, NASCAR, reality TV or fitness and nutrition, you’ve probably heard of her. But before ev...
May 01, 2021•17 min•Season 2Ep. 1
This time of year is a special time for many all over the world. Parents, guardians, grandparents, loved ones, etc. work tirelessly to make the holiday season feel special for children, and presents are only one part of that. Good food, time with family, traditions old and new, and the opportunity to appreciate the life we have really makes this season come to life. In this episode of the Proud American podcast, Marine Corps Veteran and host Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to twin sisters, owner...
Dec 07, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 19
It’s rare that we get the opportunity to talk with someone who’s life has taken the full arc of going from a family in need, to leading the very non-profit dedicated to helping those families. In this episode of the Proud American podcast, Marine Corps Veteran and host Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to the CEO of the Independence Fund, Sarah Verardo. After seeing the gaps in care and assistance offered to her husband, a severely wounded soldier, Sarah began as a volunteer for Independence Fund ...
Nov 30, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 18
There's a popular phrase, “in a world full of dark, be a light.” As simple as that sounds, it can be difficult to find those moments or people that bring light into the darkness many of us feel from time to time. In this episode of the Proud American podcast, Marine Corps Veteran and host Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to Jake and Sean, two friends and healthcare workers whose “Bad Joke Thursday” videos bring joy and giggles to so many. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com...
Nov 23, 2020•18 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this episode of the Proud American podcast, Marine Corps Veteran and host Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to the CEO and President of Dorsey Pictures, Chris Dorsey. He's an avid sportsman, entrepreneur, conservationist and Proud American who truly loves the world God created for us, and has dedicated his time to the work it takes to preserve and enjoy the outdoors. He also produces Joey's Fox Nation show, Fox Nation Outdoors, which allows him to take Proud Americans, both celebrities and spor...
Nov 16, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode of the Proud American podcast, Marine Corps Veteran and host Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to Stewart Hunter, a founding and managing partner of Benchmark Mortgage and organizer of the annual Boot Shoot fundraiser, and Chad Fleming, a career Army Ranger who went on to deploy five times after losing a leg in combat. Stewart and Chad now work together at Benchmark, organize the annual Boot Shoot designed to raise money and provide a positive experience for veterans returning and ...
Nov 06, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 15
On this special crossover edition of the Proud American podcast, host Johnny Joey Jones teams up with the famous Robertson family for a special Unashamed X Proud American podcast. Here's what Joey had to say about it: After eight years in the Marine Corps and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, one of the things I enjoy most now is getting into the outdoors to hunt or fish. These experiences are always best when you can do it with good friends and good people. Today's guests are just that. My f...
Sep 28, 2020•51 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Being a "Proud American" is paying an enormous sacrifice while serving our country, but coming out stronger and using your experience to help others dealing with not only physical, but mental and emotional wounds. Knowing how many service members go to war just to come home and fight another war within themselves is hard to fathom. In this episode, Marine Corps Veteran and Proud American Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to Jacob Schick, CEO of 22Kill, a veteran’s nonprofit dedicated to helping ve...
Sep 21, 2020•23 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Being a "Proud American" is vowing to protect your country in any way you can, big or small. Few professions demand as much from us as serving in the military, and few others are as thankless as police officers keeping us safe here at home. In this episode, Marine Corps Veteran and Proud American Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to someone you may know as Detective Alvarez on the hit TV show Gotham, but on top of being a successful actor and singer, he's also a United States Marine, New York Stat...
Sep 14, 2020•20 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Being a "Proud American" is taking a personal tragedy and turning it into a truly life-changing blessing. September 11th, 2001 changed the lives of every American. For many, it simply changed what everyday life is like in this country. For others, that day changed the entire trajectory of their lives. We went to war and our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters paid that price. In this episode, Marine Corps Veteran and Proud American Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to Stephen Siller Foundatio...
Sep 07, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Being a "Proud American" means honoring the men and women who have given their lives in order to protect the lives of complete strangers. At this point in time, the coronavirus has affected nearly every aspect of our lives, but many people were surprised when national cemeteries were restricted to only immediate family members on Memorial Day. In this episode, Marine Corps Veteran and Proud American Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to Emily Domenech of Alexandria, VA, who used her smart phone and...
Sep 01, 2020•15 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Being a "Proud American" means honoring those who have served our country in order to protect us and our democratic freedoms. Too many of our military and veterans come home and struggle to understand the effects of war and wartime service on both their physical and mental health. In this episode, Marine Corps Veteran and Proud American Johnny Joey Jones introduces us to Navy veteran, founder of Boulder Crest retreat and the Warrior PATHH program, and author of the book "Struggle Well: Thriving ...
Jul 27, 2020•17 min•Season 1Ep. 9
