Episodes
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Alfred Bari is a former Marine infantryman and native of New Hampshire. Bari was a radioman in 3rd platoon, C Company, 1st Bn 6th Marines between 1993-1997.Following honorable discharge, Bari spent 20 years working as a butcher and loved it. He has also been a pro wrestling fan forever and once aspired to join Killer Kowalski's wrestling school but was sidelined by injuries. His wrestling handle was to be the Italian Tank! His finishing move would have been a bear hug.Alfred currently lives in New Hampshire with his wife and daughter. He is full of gratitude for his many experiences and the love of family and his Marine brothers. The Italian Tank's outlook on life is very refreshing, I love this guy.
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Kris Giuranna is a former active duty Marine Sergeant (2003 - 2012). He served in the primary MOS of 0341, infantry mortarman and security forces.Sgt G deployed to Afghanistan 04-05, Iraq 06, Iraq 07-08: was awarded 2 combat action ribbons and myriad personal and unit citations including Joint Service Commendation Medal and Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.Kris and I have discussed the “work hard, play hard” nature of the military, whereby especially in the infantry, young men train for or actually deploy to combat and any opportunity to blow off steam and otherwise cut loose is welcome. Some of the best times of our lives as Marines were spent drinking and carrying on with our brothers in the bar or barracks. Indeed, the Marine Corps actually came to being in a bar down in Philadelphia called Tun Tavern. So it is essentially tradition for Marines to kick ass and drink like fish and most all of us did our best to fit that mold. But while enjoying our off-time and sucking down a few beers with our brothers is great upon occasion, for many of us it became a daily ritual and a weight around our neck. Alcoholism is a disease that millions of service members have dealt with but few discuss and Kris is on a mission to help end that. In this podcast, Kris shares his story of service and the peacetime battles fought following discharge.Kris is in the process of writing a book about his experiences, "Alcohol - The War After Iraq."
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Karen Carey is an accomplished interior designer, award winning photographer, and published author. She is the owner of Karen Carey Design Studio in Montgomery County PA. Prior to opening the design firm, Karen owned a portrait photography business for 20+ years. She's won several prestigious national photography awards, has been published in numerous magazines, created and launched a greeting card line at the National Stationery Show in NYC and has appeared on the hit TV show Flea Market Flip. Her expertise in business opened up opportunities for Karen to share her wisdom in the form of writing, teaching and speaking on her three favorite topics; leadership, vision and purpose. Karen has two grown children ages 22 and 28 and has been married to her highschool sweetheart for 30 years.She was a Division1 Basketball scholarship recipient at Drexel University ('87-'90) and more recently (2018) held the state/regional RPS Powerlifting record at age 49.
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Patrick McKernan grew up in Norristown, PA. His grandfather, father and uncle were all police officers. His father was also a United States Marine who served in WWII.Upon high school graduation, Pat enlisted in the Marines much to his father's chagrin, as the War in Vietnam was underway. Pat soon shipped down to Parris Island and completed his infantry training and then flew off to Danang, where he served in an Intelligence capacity for 13 months.Upon returning home from Vietnam, Pat was honorably discharged from the service and would soon follow in his paternal footsteps, signing on as a Whitpain Police Officer and later, with the Lansdale PD.Pat is currently enjoying retirement but never strays far from service, as he keeps in touch with his fellow service personnel and plays a role with the Valley Forge Memorial and other veterans organizations.This is the service story of Pat McKernan. Semper Fi, Marine!
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Joe Daly has served his country and community for 57 years!Born in West Philadelphia, Joe enlisted in the Marine Corps upon high school graduation and was soon on the ground in Vietnam, serving as a machine gunner with Echo Company 2/7. He served two tours in Vietnam, earning a battlefield promotion to Sergeant and was awarded the Bronze Star, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and a Purple Heart.Upon Honorable Discharge, Joe signed up as a police officer in Lower Marion and has served at every level, working up the ranks to Chief of Police at Lower Marion and subsequently, Springfield, PA.Chief Daly's resume couldn't be more impressive but predictably, he is very humble as he provides credit to the many motivators he served with along the way, especially his family. This conversation was among my favorites to date. Joe's story provides much insight and is very inspiring. Thank you for your service, Joe. Semper Fi!
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Doug Ross is a Renaissance Man of sorts, boasting a variety of talents. He is a former collegiate wrestler and wrestling coach, teacher and now retiree. But at 76 years of age, the physical strength and spirit this man possesses exceeds that of most people half his age. Doug can perform pullups, pushups, squats and other bodyweight exercises with ease and was recently disciplined for knocking out tricep dips at the top of the pool ladder at his retirement center clubhouse.In this conversation, Doug shares his wisdom about strength through sport, the importance of the mental picture and how to maintain resilience throughout life. The man is truly an inspiration. -
Sgt. Rick Swehla was the Platoon Guide of 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion 6th Marines between 1993-1995. He was squared away, stern but fair and the epitome of leadership-by-example - exemplifying the kind of Marine we all wanted to be.
Under “Sgt. Swehla’s” leadership, along with SSgt Cobbs and Lt Cooper, our platoon trained our asses off, working up for a deployment to the Mediterranean with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Force (MEU) aboard the USS Ponce.
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Joe McCarthy is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1957 at the age of 16, after being turned away from the Army for being too young.
Joe served in 2nd Recon Battalion and later an artillery unit. In this episode of Making Motivation, PFC McCarthy tells his service story, which continues to the present.
Semper Fi, Joe!
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Making my motivational rounds, I invited West Virginia's, Shawn Gates onto the podcast to catch up on old times and discuss our service in the USMC. Thought it would be a nice touch to surprise Gates with our 1/6 brothers, Robert Nunn and Adron Presley. It was smiles all around, as we reminsiced.We enjoyed a great conversation today, as Gates shared his post-USMC service in the WV Nation Guard, deployments to Afghanistan and ultimately, his retirement following 20 years of honorable service.Nunn joined in and we engaged in a few rounds of, "remember when," and discussed inspiring leaders we recall. Finally, we all accompanied Presley on a virtual lunch date in his home town of Laurel, Mississippi, which is the very location of the reality TV series, Home Town. He introduced us to his friends and family and we all got a little peek into the life of Adron, a very good dude.We finished up sharing our thoughts on the topic of brotherhood and the importance of reconnecting with our fellow Devildogs.
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Rick grew up in Philadelphia native and enlisted in the Air Force, serving in Viet Nam at Phu Cat Air Base.
This is his story.
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My neighbor, Marcos Gonzalez has been collecting Transformers since the 80's when, as a little boy he stared into the television watching Optimus Prime and Megatron fight it out in an epic battle between good and evil!"Roll out" with us as Marcos gives us a personal tour of his vast collection. It truly is, more than meets the eye!Intro music: Transformers theme
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An extraordinary account of a life well-lived, the bond between mother and son and how all the love comes back to us in the end.
Rush, Time Stand Still
"I turn my back to the windTo catch my breath before I start off againDriven on without a moment to spendTo pass an evening with a drink and a friend
I let my skin get too thin I'd like to pause, no matter what I pretend
Like some pilgrim who learns to transcend
Learns to live as if each step was the end
(Time stand still)
I'm not looking back, but I want to look around me now
(Time stand still)
See more of the people and the places that surround me now
Time stand still
Freeze this moment a little bit longer
Make each sensation a little bit stronger
Experience slips awayExperience slips away
Time stand still"
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Sue O’Sullivan, My Chainsaw Sensei!Making Motivation Podcast mission: honor authentic people and tell their motivating stories. In the process, we aim to inspire and inform, put smiles on faces and a little fire under the asses of the masses. Date and Time: Saturday, April 13, 2024 @ 1100Context: A unique hobby of mine is chainsaw carving, not a lot of people pursue this pastime and I’m not here to encourage it. But while it might sound dangerous and downright crazy to sculpt wood with a chainsaw, it is a tremendously rewarding form of art and can be done quite safely, when you use your tools properly and wear your PPE. And…it’s not something you want to learn via trial and error, right? It is imperative that you have a mentor, someone to show you the ropes and make sure you don’t do anything stupid and lose a limb! During the early days of my carving wood with power tools, I was fortunate to find an online community of chainsaw carvers and virtually apprentice under Sue Hallet. Among quite a few encouraging carvers in this community, Sue stuck out…was friendly, kind and inspiring but also communicated in a no-nonsense manner, how to properly wield a blade of steel at 3000 rpms per minute to remove wood and make beautiful things. From saw maintenance and chain sharpening to wood selection and pricing my art, Sue was a great help to me and thanks to her guidance I am alive today with all my digits.Sue is a kind of Renaissance Woman, in that she does a lot of things very well and is always looking for new challenges.Musical intro: Darude, SandstormTalking PointsHow in the world did you get into chainsaw carving?What kind of person does this?Did you have a mentor?Why were you so willing to help me?What does your carving kit include, tools etc? Let’s take a lookIs chainsaw carving hazardous?Importance of PPE, safety measures etc?How to sharpen a chain?Favorite type of wood to carve?Favorite carving you ever did?Least favorite carving?Best and worst customers?Strangest shit you experienced on a carving job?Can you make good money chainsaw carving and in art generally?Define the term, “Saw Bitch.”What motivates you, Sue?https://youtu.be/4G_TagicNRM -
Musical Intro: Beck, Where It's AtErik Watson grew up in Long Island, NY and from a very young age he dreamed of being a United States Marine. Manifesting this ambition in the early 90s, Erik shipped off to recruit training in Parris Island, SC and was soon out serving in the Fleet Marine Force, with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Platoon.Upon my arrival at 1/6 in 1993, Watson was among the seasoned Marines tasked with bringing us new guys up to speed. He was a very squared away fellow and a great role model for us boots.In this podcast, Watson and I discuss his USMC experiences, as well as some of the lessons learned during his enlistment and the Devildogs he served with.Semper Fi, Brother!
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Jim Valentin served in the Air Force for twenty years, operating in Vietnam, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He flew in various aircraft, such as the C-150 Spectre Gunship and has a great many stories to tell.
His resume:
Enlisted in Air Force December 1968
Motivation: Vietnam war, draft, older brother was already in AF
AFSC/MOS jet engine/ helicopter mechanic
February 1970 Vietnam, MACV SOG, C-130 Gunships
--Commando Hunt, Cambodian Campaign
1971 Back to US, Dover AFB, DE
-certified as Spanish Interperter
--campaigns in all South and Central America
Operation Fuerte Apoyo (Strong Support) Nicaragua
Stationed in Germany 1978-1981 7th Special Operations Squadron
--operations in middle east and Africia
USMTM (supported United States Military Training Mission)
--Operation Eagles claw (Iran Hostages)
Returned to United States 1981
--Operation Urgent Fury 1983 (Grenada)
--Operation Secure Enhance (Panama)
--Operation Just Cause (Panama) 1989
Retired June 1993
Entered Law School August 1993-Graduated January 1997
EDUCATION
Associate in Applied Science- Aeronautics, Community College of the Air Force
Bachelors in Aeronautical Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Masters in Administration, Central Michigan University
Juris Doctorate, Temple School of Law
At 75 years of age, Jim remains a practicing lawyer, focusing on veterans rights and immigration law.
In his spare time, Jim is a firearms instructor, teaching coures in handgun and carbine safety and weapons employment to both law enforcement and civilians.
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Guests include Deirdre Callaghan, Jim Valentin, Erik Watson
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Musical intro: These Are The Days. 10,000 ManiacsContext: I grew up with Deirdre in the Pine Barrens of NJ. She is a gifted artist and has always been an outstanding human being and friend. Bio: My name is Deirdre Callaghan and I am originally from Jersey City, NJ I attended Saint Peters grammar school in Paulus Hook section of Jersey City. The school t. Peters Grammar School was built in 1861 and St. Peters Hall, also known as the auditorium building, was constructed in 1898. My great great grandfather was a solicitor for the land the parish and school was built on. He is named on a cornerstone of the original church. By the time I attended Saint peters it was a satellite school for Spanish speaking students. My friends were from all over the planet. It was so diverse and some of these friends have turned into family. My identity was my name and I was what Ellis Island left behind. NYC was my backyard and I knew more about Manhattan then the rest of Jersey City. My family moved to Lacey, NJ. When I was 10 years old. When I found out Long beach Island was our backyard I loved it. I currently reside here with my 2 cats, 2 chickens, 1 dog and we all live in Forked River. I am currently a commercial art teacher at Monmouth County Vocational school for the past 17 years. I have also taught at the Community School in Teaneck New Jersey which specializes in special education. In 2003-2004 I lived in Cork City, Ireland for 12 months as an advocate for the homeless at the Simon Community of Ireland. I studied visual communications at Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, and received my alternate route teaching certificate from Fairleigh Dickinson University. I worked at Designation inc. for the artist/illustrator Mike Quon for several years creating award winning graphics. I also worked on the Betsy Ross to Sacajewa coin in 1996 in Philadelphia as the graphics department for pitney bowes management services.Besides teaching at MCVSD, I also teach classes at the Lacey recreation as well as Barnegat/Waretown recreation. I was in a community theater play “Godspell” in 2005 in Jersey City. I was part of JC Fridays in 2006 singing with the cast members. I have shown my fine art work at 313 Gallery in Jersey City, Jersey City Puerto Rican day Parade 2021-22, Barrow Mansion in Jersey City, Project Greenville in Jersey City as well as a chosen artist in JCAST a show hosted by the City of Jersey City. I currently curate local art shows in Ocean County showcasing local artists.
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Sunday, March 22, 2024
Context: I grew up with Jay Houle in the Pine Barrens of NJ. We were part of a tight knit group of friends who were always together - surfing, drinking beer and otherwise carrying on. We remain great friends to this day, though our busy lives don’t offer the freedom of jumping in the truck and heading down to LBI as often.
Following high school graduation, Jay, myself and several other friends joined the Marine Corps. This is Jay’s account of his USMC service and up to the present day.
Musical intro: Broheim, by Pennywise
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